Council strike set to resume in full after Queen’s funeral

The strike – which has caused bins to go uncollected for a month and other services to shut down – is continuing this week, following an arrangement allowing staff to clear up public spaces necessary for events relating to the Royal family.

Pickets, protests and flag-waving has also been called to a halt as a mark of respect during the period of mourning, which is set to conclude following the Queen’s funeral on Monday.

But the strike has not been called off, and without a breakthrough in talks, workers are set to return to picket lines and resume strike activities in full from Tuesday onwards, when the period of mourning is over.

Alan Perry, from the GMB trade union, confirmed to the News Letter on Wednesday that notice is being given to the council of another two weeks of strike action.

Talks between the employers and the trade unions involved — Unite, GMB and NIPSA — are continuing, but any deal that might be reached will require approval by the elected councillors.

And with no formal council meetings during the period of mourning, it is uncertain whether any agreement can be ratified in the meantime.

Mr Perry said: “We hope we can get a deal, but the problem is we don’t know when the next council meeting will take place.”

Elsewhere, negotiations continue with other Northern Ireland councils.

Kevin Kelly, from the trade union NIPSA, said members had voted to accept a pay offer in the Ards and North Down council.

The outcome of ballots on the offer by members of Unite and GMB is expected later this week.

Mr Kelly, meanwhile, said the dispute in the Lisburn and Castlereagh area is set to continue.

In that council area, the trade union Unite had already staged strike action which was put on hold following the Queen’s death, while the GMB and Nipsa unions announced their intention to ballot on possible industrial action.

“Ballots have started in Lisburn and Castlereagh,” he Mr Kelly said.

A meeting of councillors in the Causeway Coast and Glens area, meanwhile, is expected to be held imminently in order for a pay deal to be approved.

A deal had previously been negotiated in that area but was vetoed by councillors with a majority of one vote.