Deal reached to allow street cleanup after Queen’s death

Workers from three trade unions — Unite, GMB and Nipsa — had been engaged in industrial action that has now stretched for nearly a month.

The strike, which has almost entirely halted bin collections and street cleaning work in the council area — leaving public spaces strewn with rubbish and bins overflowing, has not yet been formally suspended amid complications surrounding the laws governing industrial action.

But an interim arrangement has been put in place to allow works to take place to alleviate the problems with rubbish before a more formal arrangement can be put in place.

The trade unions had taken the strike action in pursuit of a pay deal amid sharp inflation and soaring living costs.

Elsewhere, a strike by members of the Unite trade union in the Lisburn and Castlereagh council has been postponed until the official period of mourning has come to an end.

The decision was confirmed in a joint statement agreed between Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and Unite the Union.

“Following the sad news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Unite the Union has agreed to the request from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council to postpone strike action with immediate effect,” a spokesperson said.

“As a mark of respect, industrial action will remain suspended until the official period of mourning has passed.

“The Council wishes to place on record its thanks to Unite the Union.”

Striking workers at the Housing Executive also suspended picket lines yesterday.

Across the UK, which has been rocked by deteriorating industrial relations in recent months, various forms of industrial action were put on hold following the death of the Queen.

Postal workers in the Communication Workers Union have suspended strike action, alongside members of the RMT trade union who had been engaged in industrial action on railways in Great Britain.