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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Nipsa NI Water employees on strike in Derry this morning.
Northern Ireland Water staff have gone on strike in Derry today.
Nipsa trade union members employed at its Waterside depot are manning picket lines this morning in a bid to secure a one percent pay rise to bring them in line with other NI Water employees and public sector workers.
Nipsa NI Water employees voted in favour of industrial action, including action short of strike action, in response to “management’s ongoing failure to deliver a fair and equitable pay rise for 2023/2024 pay”.
The decision to vote for industrial action comes after the public sector in general received a five percent pay rise, including many NI Water employees and its senior management; a small number of the firm’s staff didn’t get it, however, and were instead offered a four percent rise.
Speaking at the Derry picket line, Nipsa official Deborah Adegoye said the dispute between workers and management was an “equality issue”.
“We're out on strike today because there's an equality issue between the workers and NI Water,” Ms Adegoye said. “The company has seen fit to pay some workers, including senior management a five percent cost of living pay increase.
“We have a group of workers who only got four percent and we're asking for one more percent to make it equal and the company has refused, so we have no other choice but to take a stand.
“Our hopes are that management gets around the table again and sees sense. There's a small number of people here who have got an equality issue due to their pay and there's no reason why the company can't pay this even though they say they can't.”
Ms Adegoye confirmed that further industrial action will take place until a resolution is found.
“There's further industrial action on the cards. Our members have voted for strike and action short of strike action, so we'll keep this going as long as we need to because we need to take a stand,” she said.
NI Water's director of people and learning, Rose Kelly, said the firm has “a range of complex pay arrangements across its workforce” and that more than 95% of staff had accepted a pay deal.
“However, NIPSA separately balloted a small number of employees who chose to remain on a legacy pay framework, and they have rejected the pay offer,” she said.
“We firmly believe the total pay offer is fair and equitable, as reflected in the overwhelming acceptance by our wider workforce. We remain committed to resolving this matter and ensuring these employees receive their pay settlement as soon as possible.”
Derry and Strabane District councillor Shaun Harkin urged NI Water management to return to the negotiating table to settle the dispute.
"It's unfortunate NI Water workers have been forced into taking action," the People Before Profit councillor said. "A one percent pay increase to match other workers is a fair ask.
"A one percent pay increase doesn't sound like much but it is. Workers are already facing cost of living pressures and every single penny counts, so it's time that NI Water management sit down and begin meaningful negotiations with Nipsa."
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