The public have been encouraged to attend a demonstration in the Guidhall Square on Saturday to highlight the pressures facing workers and families from rising energy bills.
The rally comes on the back of the announcement of huge hikes to gas prices in the city and district due to kick in from early October.
Firmus Energy, who supply gas to households in Derry as part of their Ten Towns scheme, announced a 56.3% price rise.
Read more: Derry foodbank warns of 'difficult winter' amid growing cost of living crisis
Mayor of Derry and Strabane Sandra Duffy said: “The latest catastrophic rise to gas prices announced by Firmus this week is deeply worrying for workers, families and small businesses across our city and district.
“People are already struggling to pay their bills. This is a cost-of-living emergency. Huge hikes to energy prices which will see household bills go through the roof is placing huge worry on families.
“The British government needs to introduce measures that will cut people’s bills and put a stop to people being ripped off. People in this city need an Executive up and running, ministers in place, and parties working together to put money in their pockets.
“I would urge people to attend a demonstration in the Guildhall Square at 1pm this Saturday afternoon to make it clear that the energy rip-off must end and people have proper support.”
Derry Against Fuel Poverty have been consistently protesting against repeated price rises.
Spokesperson Sinead Quinn said: “People already couldn’t afford to switch on their heat and this blow will come just as families have had to struggle to purchase school uniforms to get their kids back to school and looking ahead to a long, cold and stressful winter.
"Additionally, unregulated home heating oil prices have jumped significantly in the past 3 weeks from £398 for 500 litres mid August to £535 for the same today. SSE Airtricity are hiking their prices by 35.4% and Click Energy by 28.2% which both take effect on 1st October. People simply cannot afford to pay these scandalous prices.
"Even the £400 all household payments we were promised have not been delivered as yet. Many working people have not had one iota of financial support thus far and we are now well over a year into the soaring energy costs. Ostensibly, we are without political leadership and we are still without the political will necessary to support our people at this frightening time.
"We call on the DUP to, put simply, wise up and get back to work immediately. In the absence of this, we call on the new Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris to cut their wages immediately as an incentive to return to work. A week or two claiming Universal Credit might provide a stark dose of reality to the politicians here.
"I would like to take this opportunity to remind people we have organised a march for Saturday 1st October in the city. People are asked to gather at the Train Station in Duke Street at 2pm to march to Guildhall Square in the city centre for a rally. Everyone is welcome and collectively we can apply the pressure necessary to ensure the government does the right thing by us all."
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