NI Housing Executive workers extend strike over pay by four weeks

Maintenance workers at the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) have extended their strike action by a further four weeks.

The trade union Unite said the pay dispute involves about 300 of its members.

An initial four weeks of industrial action began on 5 September.

NIHE said the dispute would affect maintenance services in Craigavon, Coleraine and north and west Belfast.

During this period, it said it would carry out emergency-only repairs within these areas.

Unite claimed strike action was resulting in an "ever-extending backlog of improvement work to public housing units".

General secretary of Unite Sharon Graham described a 1.75% pay increase offer as "galling" and said it left members with no option but to extend industrial action.

"The absence of any movement to address our members' pay claim and end this dispute from management is a truly shocking failure," she said.

"Unite is full square behind these workers in their fight for a decent pay increase."

A spokesperson for the Housing Executive said pay was not set by the board or executive team, but was subject to national collective bargaining arrangements.

"A national pay offer for this year was made on 25 July which includes an additional £1,925 for all employees. This would, for illustrative purposes, amount to an increase of 10.5% for the lowest paid employees," a statement said.

It added: "We await the outcome of the national consultations on this offer and we will implement any agreement as quickly as possible."

The Housing Executive said that tenants could continue to report repairs through the usual channels.