Translink workers speak about why they took strike action bringing buses and trains across Northern Ireland to a standstill

Unite, GMB and SIPTU union members voted in favour of the strike last month with action starting last Thursday. Trains and buses across NI were all stopped by workers who are angry at not getting any pay rise.

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Speaking to Northern Ireland World, Pearse Whitehouse Unite representative for Translink Engineering and Raymond Murphy the Unite Quality Officer in Craigavon. Mr Whitehouse said they had been offered no pay increase due to ‘cutbacks and underfunding from the Department for Infrastructure’. “It’s the working class who have been left to suffer. I think management understand why we are here and would agree with us,” he said adding they don’t want to be used as a pawn by politicians at Stormont. He urged local MLAs to listen to their plight and back them in any way they can. He added that they are also campaigning to retain the free passes for the over 60s.

The Education Authority (EA) said more than 57,000 children and young people are affected. A spokesperson said: “Where possible, we are taking steps to mitigate the impact of the action, however, given the industrial action by Translink on the same day, we are expecting significant disruption to school transport in particular.”

The strike follows consultative processes in all three trade unions. Unite conducted a full consultative ballot of its bus worker membership which returned a 98% vote rejecting a zero percent pay offer by Translink management and demanding a ballot on industrial action.

Management at Translink have indicated that they are unable to offer any pay offer or a timetable for negotiations for an improved pay offer in light of the constrained funding for public transport. The situation has been precipitated as a result of the punitive budget imposed on the Department for Infrastructure by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris in the absence of a functioning Stormont Executive.

All three unions are proceeding with an industrial ballot but are due to participate, alongside Translink management, in a crunch meeting with the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Infrastructure in coming days.

Unite the union’s General Secretary is Sharon Graham said: “Our members voted overwhelmingly by 98.5% to reject management's insulting zero percent pay offer. We are now encouraging members to vote for industrial action up to and including strike action to win a proper pay increase.

“Bus and rail public transport services have been underfunded and undervalued by Stormont for years. The brutal budget cuts imposed by Chris Heaton-Harris on Northern Ireland public services have brought about this dispute by directly impacting our members. He needs to recognise that public transport workers and their unions stand in a united front in defence of public transport services and our members’ jobs, pay and terms and conditions."

Speaking for GMB, Regional Officer Peter Macklin said: “Our members simply refuse to be anyone’s pawns. Their pay should not be subject to a sanctions budget imposed by the Secretary of State due to the failure of politicians at Stormont. Zero percent is simply unacceptable and means a very severe real terms reduction in pay for frontline bus and rail workers.

“We are encouraging members to vote Yes for industrial action and Yes for industrial action short of strike action to send the strongest possible signal to those in authority that we won’t be trampled on."

SIPTU’s Regional Organiser Niall McNally said: “Northern Ireland’s bus and rail services perform a vital role getting children to school, people to work and allowing people to shop, socialise and attend medical appointments. A few years ago, those who provide these services were being lauded as heroes but now they are being threatened by a crushing real-terms pay cut.

“If our members go out this will bring bus and rail services to a standstill and will have a huge wider impact both socially and economically. The actions of Chris Heaton-Harris in imposing harsh austerity budgets on departments are solely responsible for this situation but our members will not allow themselves to be abused like this."

A spokesperson for Translink said: “We have been advised that SIPTU, GMB and UNITE unions intend to take industrial action on Friday, 1st December. As such, there will be no train or bus services – Ulsterbus, Goldliner, Metro or Glider – operating today.

"Following the budget allocation from the Secretary of State, Translink did not receive a budget for a pay offer from the Department for Infrastructure and as such cannot make a pay offer at this time. Ultimately this issue needs to be resolved for many public sector workers at the NI Executive level.

"While we understand and recognise the concerns that have led to our trade union colleagues’ decision to vote in favour of industrial action, we have engaged with our unions and reiterated our position.

"We have urged our union colleagues not to take action which could further exacerbate the financial pressures on Translink, will disrupt services that so many of our passengers rely on, will impact on school children and could damage the livelihoods of many businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors who depend on the busy Christmas period.

"We are communicating relevant passenger information through the media, on our website, through social media, in stations, and on buses and trains. Our contact centre will also remain open 028 90 666 630. Translink apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.”

Services Affected

Friday 1 December

All Translink timetabled services will not operate, including some services operating after midnight.

For more information on individual journeys, please plan your journey.

Industrial Action Refunds – 1st December 2023

All refunds will be based on unused travel during the Industrial Action period – all other unused travel that does not fall within this period will not be refunded. Refund requests must be made after the industrial action has ended and before 31st January 2024.

Metro Travelcards and UB Town Service cards – Day, Weekly & Monthly Travel

If a customer has valid travel on their card during the industrial action period, they should claim a refund once industrial action has ended.

Customers should email [email protected] with their SmartLink card number, name, address and mobile number (UK number) and advise they would like a refund due to industrial action.

Refunds will be based on unused days during this period and no admin fee will be taken.

SmartPass Office staff will issue a QCV OpenPay refund which can be transferred directly into a personal bank account.

Alternatively, a customer can complete a refund request form at any main bus/rail station/Belfast Welcome Centre. Please note they do not need to return the card but must provide the card number on the form and note the refund is due to industrial action.

Metro and UB Multi-Journey cards

These card holders should not be affected.

If a customer’s card is due to expire on the day of industrial action, they can top-up their card prior to the expiry with a minimum of 10 journeys to extend the expiry date for a further 6 months.

mLink

If a customer has a valid mLink ticket during the strike period, they should claim a refund once strike action has ended.

Customers should contact [email protected] with their name, mobile number and advise they require a refund due to industrial action.

If applicable, refunds will be processed through the customers original payment method or as a voucher which can be used towards a future mLink ticket purchase.

aLink

Applicable to customers who have a current aLink card for travel on bus and/or rail services.

The customer should email [email protected] with their aLink card number, name, address and mobile number (UK number) and advise they would like a refund due to industrial action.

Refunds will be based on unused travel and no admin fee will be taken.

Pass Office staff will check that travel has been paid for before issuing a refund. If any unpaid Direct Debits are outstanding on the account, no refund will be issued.

If applicable, Pass Office staff will issue a QCV OpenPay refund which can be transferred directly into a personal bank account.

iLink/Belfast Visitor Pass

If a customer has valid travel on their card during the industrial action period, they should claim a refund once industrial action has ended.

The customer should email [email protected] with their iLink/BVP card number, name and mobile number (UK number) and advise they would like a refund due to industrial action.

Refunds will be based on unused travel and no admin fee will be taken.

If applicable, SmartPass Office staff will issue a QCV Openpay refund which can be transferred into a personal bank account.

NIR Paper Weekly/Monthly/3-Day Select Tickets

Customers should return their ticket to the Ticket Office it was bought from in order to receive a refund.

Customers who have purchased online should submit a query on www.translink.co.uk/contactus, quoting their Order Number (beginning with TRN).

Cross Border (And Airport 300) Bus Services

Online bookings are currently suspended for Friday 1 December 2023. Passengers who have already purchased tickets for Goldliner X1-X5 and Airport 300 services for this date are being contacted to organise refunds.

Additional Information

All refund claims must be received before 31st January 2024.

No refunds will be processed after 31st January 2024.

Customers cannot apply for refunds through Smartlink or PayPoint Agents.