Veterinary workers begin strike action

WORK at abattoirs across Tyrone could be halted this week, as union members in the veterinary sector begin strike action today.

Veterinary Service Animal Health Group (VSAHG) workers are protesting about pay concerns and disparities for the next five days.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has warned of the potential for significant disruption due to the strike action.

Vets are legally required to be present in abattoirs as animals are slaughtered, meaning that, without them, the killing will have to stop.

This is something which will have particular implications for intensive pig and poultry factory farms which depend on constantly off-loading animals to make space for new arrivals.

A DAERA spokesperson has said the Department “fully respects the rights of colleagues to take industrial action and regrets sincerely that the budget situation that civil servants are trying their best to manage has meant that it has not been possible to provide a meaningful pay award for NI Civil Service staff.”

Meanwhile, school workers who belong to the GMB union across the North will continue industrial action short of all-out striking this week.

The action being taken by cooks, cleaners, drivers and classroom assistants and other staff include overtime bans, the removal of goodwill and the refusal of work outside of job descriptions.

Alan Perry, GMB senior organiser, said, “In this terrible ‘cost-of-living’ crisis, workers deserve decent pay.

“Cleaners, cooks and classroom assistants along with all non-teaching roles perform vital work for our children’s education.

“They shouldn’t be left wondering how they’re going to pay their bills.

“The Education Authority needs to sort this as a matter of urgency.”

Mr Perry added, “We remain committed to finding a resolution to this ongoing dispute over the pay and grading but not at the cost of our members pay packets.”

Also continuing industrial action over the next two months are staff at all six of the North’s further education colleges.

Lecturers at each college are currently taking one day of strike action every six days due to a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions.