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NI Water dispute: Minister says 1,200 customers are without water NI Water dispute: About 1,250 customers are without water
(about 3 hours later)
About 1,200 customers are currently without water because of the ongoing industrial dispute, the regional development minister has confirmed. About 1,250 customers are currently without water because of the NI Water industrial dispute.
Danny Kennedy is addressing an emergency meeting of Stormont's regional development committee to brief MLAs on the latest situation. Minister Danny Kennedy and NI Water's chief executive was questioned at an emergency meeting of Stormont's regional development committee.
He repeated his apology to customers. The pensions dispute between the company and its employees has been disrupting water supplies at thousands of properties over the last few weeks.
The pensions dispute between NI Water and its employees has been disrupting water supplies at thousands of properties over the last few weeks.
'Intolerable'
The areas affected are mainly counties Londonderry, Fermanagh and Tyrone.The areas affected are mainly counties Londonderry, Fermanagh and Tyrone.
In its latest statement, NI Water said there had been "an improvement in the water supply situation overnight" and confirmed that all water treatment works are now back in service. Stormont's regional development committee, which holds the department to account, questioned the minister and senior staff at NI Water about their handling of the dispute.
However it warned: "It may take time for the system to fully recharge and customer supplies to be restored to normal. Airlocks may also cause some difficulties in the system; this will impact on restoration times in a small number of cases." The chair of the committee, Trevor Clarke, asked the minister at what stage he would consider bringing in private contractors to alleviate problems.
Stormont's regional development committee, which holds the Department of Regional Development to account, is questioning the minister and senior staff at NI Water about their handling of the dispute. Mr Kennedy said: "There was a reluctance on behalf of private contractors to interfere, if you like, or to be seen to be interfering in industrial action."
Mr Kennedy told MLAs it was "intolerable" that so many customers had suffered for so long without water as a result of the work-to-rule action that has been going on for more than a month.
'Private contractors'
He said he has asked Northern Ireland's utility regulator to examine NI Water's response to the dispute and its handling of the problems facing its customers.
The chair of the committee asked the minister at what stage he would consider bringing in private contractors to carry out repairs and alleviate the problems.
Mr Kennedy said: "There was a reluctance on behalf of private contractors to interfere, if you like, or to be seen to be interfering in industrial action.
"Whether or not that continues to be the case would remain to be seen, whether or not other private contractors would have the same views is a different issue."
Overtime
He said he wanted to await the outcome of Wednesday's talks.He said he wanted to await the outcome of Wednesday's talks.
Committee members asked the pair why there was such a reliance on overtime among staff at the company. NI Water's chief executive, Sara Venning, was asked if her company had tried to hire private contractors from outside Northern Ireland, including Great Britain, to assist with repairs and alleviate problems.
NI Water's chief executive Sarah Venning said: "How utilities cover out-of-hour work is done using on-call and standby rotas. That's standard practice in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain." She said those discussions were ongoing and it was a "workstream that is being actively progressed".
Committee members asked the minister and Ms Venning why there was such a reliance on overtime among staff at the company.
She said: "How utilities cover out-of-hour work is done using on-call and standby rotas. That's standard practice in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain."
Late night talksLate night talks
The minister told MLAs he was "limited" in what he could say in public about ongoing talks between unions and management.The minister told MLAs he was "limited" in what he could say in public about ongoing talks between unions and management.
He said union representatives were due to speak to shop stewards about the latest pensions offer while he was addressing the committee.He said union representatives were due to speak to shop stewards about the latest pensions offer while he was addressing the committee.
Discussions between both sides went on until late on Tuesday night, but agreement could not be reached. Bringing the briefing to an end, the chairman said it was not about the blame game at the moment but contingencies between NI Water and the department have not been adequate.
NI Water said a final offer was made to unions and would be put to staff later. Last month, Nipsa, Unite and GMB members voted for a work-to-rule and withdrawal of on-call services and overtime, and as a result out-of-hours repairs are not being carried out
Last month, Nipsa, Unite and GMB members voted for a work-to-rule and withdrawal of on-call services and overtime, and as a result out-of-hours repairs are not being carried out. Discussions between NI Water and unions went on until late on Tuesday night, but agreement could not be reached.
However, a final offer was made to unions and is being put to staff on Wednesday.
In its latest statement, NI Water said there had been "an improvement in the water supply situation overnight" and confirmed that all water treatment works are now back in service.
However it warned: "It may take time for the system to fully recharge and customer supplies to be restored to normal. Airlocks may also cause some difficulties in the system; this will impact on restoration times in a small number of cases."
On Tuesday, more than 1,000 school children spent the day at home and about 7,500 properties were cut off.On Tuesday, more than 1,000 school children spent the day at home and about 7,500 properties were cut off.
An agreement was reached just before Christmas between NI Water and trade unions which meant people would not be without water supply for more than 24 hours.
Mr Kennedy said on Tuesday that if there was no resolution of the dispute, the emergency protocol that was in place over Christmas must be re-instated.
NI Water has a postcode search on its website for customers to check for the latest information on supply disruption in their areas.NI Water has a postcode search on its website for customers to check for the latest information on supply disruption in their areas.