Unite the union will challenge desperate measures taken by bosses at local government authority who appear determined to avoid paying a cost of living increase to their employees regardless of the legality of their actions
Workers on picket lines at Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council who are engaged in all-out strike action expressed indignation as they heard the news that council bosses had moved to use agency workers to cover work impacted by their industrial action. Their union, Unite, has confirmed that it will proceed to challenge the unlawful status of management’s actions which are an attempt to break a strike by council workers seeking a cost of living pay increase.
Against a backdrop where retail price inflation is already 12.3 percent, management at Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has failed to make any offer to address their workers’ demand for a pay adjustment which protects them and their families from hardship.
General Secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, challenged council bosses on their unlawful attempt to undermine their employees’ industrial action:
“It is not lawful for any employer to take on agency workers or to reassign existing agency workers to cover work affected by industrial action. Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is a local government body and it is completely unacceptable for them to act with such disregard for employment law.
“My union will seek all avenues to challenge this unlawful behaviour by council management. This is a...
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