CSA staff set for strike action in North

More than 60 staff from the Child Support Agency in Belfast were going on strike today as part of demands by civil servants for more pay.

More than 60 staff from the Child Support Agency in Belfast were going on strike today as part of demands by Northern civil servants for more pay.

The strike, which will last until Friday, is expected to cause widespread disruption to the CSA’s operations.

The public service union NIPSA said it had called the strike because of the failure of British government ministers and civil service management to resolve the current dispute.

The British Department of Social Development has expressed frustration at NIPSA’s actions at the CSA.

A spokesman said: “The department has already expressed concern at NIPSA’s decision to target the Child Support Agency.

“We are disappointed that a vulnerable section of the community is again being hit by this industrial action.

The spokesperson added that management will be implementing contingency plans to minimise the impact of the action.

“I would like to reassure people that we will maintain as full a service as possible during this period.”

Meanwhile, NIPSA has accused the British Department of Agriculture of misleading the public and the agricultural industry about the dangers arising from a strike by Portal Inspection Staff at Larne Harbour last week.

As a result of the strike, all the normal controls to protect the agriculture industry from the risk of animal diseases being imported into Northern Ireland have stopped.

Speaking after meeting the striking workers, NIPSA’s General Secretary John Corey said they were angry at senior management’s refusal to agree to a cost-of-living increase in pay.

“But the members are also dismayed that the department has allowed livestock to continue to be imported into Northern Ireland with no checks or controls.

“We most strongly refute the department’s claims earlier this week that there were appropriate contingency measures in place in Scotland.”