Icy roads could go unsalted as Northern Ireland Roads Service workers set to announce ballot on strike action

The ballot is expected to open a week from now – on January 31 – as several trade unions in the wider Northern Ireland civil service meet today amid widespread anticipation of industrial action to come.

Industrial action across the civil service appears likely following a pay offer announced by the Department of Finance earlier this month – made possible following a long wait by the budget announced by Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris in November amid deadlock at Stormont.

The pay offer, which would bring all civil servants up to at least the £10.90 per hour recommended by the Living Wage Foundation with a “a consolidated increase of £552” for all other eligible staff, was instantly denounced by trade unions. The civil service's largest union, Nipsa, described the offer as "offensive” when it was announced.

Four trade unions – Nipsa, Unite, GMB and FDA – had already indicated they are exploring possible “coordinated” industrial action but workers are still to have their say in any formal ballot processes.

The Roads Service workers, however, are moving ahead with such a ballot with union members set to have from January 31 to February 14 to have their say.

The Roads Service staff represent the largest contingent of what is referred to within the civil service as the 'industrials' – a group of around 1,000 people across various government agencies.

With the St Valentine's Day closing date, a vote in favour of industrial action could see Roads Service workers going on strike around a week later at the earliest.

GMB Northern Ireland official Alan Perry, speaking to the News Letter on Monday ahead of the expected ballot announcement, said pay and bonuses are central reasons for the dispute in the Roads Service.

"We're meeting tomorrow for the wider civil service to discuss the potential next steps, and that will be a separate process,” he explained. “When it comes specifically to Roads Service, the issue is around the bonus and pay. Because the bonus is linked to pay, it means that every time there is a wider pay increase it affects the bonus and has to come off it. Effectively, they are given a pay deal with one hand and it is taken off them again with the other hand.”

He continued: “The ‘productivity unit bonus’ is given for each job that a Roads Service worker carries out so, for example, a certain number of units are awarded for fixing a pothole and they have to hit certain targets before they can earn a bonus.

“The bonus is capped, so every time pay goes up it is taken away from the bonus, meaning they don't actually get a pay rise.”

The News Letter understands that an overwhelming majority of Roads Service workers are members of one of either Unite or GMB.

Mr Perry added: "The likes of the winter service – gritting of the roads – and emergency call-outs, such as if a tree has blown over, would be affected by any industrial action going forward.

"The members are pushing for it, and any action in the winter service could potentially have a huge impact.”