Over 200 Unite Roads Service members to picket at 11 Northern Ireland depots

More than two hundreds Unite members employed by the Roads Service of Northern Ireland will be joining with colleagues in the GMB in taking strike action for a week commencing today (Monday).
By Claire Cartmill
Published 27th Feb 2023, 08:33 BST
Updated 27th Feb 2023, 08:33 BST
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The industrial action follows a ballot of Unite members which returned a 95.30% vote for strike. The workers seek changes to their terms and conditions meaning the integration of a productivity bonus into their payscales.

Roads Service workers’ pay is dependent on a productivity-based payment which is subject to the determination of managers.

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The strike pickets will be established at 8am on Monday and will last seven days and affect roads maintenance work across Northern Ireland.

More than two hundreds Unite members employed by the Roads Service of Northern Ireland will be joining with colleagues in the GMB in taking strike action for a week commencing today (Monday)More than two hundreds Unite members employed by the Roads Service of Northern Ireland will be joining with colleagues in the GMB in taking strike action for a week commencing today (Monday)
More than two hundreds Unite members employed by the Roads Service of Northern Ireland will be joining with colleagues in the GMB in taking strike action for a week commencing today (Monday)

Lead regional officer for roads service workers Gareth Scott explained the context for the strike: “Our members in Roads Service are dependent on the allocation of productivity-based duties in order to make bonus, which leaves them subject to potentially less favourable treatment from managers.”

He added: “Those taking strike action perform a vital role maintaining road standards and safety. The responsibility for the impact of this strike resides with the intransigence of management.”

Pickets will be established at 11 depots including Ballymena, Londonderry, Omagh, Enniskillen, Portadown, Craigavon, Newry, Lisburn, Belfast, Bangor and Newtownabbey.

Related topics:UniteNorthern IrelandGMBOmaghEnniskillen