Northern Ireland

MLAs urged to meet rank and file civil servants ahead of industrial action ballot

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll. Picture by Cliff Donaldson
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll. Picture by Cliff Donaldson People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll. Picture by Cliff Donaldson

MLAs have been invited to meet rank and file civil servants today ahead of a union ballot on industrial action.

The noon event at Stormont is hosted by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll and members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).

They are seeking support from assembly members for the workers' demands on pay, pensions, jobs and redundancy terms.

Speaking ahead of the event, PCS official Alex Lawrie said civil service members were due to take part in a UK-wide ballot on industrial action.

"Throughout the Covid crisis, government heaped praise on staff, who worked tirelessly to deliver vital public services that many of the most vulnerable in our society rely on," he said.

"Millions of people are suffering a cost-of-living crisis as inflation continues to rise and working families struggle to make ends meet."

He said the union's members had been offered "below inflation pay of rises which amount to real terms pay cuts".

PCS representatives attending the event hope to meet MLAs to discuss the impact of the cost-of-living crisis is having on workers and the "knock-on effects this will have in communities".

Mr Carroll urged his fellow MLAs to listen to the PCS officials concerns and support their demands.

"An inflation-busting pay rise is the least these workers deserve. The current pay offer is an insult and the attacks on their terms and conditions must end," he said.

"If political parties and MLAs are serious about tackling the cost-of-living crisis then they should publicly back workers in their fight for better pay."