Strike action by industrial civil servants will have a "huge impact" on public services, it has been warned as ferry sailings have been cancelled and responses including emergency repairs to roads limited.
Members of the Unite and GMB unions begin strike action from midnight until Wednesday April 26, over a pay offer described as a "slap in the face" for workers facing the "worst cost of living crisis in living memory".
Recent ballots by both unions saw members employed in services including the Department for Infrastructure's (DfI) roads and rivers services vote in favor of striking, with 91 per cent of Unite backing the move, and 80 percent of GMB DfI workers.
The ballots followed a consolidated pay offer of £552 for the current year.
GMB has said the strike is "just a start" in their campaign to win a "respectful" pay increase, while the DfI has said the public should expect a "significant" impact to services.
The Strangford Lough ferry has been suspended for the duration of the strike action, due to the DfI being unable to provide the minimum crew required to safely operate crossings.
Repairs to road incidents including oil spills and the removal of debris will be limited, the department has said.
The DfI strike will see union members join wider ongoing civil service industrial action by NIPSA and PCS members over pay.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "The offer of a bare £552 extra a year is a slap in the face for those responsible for the maintenance of vital public services and infrastructure.
"That’s pennies more than ten pounds a week and will do nothing for workers feeling the impact of the worst cost of living crisis in living memory.
“Roads, forestry, rivers, Strangford Lough ferry and other civil service workers in Unite are taking a first week strike action. The employers need to recognise that this is just a start. These workers are determined to win a proper and respectful pay increase."
She added: "They do so in the full knowledge that this union stands full square behind them."
GMB regional organizer Alan Perry said the strike "will have a huge impact on a range of public services".
“This strike action occurs alongside that being taken by other public sector workers including across the civil service and in the education sector," he said.
"Workers are demanding a fair pay increase to protect themselves and their families from surging prices. The impact that these strikes will have is entirely avoidable – we need to see quick action from employers to meet fully the pay expectations of our members.”
A DfI spokesperson said contingency arrangements would be in place throughout the week "to limit potential impacts as much as possible", but added that the industrial action "will affect many of our routine and emergency response functions including repair of serious infrastructure defects such as manhole collapse or potholes".
Capacity to respond to flood emergencies will be "significantly reduced", with delays expected in responding to calls to the DfI Rivers flood incident phone line.
Prioritisation will be aimed at "assistance to those incidents with most impact to life and property", the spokesperson added.
