Council strike action goes ahead in Mid Ulster

SIGNIFICANT disruption will be caused to bin collections in Dungannon, Cookstown, Coalisland and across the entire Mid Ulster Council area, when workers begin a month-long strike today (Monday) as a pay dispute rumbles on.

Dozens of staff who are members of the Unite union will take part in the industrial action, after an enhanced pay offer from the local authority, was rejected on Friday.

The dispute is over the 2021-22 pay award, agreed nationally by the
National Joint Council on behalf of councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

The award for the 2021-22 year was agreed at 1.75 per-cent and the increase implemented by councils.

There had been hopes that the offer from the council would help stave off the strike action, after a similar outcome in negotiations with Derry and Strabane Council just over a week earlier.

However, with the spiralling cost of living showing no signs of abating, council workers in Mid Ulster are holding out for better pay.

The strike will last from Monday, July 25 to Sunday, August 21, and will largely affect bin collection services and two leisure centres in Cookstown and Magherafelt.

In a statement, Mid Ulster Council said that as result of the strike “the vast majority of bins will not be emptied”.

“While no collections can be guaranteed, residents are being advised to leave their bins out for collection on the normal day by 7.30am and they will be emptied where there are sufficient
crews to deliver a service,” said the council.

“If bins are not emptied, residents are being asked to take their bins back in from the kerbside and place them out again on their next scheduled collection day, where again they will be emptied if there are sufficient crews available.

“Where we have not been able to collect black bins during the four week period of industrial action, we will accept up to a maximum of two additional waste bags on the next scheduled collection day during the week commencing Monday 22 August.”

Recycling centres will remain open during the industrial action and will accept all household waste during the four weeks.

There will be no public group or intensive swimming lessons in Cookstown Leisure Centre and some gym and fitness classes may also be impacted.

They added, “The Council wishes to apologise to its residents for the regrettable and unavoidable impact on services as a result of the unilateral industrial action taken by UNITE the Union, despite exhaustive discussions and a significantly enhanced pay offer on the part of the Council.”