Derry Council demands 'fair treatment' for health staff as DUP respond to criticism

The Council is to write to the Secretary of State urging him to engage with trade union leaders here immediately to discuss a fair pay resolution at the suggestion of People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin.

The issue was first raised by UUP Alderman Derek Hussey who expressed his dismay at the discrimination health workers in Northern Ireland are facing.

“We have seen that health workers in England and health workers in Scotland are getting their pay raise and staff in Northern Ireland doing exactly the same work are not,” he said. “I think it is pure discrimination that this pay parity is not forthcoming to the staff here in Northern Ireland.”

Councillor Harkin also spoke about the anger amongst health care workers at the decision, stating that they are ‘furious about this treatment’ and claimed that ‘there’s just a huge lack of respect for our workers here.’

He further claimed: “I know that the DUP are ranting and raving and holding up Stormont and holding us all to ransom because they are saying the North has been treated differently. Well here’s a clear example of where workers from all communities are once again being treated differently from workers across the water, but I haven’t heard a single word of complaint by the DUP.”

He proposed council agreed to write to the Secretary of State to demand that health and social care workers across the North are not discriminated against and to engage with trade union leaders to discuss a fair pay resolution.

SDLP Councillor Brian Tierney said his party leader and Derry’s MP Colum Eastwood has already written to the Secretary of State demanding that he use his power to ensure that nurses here in the North are treated the exact same as nurses elsewhere.

“You know a nurse in Derry is as valuable to their patients as a nurse in Manchester or Cardiff or Glasgow or anywhere else. They should be treated the exact same and they’re not being treated the same," he warned.

Suggesting that healthcare workers were being used as a way to force the DUP back into the Executive he said: “I don’t think it’s going to work. I’ll give you two reasons why it’s not going to work. Number one there is a council election in a few weeks and the DUP are not going to go back ahead of that. Number two, I also don’t think that they’ll go back and ahead of the marching season so we’re looking at September at the very earliest, in my opinion, when the DUP will even consider going back into Stormont.”

“The DUP now need to stop this reckless behaviour, grow up, get back into the Executive,” he claimed.

Aontú Councillor Emmet Doyle stated that the Northern Ireland Office’s failure to offer a 5% raise for all pay points and a one-off lump sum to staff in Northern Ireland, despite them doing the same job on the same contracts as those in Britain, is ‘ludicrous’ and ‘absolutely reeks of desperation’.

Sinn Féin Colr. Christopher Jackson, echoed the sentiment and added that his party’s Vice President, Michelle O’Neill had written to the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, demanding a meeting.

“The Tory party in Britain are completely ignoring the views of our workers here,” he said.

“They are refusing to engage and take onboard the views of the trade unions. So until that happens, we will continue to advocate on their behalf.”

He accused the DUP of punishing ‘our public services’ and said that party’s stance was ‘becoming untenable’.

"There are parties that are keen to work together to address the issues that matter most and the DUP have prevented us from doing that.”

Alderman Maurice Devenney accused other parties of ‘DUP bashing’ and stated that his party will decide what happens and how they manage the future.

“Our party leader has said he is anxious to see Stormont up and running but we know there are issues that need to be resolved,” he said.

Supporting the proposal, the DUP Alderman added: “We have no problem supporting fair equality pay for our health workers the same as what they have on the GB mainland.”

Alderman Devenney took aim at Sinn Féin’s claiming “I have to say it’s hypocrisy from Sinn Féin talking about bringing down and keeping the Assembly down. They did it for three years.”

"We pushed them and pushed to get them to come back and they stayed out for three years.”

PBP Colr. Maeve O’Neill, a healthcare worker, commended her colleagues and co-workers for their fight on the picket lines before the motion passed unanimously.

Gillian Anderson

Local Democracy Reporter