Strike for a ‘fitting pay rise’

 

A strike comprising 11 one day stoppages commenced at Antrim carpets in Belfast today (May 13) over what workers have dubbed ‘poverty pay’.

 

Workers laid down tools at 1pm today for six hours in the first walkout, demanding that management address poverty pay.

 

Other than those members of staff who have had a pay increase to comply with the national minimum wage, staff have not had a pay increase in seven years and earn 30 per cent below the industry norm.

 

“Management are telling workers they cannot afford to pay staff more,” says Sean Smyth, Unite regional officer.

 

“But our members have had enough and are fed up. Today’s strike has been solid and our members are prepared for further action,” he added.

 

The staff that are earning above the minimum wage have had seven years of stagnation in their pay packets meaning the value of their wages has reduced in real terms by 18 per cent during this time.

 

Today’s six-hour stoppage from 1pm to 7pm is the first of a series of strikes for improved pay. They will escalate this to a 24-hour strike every Wednesday for the next 10 weeks to force management to deliver a real improvement in pay.

 

“Industrial action is a last resort but our members cannot go on living on poverty pay. We ask management to take action at even this late stage to address our members’ concerns,” added Sean.

 

“Antrim carpets have been running for more than 30 years. For management to claim that they can’t afford to give workers a pay rise in seven long years is hard to swallow,” said Sean.

 

“Unite is demanding that management ‘open their books’ to workers to allow them to scrutinise the true situation and give our members a fitting pay rise,” he added.