Unions explore ‘coordinated’ industrial action in Northern Ireland civil service

This follows a meeting between the Nipsa, FDA, GMB and Unite trade unions and the Permanent Secretary at the Stormont finance department on Tuesday to discuss a pay offer to civil servants.

The offer, which had been long-awaited due to the powersharing impasse at Stormont, was made late last week in a letter to civil service workers from the Permanent Secretary, Neil Gibson.

It was met with a harsh response by the Nipsa union – which represents a majority of the civil service workforce in Northern Ireland – almost immediately.

Nipsa had indicated within hours of the offer being put forward on Friday that it would prepare the ground for possible industrial action – including a strike – if members are in favour.

A consultation with members is now understood to be underway, with a formal ballot likely to follow.

The offer itself, the Department of Finance say, will see the earnings of all staff members raised to the level recommended by the Living Wage Foundation – a rate of £10.90 an hour or £21,053 annually.

It also includes “a consolidated increase of £552” for “all eligible other staff”.

With devolved government at Stormont not functioning due to the ongoing political crisis, any strike by civil servants could have significant implications in Northern Ireland.

Following their meeting with the Permanent Secretary on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the four trade unions said on Wednesday: “Union leaders made clear that the offer of £552, which is less than 2% to the majority, is insulting and derisory and is totally unacceptable to their members.

“The trade unions gave notice that all four unions would be consulting members, opening the possibility of coordinated industrial action in the coming weeks.”

Carmel Gates, Nipsa general secretary, also spoke on behalf of the joint trade union side in a statement, saying: “For the majority of Civil Servants this pay offer is worth less than 2%. With inflation in double figures this is a huge pay cut. Two-thirds of our members earn below the UK median wage and many rely on benefits to try to make ends meet.”

She added: “We made clear to the Permanent Secretary that the offer is totally unacceptable and that our members are very angry that they are being offered so much less than other workers. We made clear that all four unions would be consulting our members opening the possibility of coordinated industrial action in the coming weeks.”

If civil servants do opt for strike action, they would become the latest group to join a wave of industrial discontent sweeping the UK. Northern Ireland council workers have already staged lengthy campaigns of strike action over the course of the past 12 months, while health workers remain engaged in an ongoing dispute over pay, staffing and other issues, and teachers remain engaged in industrial action short of a strike – with the possibility of a move to strike action still on the table.