Pay negotiation outcome at Antrim and Newtownabbey Council ‘to be known this week’

The borough council’s Audit and Risk Committee heard on Tuesday evening that a ballot is under way at the minute with a result due at the end of the week.

Debbie Rodgers, director of organisation development, reported that negotiations are taking place with an outcome expected within “the next day or two”.

At last month’s council meeting, members were told behind closed doors that “negotiations had conveyed council’s request to ensure front line employees receive improved pay in light of rising cost of living issues”.

A pay dispute had taken place at nine of the eleven local councils in Northern Ireland over the 2021-2022 NJC pay award.

Meanwhile, strike action in Ards and North Down council has been averted after GMB members voted in favour of a new pay deal.

GMB were in the process of balloting members for industrial action in a dispute over pay before Ards and North Down Borough Council and the union members from GMB, NIPSA and Unite struck a deal that will see pay grades lifted by one increment for all eligible grades and the council will make two hardship payments of £666 gross to eligible employees.

Alan Perry, GMB organiser, said: “The last thing anyone wanted was a strike in Ards and North Down. But these workers were desperate. This deal is welcome and will help workers keep a roof over their heads – although it will not make up for two decades of real terms pay cuts they’ve suffered.”

In April, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council approved the Real Living Wage to be paid to all staff via a supplement and that “engagement take place to resolve associated pay point issues”. The cost to council was not disclosed.

Councillors were told at Tuesday’s meeting that the local authority is “in a challenging environment in terms of attracting and retaining staff”.

Separately at the same meeting, Antrim Ulster Unionist Councillor Jim Montgomery commented on the council’s Prompt Payment Initiative, saying: “It would be handy to get an update on how it is going and how we are tackling the issue. They are important figures especially in the current economy.

“We need to raise our game in getting payments out quickly.”

The council has set a target of paying 90% of invoices within 30 calendar days and 80% within 10 working days.

Between April 1, 2021 and June 30, 2021, the local authority paid 3,352 invoices worth £9.35m. Of these, 1,272 were paid within ten working days and 69 per cent within 30 days.

Between July 1, 2021 and September 30, 5,867 invoices worth £14.11m were paid. Of these, 3,384 were paid within ten working days and 72 per cent within 30 days.

Between October 1 and December 31, 6,575 invoices worth £11.4m were paid. Of these, 5,042 were paid within ten days and 88 per cent within 30 days.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter