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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Council staff begin strike action | Council staff begin strike action |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Council employees and staff at other government bodies in Northern Ireland have begun a two-day strike action. | Council employees and staff at other government bodies in Northern Ireland have begun a two-day strike action. |
| It is being taken across the UK in protest at a pay offer of 2.5%. | It is being taken across the UK in protest at a pay offer of 2.5%. |
| Services hit include bin collections - areas where they will not be affected are Antrim, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Dungannon, Magherafelt and Moyle. | |
| Leisure and community centres will be closed and many children's summer schemes have been postponed. Belfast Zoo is closed to the public. | Leisure and community centres will be closed and many children's summer schemes have been postponed. Belfast Zoo is closed to the public. |
| The scale of the strike will only become apparent during the day, but there is the potential for libraries, council offices and home care services to be affected as well. | The scale of the strike will only become apparent during the day, but there is the potential for libraries, council offices and home care services to be affected as well. |
| There will be no flights in or out of the City of Derry airport. Derry City Council owns the airport and its staff are on the two-day strike. | There will be no flights in or out of the City of Derry airport. Derry City Council owns the airport and its staff are on the two-day strike. |
| Thousands of members of the Unite union say a pay increase of 2.45% is not enough. | Thousands of members of the Unite union say a pay increase of 2.45% is not enough. |
| However, the local government association says the offer is final. | However, the local government association says the offer is final. |
| Unions argue that with the cost of living becoming more and more expensive, their members need an increase of 6%. | Unions argue that with the cost of living becoming more and more expensive, their members need an increase of 6%. |
| But the employers say frontline services could be cut if salaries were to increase. They also point out the unions are split on the issue - the GMB union has accepted the pay deal. | But the employers say frontline services could be cut if salaries were to increase. They also point out the unions are split on the issue - the GMB union has accepted the pay deal. |
| Is your council hit by the strike? | Is your council hit by the strike? |
| Trevor Salmon, director of corporate services with Belfast City Council, said it was hard to predict what support the strike would have. | Trevor Salmon, director of corporate services with Belfast City Council, said it was hard to predict what support the strike would have. |
| "What we do know is certain essential services such as burials, cremations and weddings which have been long in the planning will go ahead as planned," he said. | "What we do know is certain essential services such as burials, cremations and weddings which have been long in the planning will go ahead as planned," he said. |
| "There will be disruption of our leisure centre and our community centres - we think 50% of those will be disrupted or closed. | "There will be disruption of our leisure centre and our community centres - we think 50% of those will be disrupted or closed. |
| "The biggest disruption of course is going to be the bin collections - we calculate that some 54,000 households will be affected." | "The biggest disruption of course is going to be the bin collections - we calculate that some 54,000 households will be affected." |
| Jimmy Kelly, Unite Irish regional secretary, said: "Unite calls on the Stormont government to fund local government properly." | Jimmy Kelly, Unite Irish regional secretary, said: "Unite calls on the Stormont government to fund local government properly." |
| The union wants workers to be paid what it describes as "a decent living wage". | The union wants workers to be paid what it describes as "a decent living wage". |
| "We call on councillors and MLAs who support our members' demands to join us on on the picket lines. They will be made very welcome." | "We call on councillors and MLAs who support our members' demands to join us on on the picket lines. They will be made very welcome." |