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| Union seeks talks on water jobs | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Union officials have said they want to begin negotiations to discuss job cuts in Northern Ireland's water industry. | Union officials have said they want to begin negotiations to discuss job cuts in Northern Ireland's water industry. |
| Up to 500 jobs are to go over the next three years as part of a cost-cutting programme. | Up to 500 jobs are to go over the next three years as part of a cost-cutting programme. |
| The current workforce of about 1,900 will be cut to 1,400 as part of a new strategic business plan. | The current workforce of about 1,900 will be cut to 1,400 as part of a new strategic business plan. |
| Albert Mills from the Transport and General Workers Union said he wants an urgent meeting with the new minister Conor Murphy. | Albert Mills from the Transport and General Workers Union said he wants an urgent meeting with the new minister Conor Murphy. |
| "It was the unions that led the fight against water charges and we have them deferred for a year now and we continue that fight against water charges," he said. | |
| "We believe that we can certainly negotiate with the incoming minister because it is 500 jobs to the economy in Northern Ireland and we can ill afford to lose those jobs." | |
| The job cuts will hit the firm's industrial division as well as engineering, administration and scientific divisions. | The job cuts will hit the firm's industrial division as well as engineering, administration and scientific divisions. |
| Katharine Bryan of Northern Ireland Water said: "It's not all bad news, it sounds a lot but, in fact, we have been able to transfer quite a significant number of people, almost 300, back to the civil service ahead of the new company being created. | Katharine Bryan of Northern Ireland Water said: "It's not all bad news, it sounds a lot but, in fact, we have been able to transfer quite a significant number of people, almost 300, back to the civil service ahead of the new company being created. |
| "We backfilled some of those using temporary posts and at the same time recruiting to some of the new skills that we need." | "We backfilled some of those using temporary posts and at the same time recruiting to some of the new skills that we need." |
| Charges deferred | |
| Northern Ireland water was set up on 1 April as a government-owned company. | Northern Ireland water was set up on 1 April as a government-owned company. |
| It has a turnover of £400m and is investing £1m every day to update water and sewerage infrastructure which has suffered from chronic under-investment. | |
| The government had intended that consumers would contribute to the company's income this year with the introduction of domestic water charges, but they have been put on hold. | The government had intended that consumers would contribute to the company's income this year with the introduction of domestic water charges, but they have been put on hold. |
| The new assembly is now to look at the issue of water charges. | The new assembly is now to look at the issue of water charges. |
| The job losses will prove controversial as the water company is still trying to improve its performance in cutting leaks. | The job losses will prove controversial as the water company is still trying to improve its performance in cutting leaks. |