Vets, meat and port inspectors take to picket lines in unprecedented five day strike

NIPSA and GMB members who work in the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs (DAERA) Veterinary Services Animal Health Group walked out on Sunday and will end the strike on Friday.

Pickets were staged at DAERA headquarters in Ballykelly on Monday and Lisahally on Thursday.

Stuart Wilson, NIPSA branch representative, explained: “The strike is in relation to the issue of insufficient pay awards across the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS).

"This has occurred over a number of years, 15, with the service having endured pay freezes and pay caps of 1 per cent.”

NIPSA has described a £552 pay award for 2022/23 as ‘derisory’.

"The impact of all this has left a 25-30% drop in value of pay in real terms over this time. People within many of these areas have real concerns and anxieties about how they can make their monthly pay stretch to cover necessities which include running a vehicle to get to their place of work,” said Mr. Wilson.

Mr. Wilson described the week-long strike as ‘unprecedented’ with the potential to be the most significant targeted action ever undertaken by NICS members.

"The action affects the passage of goods coming and going through the ports as well as the production of, in particular, beef, pork and lamb at the various meat plants across NI.

“The situation has left the service vulnerable in as much as DAERA have been struggling to recruit and retain staff in these business critical, key worker areas and this has increased the work pressures on those remaining in post.

“A resolution would need to come from an intervention via the Secretary of State, Chris Heaton-Harris, making funds available to NICS that allows for pay issues to be addressed or a financial boost to a returning assembly that will allow for the same thing to happen.”

A DAERA spokesman said: “This targeted five-day strike is part of a wider programme of industrial action by NIPSA and GMB members and involves a significant number of staff across DAERA’s Veterinary Service Animal Health Group (VSAHG).

“The Department respects the rights of its staff to take industrial action and deeply regrets that the 2022 NICS Pay Award could not have been higher due to the very challenging budgetary position.

“As soon as the likelihood of this strike action became apparent, the Department commenced its business continuity planning and in the period since then has engaged extensively with stakeholders and operators on the potential impacts. It also advised operators of businesses that rely on DAERA services to consider activating their own business continuity/emergency plans.

“NIPSA has granted derogations to ensure that poultry slaughter continues and for the provision of cover for the 24-hour epizootic on call rota. Both have been granted on the basis that they will only take effect if required. Other requests for derogations were not granted.

“DAERA has continued to be able to provide some level of service to the intensive livestock sector and is monitoring activities across portal and field operations and, where possible, is taking action to mitigate the worst impacts on service delivery.”

The ‘Journal’ asked the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) for comment.

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