Gritter operators in Northern Ireland are set to begin a week-long strike from Thursday, which comes amid weather warnings for snow and ice.
There are concerns that road gritting services across the north could be impacted this week after Unite and GMB unions said their members would take part in strike action from one minute past midnight on Thursday.
An estimated 200 Roads Service workers are expected to join the strike action, which coincides with forecasts for severe cold weather, including snow and ice.
The Met Office has said several centimetres of snow could fall on Wednesday and Thursday.
It comes as more than 150,000 public sector workers will take part in a major strike on Thursday in response to the failure to award a pay deal in line with colleagues in Britain.
Teachers, healthcare workers, civil servants and bus and train drivers are among those due to take part in the walk-out, described as the largest mass strike in a generation.
On Monday, Unite said that Roads Service and Forestry Service workers “will continue their strike action for a week from 18 January to 24 January”.
The union said the “action short of strike action (is) being taken by other Unite civil service workers who will refuse to conduct winter services (gritting) during this period”.
Alan Perry from the GMB union also told the BBC: “Their dispute isn’t on pay, it’s also in relation to a productivity bonus which we believe was completely outdated and wrong and therefore then there’s two elements to the strike, hence why our members are out for a week.
“I’ve no doubt if a request comes in from the Department for Infrastructure in relation to a derogation we are duty bound to consider that derogation.
“There’s no guarantee that our members would grant it, but certainly if there is some sort of an emergency or anything like that then obviously we would consider it, but ultimately the decision would lie with our members.”
Many parts of the north woke to snow and ice on Monday, with a yellow weather warning extended until 11am on Tuesday.
In a statement, the Met Office said that brisk northern winds will push snow showers inland across Northern Ireland throughout Monday, potentially dropping up to 5cm across higher elevations like the Coleraine Mountain Road and Glenshane Pass.
Yellow warning of snow, ice affecting Northern Ireland https://t.co/f5BjyibVME pic.twitter.com/NttejqmFvf
— Met Office - Northern Ireland (@metofficeNI) January 15, 2024
On Tuesday, sleet and snow is forecast, with predictions of 1-3cm of snow in parts.
Temperatures in the Republic were predicted to drop to as low as minus 5 degrees Celsius in some areas on Monday night.
The cold snap is set to continue throughout the week, with Met Eireann issuing a yellow low temperature and ice warning for Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo, which be in effect from 6pm on Monday until 11am on Tuesday.
It warned of possible sleet or snow showers as temperatures plummet overnight.
The forecaster said there is a possibility for icy roads, freezing fog and potential for snow showers.
