Thousands of local government workers in the 26 district councils across northern Ireland
are taking strike action against the continued imposition of below-inflation wage
increases and pensions 'reforms' that force them to work longer for a smaller pension.
---- The strike also covers Housing Executive, Education & Library Boards, NSL (Traffic
Attendants), Youth Justice Agency, Libraries NI, CCEA and some other smaller public
bodies. ---- The strike takes place on the same day as strikes by equivalent workers in
England and Wales, as well as Firefighters and Education workers. ---- Workers from these
trade unions voted to strike.NIPSA, UNISON, UNITE, GMB, SIPTU, PCS ---- According to Matt
Dykes, the TUC's Senior Policy Officer for Public Service "five years of pay freezes and
below inflation pay caps have had a hugely damaging impact on the living standards of
public sector workers.
TUC analysis shows that thging impact on the living standards of public sector workers.
TUC analysis shows that the average public sector worker is ?2,245 worse off in real terms
since this government took office. In local government, where almost two thirds of the
workforce are paid below ?21k a year and around half a million workers are paid less than
the Living Wage, workers will have experienced a real terms pay cut of 18% by the end of 2014.
A home help who has been at the top of her pay scale for four years was earning ?13,189 at
the beginning of 2010. She now earns ?13,621 ? an increase of just ?432 since 2010. But
had her pay increased in line with inflation, she would now be earning ?15,820 ? which
means that she?s lost out on ?2,199 in real terms. Under the same analysis a refuse
collector on the top of his pay scale has missed out on ?2,949 in real terms. He was
earning ?16,440 in 2010 and is now on ?16,770 ? an actual increase of just ?330."
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» (en) WSM.ie: We extend our solidarity to the 1000's of workers striking against Austerity today in the north of Ireland, England and Wales.