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UNISON’s Northern Ireland wide Industrial Action committee has pledged to continue its extensive action short of strike throughout the month of June.

Plans are also in place to make settlement of our pay and grading dispute an issue in the forthcoming July 4th election.

All Northern Ireland parties will be contesting seats in the Westminster parliament. Their candidates’ declared intention to convince voters they will represent the interests of people in Northern Ireland must be challenged. We are issuing that challenge to them.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A SEPARATE ISSUE FROM THE NI SPECIFIC PAY AND GRADING REVIEW

Your Committee met on 22 May and agreed to consult members on the pay offer of a flat rate increase of £1,290 (pro rata for part-time and term time only workers), from 1 April 2024 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). This consultation is open to all education workers who have a contractual commitment from their employer to implement NJC pay terms and conditions.

Council and school staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are worth far more than the “disappointing” pay increase they’ve been offered by employers, says UNISON today (Thursday).

The union in all 3 jurisdictions is to consult hundreds of thousands of our members on the annual cost of living pay offer made last week, with a recommendation they vote to reject it.

UNISON is calling for an improvement to pay that fairly rewards council and school staff, many of whom are in low-wage roles, for the essential services they provide.

UNISON members in their thousands will continue industrial action over coming days and weeks in schools and EA offices across Northern Ireland. They are also issuing a strong warning to the powers that be that their patience is running out.

Senior UNISON representative for Education and Local Government workers in Northern Ireland Catherine Mc Kenna stressed “we should not be taken for granted. The Minister asked for time to secure Treasury agreement to repurpose scheduled funds to deliver pay improvement.

A large number of claims were lodged several years ago with the Industrial Tribunal on behalf of UNISON members by our solicitors, Thompsons’ NI, against 5 Health Trusts on rates of pay for staff undertaking sleep-in shifts in residential facilities.

To all our members in:

- Education support services

- Controlled and Maintained schools 

- Integrated Schools 

- Voluntary Grammars 

- Irish language medium schools

 

Dear Members, 

Some news on our campaign to secure funding and begin implementing pay improvement

At the invitation of Education Minister Paul Givan Education support service trade unions met this week with officials from his Department. Led by the Deputy Permanent Secretary, the delegation also included senior management from the Education Authority.

UNISON members in their thousands are profoundly disappointed to hear the NI Executive decision on the 2024 NI budget. Their hopes that a longstanding promise to resolve a pay and grading review have been dashed.

We hear very clearly that all parties have said that they support the workers' cause, but they do not have the money. Workers now need to know what they are going to do to get it.

Our members' determination to succeed will become even more evident over the coming days and weeks. There is no doubt that calls to resume picket lines will be heard.

A PRESS RELEASE FROM UNISON, NIPSA, UNITE AND GMB JOINT TRADE UNIONS

Today trade unions met with the Minister for Education, Paul Givan, to discuss the Pay and Grading Review for non-teaching education workers. Following the meeting, the trade unions have agreed to commence preparations for further industrial action.

UNISON members in the Northern Ireland health service on Agenda for Change pay, terms and conditions have voted to accept the restoration of pay parity with NHS England.

 

Over 29,000 thousand UNISON members were invited on line and though direct mail to give us their verdict.  They have given us a clear response.  Some 77.2% voted yes while 22.8% voted to reject. 

 

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