Northern Ireland strike action looms

Widespread strike action taking place in Northern Ireland in March was becoming a very real possibility as Labour Research went to press.

Unions representing workers in health, education, the civil service, transport and other key public services were balloting over strike action throughout February, with action scheduled for 13 March.

Patricia McKeown, Northern Ireland regional secretary for the UNISON public services union, said: “The issues have been widely publicised.

“They include the thousands of jobs already cut, privatised or casualised and more of the same to come; unsafe staffing levels in hospitals and social care; financial losses already suffered by some of the lowest-paid workers in Northern Ireland; and the mounting stress levels and ill health being experienced by decent people trying to do increasingly impossible jobs in an intolerable world of constant cuts.”

www.unison.org.uk/news/articles/ni-ballot-under-way