Unite the Union plans ballot for strike action amid claims a representative is sacked by Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council

At a rally outside the Craigavon Civic Centre on Monday evening ahead of this month’s general meeting of ABC Council, Unite’s regional secretary Susan Fitzgerald said union members were ‘absolutely incensed’.

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Ms Fitzgerald revealed that on June 6 this year a representative for Unite from the Armagh depot was sacked. She described senior management at ABC Council as representing a ‘hostile environment for trade unionists’. “We believe this goes back to the very militant strike action of two years ago that delivered on pay and conditions for workers.”

A Council spokesperson ‘strongly refuted’ claims that ‘a member of staff would be subject to any detriment as a result of or relating to Trade Union membership or activities’.

Ms Fitzgerald said: “We all should be judged by our actions and judging this council by its actions, there are hostile actors in the council. It’s not too late for the council to do the right thing, to intervene here and show some leadership.

"We are confident that our member has been treated unfairly. There were a whole number of issues raised for investigation. They were all dropped bar one issue. They took their time in dealing with this issue, that they said was important, but didn’t act on any number of points that were raised by the other workers about the issues at the heart of this dispute.

"We believe this council is acting in bad faith. It is time for very senior people to intervene now and don’t have this council’s name sullied with talk of union busting and hostile environments for workers and trade unionists. They have the opportunity to act now.

"But as of now we are in dispute with this council and we will escalate that to industrial action,” she said.

Ms Fitzgerald spoke of processes being ‘dragged out for months only to be dropped’. “This is the behaviour of a really aggressive, private sector employer. It is not the behaviour we expect from our councils which are funded by tax-payers.

"It needs to end, we will not tolerate this. Unite is the largest union in Britain and Ireland and we will put every single resource we have behind this campaign to have our rep reinstated,” said Susan, adding that they served notice of their intention to ballot.

"Then we will move swiftly into balloting our members. We will go straight to strike action and we know we have the support.”

A spokesperson for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council said: “Council strongly refutes any allegation that a member of staff would be subject to any detriment as a result of or relating to Trade Union membership or activities. Council recognises the right of all employees to join a Trade Union and have the benefit of that membership. Council further recognises the right of Trade Unions to raise a dispute or take industrial action and is committed to engaging with the Trade Union to discuss and explore resolution.

“Council cannot comment on any individual HR process given their confidential nature and will be making no comment in respect of same.

“Council will continue to engage with Unite in this regard.”