Derry & Strabane Council call for UK Minister Nadhim Zahawi to retract strike comments

A proposal passed unanimously at the Business and Culture meeting after it was brought forward by People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin.

Nadhim Zahawi told Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Sky News that those planning on striking could ‘send a very clear message to Putin that we are not going to be divided in this way’ as he called on unions to call off planned industrial action.

He further claimed Putin was using ‘energy as a weapon’ which had led to very high inflation rates, which would be prolonged if strikes went ahead. “Our message for the unions is to say this is not a time to strike; this is a time to negotiate.”

Addressing the hybrid committee in Derry, councillor Harkin spoke about the Tory Chairman’s comments.

“I think these are disgusting remarks,” he said. “Our council has taken a very strong position in support of our health and social care workers and also in support of industrial action that they might be forced to take as they pursue a decent wage, a decent pay rise, safe staffing and all the other demands that are linked to protecting and saving our health service.

“The remarks this minister without a portfolio has made are designed to demonise health and social care workers, to undermine their effort to get a bit of equality and to create division where there is none,” he claimed.

“This is again another example of a Tory party in crisis that are willing to blame anybody for problems that they have created.

“What I would like to propose is that we would write a letter to the minister describing our dismay for his comments and calling on him to apologise to the health and social care workers and withdraw his remarks.”

The proposal was seconded by Sinn Féin councillor Conor Heaney, before SDLP Councillor Rory Farrell commented: “These were absolutely ridiculous comments from the minister without portfolio. The real issue here is that our beleaguered healthcare workers haven’t got a pay rise and they aren’t going to get a any time soon.”

“We fully support their right to strike, we fully support the industrial action they are taking because they deserve a lot more than what they are getting at the minute.”

The proposal passed unanimously.

Gillian Anderson

Local Democracy Reporter