Disruption in Northern Ireland as public transport workers take industrial action

Bus and rail services in Northern Ireland were being halted for a third day in just over a week on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, just before Christmas.

Political parties took part in talks with Mr Heaton-Harris earlier in the week where they were offered a £3.3 billion financial package from the UK Government which could cover public sector pay awards if devolved government was resurrected.

But the DUP, which is refusing to participate in the Stormont Assembly until unionist concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements are addressed, has indicated it remains in discussions with the Government.

The unionist party has argued that the Government could proceed with the public sector pay awards ahead of any agreement to restore Stormont.

However, the Northern Ireland Office has insisted it is for devolved departments to make final decisions on pay policies and that the UK Government has no authority to negotiate pay in Northern Ireland.

We spoke to Damien Doherty, a driver, and depo union rep for Unite the Union.

“Well, when we sat down with Translink earlier in the year, they informed us that due to the lack of funding coming from the DFI that they were in no position to offer us a pay rise for the year. So, we went back and we first off held a consultative ballot with all our members. It was basically asking them would they want to accept a 0% pay offer or would they like to proceed to industrial action. We had a 96% answer to that, to proceed industrial action."

Mr Doherty went on to explain how it was not their intention to strike at this time of year as negotiations started in April. “We’re definitely not looking to go out and harm any businesses or anything like that.” However, he explained they were asked to push back the strikes, but that would allow them to go “under the radar.”

Mr Doherty says members of the union have no disposable income, and that is the reason businesses will struggle, not industrial action. “So if this keeps continuing less and less people are workers are going to have disposable income and that is going to have another knock on effect on these businesses.”

At the Europa bus station this morning, many travellers had no where’re to go. Jeffrey Shruti had travelled from Liverpool to Belfast and had planned to get the bus to Donegal to see his mother for Christmas, without realising there were no public transport options available to him. His only option was a £140 pound taxi. “It’s seven in the morning, I haven’t had much sleep, it’s Christmas time and I’m knackered so it’s a nightmare. I had no idea there was a strike, it’s a big dent in my journey.”

He went on to say he didn’t know much about the strikes. However, he explained, “they wouldn’t strike if they didn’t have good reason. They have to pay their bills and they have their own families to feed. I just wish I would have known about it.”

Lorrain Fossett wasn’t impacted by the strikes today. However, she said: “I would genuinely support them but not at this time of year. I don’t think they should’ve done it Christmas week.”

Matthew O’Hara would usually get the glider to work, but because of the strike action, he had to get a lift early this morning, which forced him to have to sit in the bus station and wait until it was time to go to his shift. “If I got a lift any later the traffic would have been mad… I do support them obviously. From what I am aware the last four years they’ve been trying to get a raise. But they maybe took it a little too far, they could’ve broken it up a bit and done it on another day.”

Transport workers have vowed that strike action will continue next year until there is a resolution to a long-running pay dispute.

Translink has apologised to its passengers for any inconvenience caused by the strike action.

Previous strikes took place on December 1, 15 and 16.

• transport workers