Party leaders confronted by union reps before talks on Stormont finances

The Stormont party leaders have been confronted by union leaders over the ongoing public sector pay dispute ahead of all-party talks.

Representatives from the five major parties were stopped by protesters from Unison as they entered Hillsborough castle before a round-table discussion with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris on Stormont finances.

Northern Irish public sector workers in health, education and transport have been engaged in industrial action at various points in 2023 in a bid to secure a pay rise matching that secured by those in other regions of the UK.

Stephanie Greenwood, Unison chairwoman, told Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle O’Neill as she arrived: “You promised us in 2019 pay parity, we’re just asking you to deliver on that promise.”

Ms O’Neill said: “That’s the case that we’re going to make very strongly to Chris Heaton-Harris today.”

Ms Greenwood added: “Can you please send him out because he’s been playing hide and seek?”

Ms O’Neill replied: “He’s been playing hide and seek with everybody.”

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, who also attended Monday’s talks, said: “We’ll pass the message on.”

Ms Greenwood also stopped DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson as he entered the castle.

“What I’m asking is: do you feel it is a good idea to have health workers, nurses, support workers, domestics, standing here today on the streets outside Hillsborough without pay parity with our co-workers in England?” Ms Greenwood said.

Sir Jeffrey said his party has been making the case for pay parity.

He said: “We’ve been making that case. Stormont doesn’t have the money. We’re facing an overspend this year. We need to deal with that. We need to get the money that enables us to make a fair pay award to all our public sector workers.”

Ms Greenwood told Sir Jeffrey public sector workers are having to choose between turning on the electric or the heating and “that is the reality” of the lack of a pay deal.

Sir Jeffrey replied: “That is the reality of underfunding of Stormont. It’s why the DUP has taken the lead in making the case for our budget to be sorted out – and we want to do that.

“That’s why we’re here today. This is running in parallel with our negotiations to get Stormont restored. We want our public services properly funded and we are making the case for that.

“That’s why we’re here today, to do that.

“And I agree with you – your workers shouldn’t have to face those circumstances. The reality is Stormont doesn’t have the money to fix this and that’s why we need the UK Government to step up and give us the money.”

Alliance party deputy-leader Stephen Farry told union representatives the gap in pay between workers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is “now huge”.

“We need to get back into Stormont, we need a financial package sorted out so we have suitable funding and we accept that once we’re back in, addressing the whole spectrum of public sector pay issues has to be a top priority,” he said.

The Northern Ireland Office previously said the UK Government has no authority to negotiate pay in Northern Ireland and it is for the relevant NI departments to negotiate pay policies.