Suspension of three-day transport strike in NI to allow for fresh offer to be put to members

The news follows a fresh round of talks between Translink and the unions Unite, GMB and Siptu on Sunday February 25, during which the Unions agreed to suspend the planned 72-hour strike action.

The three unions are now set to ballot their members on a new offer tabled during the most recent talks.

The planned strike action would have consisted of three days of public transport strikes, and the suspension will allow union members to vote on a improved pay offer.

Workers had been due to walk out from midnight on Monday, following on from the rejection of an initial pay offer by management on Thursday of last week.

Workers in all three trade unions will now vote on the offer and the dates of the ballot are expected to be announced in the coming days.

Welcoming the suspension of the industrial action to allow for that vote to take place, Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd stated: “Resolving public sector pay quickly has been a key priority for the Executive.

"This is a positive development which I very much welcome. I want to thank the Unions and Translink management for their determination to find a resolution to this dispute.”

The transport strike across Northern Ireland was due to go ahead after the unions rejected the earlier 'inadequate' pay offer.

Thousands of Translink workers on bus and rail services had been due to take part in the strike.