Walkout protest as minister addresses conference

Angry trade unionists stormed out in protest as Northern Ireland Office Minister John Spellar prepared to address a major conference in Derry today.

A delegation from civil service union NIPSA, which is currently locked in a pay row with the British government, walked out as he stood up to speak at the Irish Congress of Trade Union’s biennial conference.

They were joined by delegates from a number of other trade unions from both the public and private sectors.

ICTU Deputy Assistant Secretary Tom Gillen described the protest as legitimate.

“They were registering their disagreement with the government’s proposals for regional pay in Northern Ireland and their refusal to negotiate meaningfully with public sector workers over pay.”

Mr Spellar, who was deputising for the Secretary of State, discussed a range of British government economic policies including water and rates reform.

An NIO spokesman said: “The minister recognises the right of people to either stay or go and he was happy to address the majority of the delegates who stayed to listen to him.”

The 300-strong conference passed a motion condemning the British government’s policy in relation to regional pay and supporting the concept of pay parity with other parts of the UK.

Meanwhile NIPSA is holding a rally in Derry tomorrow to highlight its demands for higher pay increases.

Delegates attending the two-day conference are expected to join them during the rally to show solidarity.

The dispute has been going on since December with the British government imposing a pay package which will add 3.67% to the wage bill.

However, union officials say that this was part of a pre-agreed increment and takes no account of the rise in the cost of living.