UNIONS have defended the right of Translink workers to strike this weekend despite criticism it will hurt the hospitality sector during one of the busiest weekends of Christmas trade.
After rumours circulated that this weekend’s action would be called off, a joint press conference from three trade union leaders confirmed strikes would go ahead on Friday and Saturday as well as next Friday, December 22.
It followed one Belfast restaurant owner calling the strikes an act of “destruction” while Hospitality Ulster’s chief Colin Neill said that although he supported the right to strike, doing so this weekend was “wrong”.
Unite’s Deputy Regional Secretary Davy Thompson said transport workers had little choice, as Translink had not made any sort of pay offer.
“The rationale from the company is that there has been no budget set by (Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris,” he said.
“That’s on the back of the secretary of state admitting this week that he actually has the money to make a difference to people here in Northern Ireland and that money is being used as a punitive measure against working class people…in order for him to force back Stormont…that’s not acceptable to us.”
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GMB regional organiser for Translink, Peter Macklin, said: “You have to understand the frustration of our members. They’re facing anti-social behaviour on a daily basis.
“Assaults are commonplace, throw in the odd hi-jacking, and they get told two weeks before Christmas that they can’t get a pay rise.”
SIPTU Regional organiser Niall McNally said: “We are heading towards an economic event horizon here with what has been imposed by Westminster.
“If there is no intervention we’re going to head into the abyss. So I would appeal to hospitality workers as well to get themselves organised and into a union.
“I know what’s been going around in the media, but in reality a lot of these workers are being highly exploited on zero hour contracts and relying on tips over Christmas instead of being paid a decent wage.”
Mr Thompson also denied the strikes had deliberately “targeted” hospitality, saying it affected everyone in Northern Ireland.
“We have to remember that there’s a secretary of state that’s dangling £2.5bn, but there’s massive caveats to that,” he said.
“There’s water rates, there’s potentially losing smart passes that also affects businesses.
“I think hospitality should be joining us in saying the NI Secretary has got this absolutely wrong.”
He also said that there was also an opportunity this weekend for people to spend money in their local areas.
“If you’re in Lisburn, have your (work drinks) in Lisburn. Rather than Hospitality NI, its sounding like Hospitality Belfast at this point.”
This weekend’s strike action across Ulsterbus, Metro bus, Glider and rail services will commence at staggered times on Friday morning and last for 48 hours, ending on Sunday.
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— Translink (@Translink_NI) December 13, 2023
Ballots for strike action across all three unions resulted in yes votes in the high 90s.
The unions say that a pay freeze instigated by Mr Heaton-Harris amounted to a 11.4% pay cut after RPI inflation was factored in.
Among those supporting the strike was the People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll.
“Wealthy hospitality leaders have no business criticising workers who are struggling to make ends meet,” he said.
“Transport workers have been left with no option but to take strike action. It is not an easy decision, particularly in the mouth of Christmas, but they can no longer put up with the continuous pay cuts.”
Iarnród Éireann has said that this weekend’s strikes will cause “significant disruption” to the Dublin to Belfast Enterprise.
No cross-border services will operate and “a limited Enterprise service” will operate between Dublin and Dundalk only.
The strikes are also expected to affect Translink’s Nightmoves late night bus service in Belfast.
