06 August 2004
Northern Ireland's eight-month-old pay dispute looks set to linger on, following the rejection of a pay offer by the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa).
The Northern Ireland Office said the offer was worth 4.65% over 16 months, backdated to April.
But Nipsa, the main public sector union in the province, responded that it had been given two options: one of 1.5% over three and a third years, with next year's incremental progression given up in return; and a second worth 0.25% over three years.
Nipsa's general secretary John Corey said the government statement was 'misleading' and its offer was 'unacceptable'.
Northern Ireland minister Barry Gardiner said: 'Over the past four years, civil servants have had higher pay increases than their counterparts in the private sector and have received increases comparable to the home civil service.'
The offer follows prolonged negotiations and bitter strike action, which has disrupted the benefits and pensions offices, the payment of supply teachers and the processing of planning applications and grants to farmers, among other services.
PFaug2004
