Unionist MLAs cross Stormont pickets

Published Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Unionist politicians have defied public sector strikers by crossing picket lines to enter Stormont.

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PICTURE

GALLERY

Striking public sector workers gather for a rally outside Belfast City Hall.

MLAs from the DUP and the Ulster Unionist Party entered Parliament Buildings on Wednesday morning, in spite of workers protesting outside over planned cuts to pensions and budgets.

TUV leader Jim Allister also crossed the picket line.

UTV Political Editor Ken Reid said that different approaches were taken by DUP and Ulster Unionist MLAs, with some more supportive of the strike action than others.

"You could see that some of them were quite embarrassed by what they were doing," he said.

"John McCallister, Basil McCrea and Mike Nesbitt made a point of coming and talking to those who were picketing, but those DUP members who went through seemed slightly more reticent.

"Tom Buchanan, for example, said that he just didn't think the strike was right and that he didn't believe it would achieve anything."

A number of committee meetings took place at Stormont on Wednesday, with Unionist politicians keen to ensure that Assembly business continued despite the industrial action.

However, Sinn Féin and SDLP Assembly members backed the strikers and would not cross the picket lines.

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said he supported the action that had been taken by union members on Wednesday.

"At the end of the day, their battle with the British government mirrors the battle we as an Executive are having with them as well."

The Alliance Party said that individual members made their own decision on whether or not to enter Parliament Buildings, while the Green Party's Steven Agnew joined workers on the picket lines.

Comments

29 Comments

Dont want to give name in Derry wrote (82 days ago):

As someone who is lucky enough to be in a very well paid and respected (not so much these days) job I just have to comment on here about some of the comments on here. I work alongside some of the most undervalued and overworked public sector employees, Nurses. These people do more in one day than some of you do in a week so I fully support their actions because they deserve everything they are demanding. As for the people claiming some public sector workers don't know how good they have it, maybe if they worked or studied a bit harder they could be in one of the so called "cushy jobs" but in reality it would probably open their eyes about how overworked these people are

Frosty in Here wrote (83 days ago):

What a bunch of jobsworths. And some of them felt ashamed for what they were doing? How about showing a bit of support for truth and justice rather than lies and deceit? So much for Cameron's "we're all in this together" - some of us are more in it than him and the rest of his puppet show. Let's be honest about money for a minute, it's a man made game like pass the parcel, only the IMF and the rest of the merchant bankers (to use their polite name) are in charge of the music and we're lucky to take home a sheet of wrapping paper. And what will their excuse be? Zey ver only obeying ze orders.

seamas in belfast wrote (83 days ago):

Two Bigots. For your 5 dollars a day you have to listen to everyone. By the way I added that comment from my own home whilst on strike from my job as a public sector worker. Perhaps you think strikers shouldn’t be allowed to comment on threads like this.

Armagh in Armagh wrote (83 days ago):

Not surprising, the unionists have their priorities mixed up, crossing picket lines over tory cuts and not giving a hoot about what is actually important to ordinary working people, on the other hand the First DUP minister is prepared to resign if a badge on the prison service uniform is removed. Good Call Peter thats what really counts, all for sectarian politics instead of standing with the whole community. They would out over a Picture of their queen being taken down or something equally ridiculous but will cross a picket line when their community are standing up for themselves and their future.

TWO BIGOTS in ARDS wrote (83 days ago):

OVER THE PAST WHILE I HAVE READ VARIOUS COMMENTS ON THIS SITE,MOST PEOPLE GIVE FAIR AND HONEST VIEWS, THEN WE HAVE THE NORMAN D AND THE SEAMAS RANTS, BOTH OF THESE TWO HAVE NOTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT ANYTHING OR ANYONE FROM THE OTHER SIDE, YOU ARE BORING US ALL TO DEATH WITH YOUR BIAS VIEWS, YOU BOTH SEEM TO FORGET THAT WE HAVE TWO COMMUNITIES LIVING HERE WHO BOTH HAVE RIGHTS, TRY FOR ONCE TO TAKE ON BOARD DIFFERENT OPINIONS, THATS IF YOU CAN? GOOD LUCK TO THE STRIKERS.

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