Northern Ireland Public Transport Strike by Unite, GMB and Siptu unions cost retail takings 30% plus NIPSA members in BSO's NHS warehouses begin week of action

The news came as warehouse workers involved in supplying goods to Northern Ireland hospitals began a full week of strike action on Monday over pay.

Fifty Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa) workers in the health social care business services organisation (BSO) stores in Belfast and Lisburn began a week-long strike.

Union members across health, education and public sector transport have been engaged in increasing days of strike action in protest at what they argue are sub-inflationary pay rises.

Northern Ireland departments say they cannot afford the pay rises. Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris has made a major financial offer to resolve the disputes, if the DUP will break its 22-month veto over Stormont in protest at the NI Protocol.

On Friday and Saturday bus and train closed as the Unite, GMB and Siptu unions held a 48-hour strike over what they claim is a “pay freeze” which amounts to a real-term 11% pay cut.

Retail NI CEO Glynn Roberts said: "There's no doubt that many of our members had a very difficult time on Friday and Saturday.”

Many customers struggle to travel into towns and cities to do shopping and socialise in hospitality venues, he said.

"But a lot of our members were reporting sales down by maybe 20-30% from this time last year."

The strikes mean that retail and hospitality workers who depend on public transport find it very difficult to make it into work, he said.

He added that in the hospitality sector there were "quite a lot" of bookings cancelled on Friday and Saturday and "very little" in the way of walk-in business.

Unite the union confirmed that Friday's public transport strike is still set to go ahead.

Meanwhile, NIPSA posted photos on social media of their members on picket lines in Lisburn and Belfast on Monday.

Captioning the photos, NIPSA said: "BSO members on the first day of their week-long strike action over pay and safe staffing. Great support for the action at Lissue [Industrial Estate in Lisburn] and Boucher Road [in Belfast] and members are determined to get fair pay now."

Nipsa says BSO warehouses provide essential services to hospitals and communities including the provision of equipment to allow the release of patients from hospital beds and into the community, food for hospital and community meals, clinical equipment, admin supplies and housekeeping supplies.Three quarters of the workers engaging in the strike are paid £10.92 or below per hour.

A spokeswoman for the Northern Ireland Office said it is for the relevant department to make final decisions on pay policies.

She said: “The UK Government has no authority to negotiate pay in NI.

“The Secretary of State has invited representatives from the four parties eligible to form the Northern Ireland Executive to discuss how the Government will work with them to stabilise the finances of a returning Executive.

“These discussions are centred on how the UK Government can help with and support sustainability in Northern Ireland’s public finances for when a Northern Ireland Executive is restored.”