Northern Ireland is facing a “complete shutdown” as Translink workers are balloted for strike action, a union is warning.
GMB are Unite are to ask staff if they want to down tools in a dispute over pay. However, the public transport company insists they have “made a pay offer that we believe is fair and reasonable”.
The ballot of Translink staff will start on St Patrick’s Day, GMB says, and continue until April 1.
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The union says that if the strike goes ahead, “the entire bus network will grind to a halt”. No date for strike action was mentioned in the statement.
Unions submitted a pay claim of six per cent for bus drivers, cleaners and shunters to “cope with rampant inflation of 7.8 per cent”.
Translink bosses, they say, “have refused to budge from their offer of three per cent, an offer workers have now rejected three times”.
Peter Macklin, GMB Organiser, added: “GMB members feel aggrieved and disrespected. Translink don’t seem to appreciate what workers went through during the pandemic.
“They made sure other essential workers could travel to and from their workplaces to perform their vital roles.
“Our members were proud to carry out their duty in delivering the service, which potentially put themselves and their families lives at risk.
“Now, because they feel the company has failed to listen to their concerns, Translink faces the first ballot for pay related industrial action in almost two decades.
“The dispute, which affects bus drivers, cleaners and shunters will close the entire bus network within Northern Ireland. It will be a complete shutdown.”
A Translink spokesperson said: “Following extensive negotiations with our bus driver trade unions, Unite and GMB, we have made a pay offer that we believe is fair and reasonable.
“We are currently awaiting the outcome of the trade unions ballot process and we remain focused on finding a suitable agreement that will not impact on passengers.”
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