SONI strike suspended after breakthrough

Prospect members at SONI, which operates the electricity transmission system for Northern Ireland, have suspended their current industrial action including a 24 hour strike scheduled for 15 April.

The suspension comes after an eleventh hour improved pay offer from SONI management.

Staff are now being balloted on the new offer which substantially improves pay for staff, from 2016 onward and provides for arbitration on the outstanding areas of disagreement between staff and the company.

Angela Moffatt, the Prospect negotiations officer representing the workers, said “We’d appealed to SONI to engage with us, and they did, after two days of industrial action short of strike. 

“It meant we could meet with SONI management and agree a deal which we could recommend and put to staff.  Our members will now decide whether or not this deal is acceptable but so far reaction has been positive so we’re hopeful this will be the breakthrough that’s needed.

“Prospect has suspended all action until 19 April, but if our members reject the offer we would see renewed disruption.  We hope to avoid that.

“Our members can be justly proud that no one in Northern Ireland had to go without power, or be at risk, despite Prospect taking industrial action.  We have put our community at the forefront of our industrial action strategy.”

The ballot on the new offer closes on 18 April, and if members accept the deal, the current notified industrial action will cease.