NIPSA members employed by Derry City Council have voted unanimously to commence a statutory ballot for strike action and action short of strike action following the decision by the Council to proceed with compulsory redundancies.
The Town Clerk is formally responsible for the decision to go down the road of compulsory redundancies but in reality the councillors from all parties are in charge and are in a position to reverse the Town Clerk’s decisions.
NIPSA has requested an assurance that management withdraw the redundancy notices and embark on negotiations to resolve the dispute. A formal request for a presentation to the Council’s Staff Committee has been turned down by the Town Clerk.
The threat of compulsory redundancies arises from the planned reorganisation of all the local councils in Northern Ireland. Management are asking workers to apply for their own jobs and if they are unsuccessful the dole queue is the result. It is vital that this process is halted in its tracks to protect the futures of thousands of council workers across the North. The affected workers in Derry are determined to make a stand and deserve the support of all trade unionists in this important dispute.
