by William Brooks – NIPSA Civil Service Executive (personal capacity)
NIPSA membership are up for the fight to get a decent pay increase and to hold onto the hard-won terms and conditions they see are being eroded. The disgraceful imposition of the pay ‘deal’ has galvanised the determination of the workforce and many new members are joining to stand up for their right to be treated with respect. They know that one day of action is not going to be enough to bring the management side to the table and are fully prepared for all avenues of escalating industrial action. The membership are ready to fight their corner and expect a strong leadership to carry that forward.
Socialist Party activists in the civil service call on the wider trade union movement and the general public to support the actions being taken. We call on people not to cross our picket lines, to join our protests and rallies and help put pressure on senior management and the politicians. A victory for the civil servants in our campaign for a 7% pay-rise will strike a blow against pay-restraint across the public sector and beyond and can raise the confidence of all workers to begin a broader struggle against austerity, poverty pay and precarious work.
