Union warns of industrial action against ‘sack threat’ Causeway Coast Council

The Causeway Coast and Glens Council has told workers in its leisure services department that it “reserves the option” of terminating contracts in the absence of an agreement on new terms and conditions.

But the GMB union has described the changes as a “pay cut” and warned that it will ballot workers on industrial action if the council refuses to back down.

This comes amid a serious financial crisis facing the council.

The council’s borrowing stands at more than £70 million.

Officials estimated last week that increases of either 10.08% or 13.51% were needed on the money raised through rates.

Alan Perry, GMB regional organiser for all 11 of Northern Ireland’s local councils, believes the proposed “pay cuts” are directly linked to the financial situation facing the council.

“Once again we see the ordinary workers being asked to shoulder the burden of financial problems that were not their doing,” he said.

“The council is proposing to ‘harmonise’ terms and conditions but it is no surprise that they are doing this now, when they are facing serious financial problems.

“They have had a long time since the old councils made way for the new councils but it is only now they are threatening to sack workers if they don’t accept a pay cut.

“The GMB union will resist these threats.”

He continued: “Industrial action is likely to happen if the council move ahead with this.

“We will move to ballot members on industrial action unless this can be resolved.”

The council is expected to strike its annual rate tonight.

A rates estimate report prepared ahead of tonight’s meeting states that the amount of rateable income to be raised will need to rise by 10.08% if “all savings recommendations are agreed fully by council”.

It states that the amount of rateable income will need to rise by 13.51% otherwise.

The report states: “This budget round has been an extremely difficult and challenging one for a number of reasons.”

The largest political grouping on the council, the DUP bloc of 14 councillors, issued a joint statement ahead of tonight’s meeting.

“We will have extremely tough and no doubt unfavourable decisions to make in order to restore the organisation to a sound financial state,” it said. “This will require teamwork between everyone in the council and elimination of the current ‘cherry picking opportunities’ by individuals and party groups.”