NI Roads Department workers stage walkout over bullying allegations

Workers at Department for Infrastructure Roads depots across Northern Ireland could down tools amid allegations of bullying, it has emerged.

The warning came as staff at one depot, in Derry, staged a 24-hour walkout over claims of ‘inaction on management bullying’.

The DfI staff at the Woodburn depot in Derry started industrial action on Thursday in what they called their ‘first twenty-four hour stoppage’, warning that action is ‘likely to escalate in absence of Ministerial intervention’.

Gareth Scott, Regional Officer for Unite, said his union had written to Department for Infrastructure Minister Nicola Mallon to ‘seek her intervention’ on the issue.

The union rep says staff claim that management bullying has been ongoing for years, but that after a formal complaint was made “nothing was done” hence a ballot for industrial action which resulted in a 90.9% vote in favour of strike action.

Mr Scott added: “Not only was no investigation set up, there has been no precautionary separation introduced (e.g. temporary suspension or temporary transfer of the manager the complaint is against), thus the manager the complaints are against has continued to be in charge of the complainants.

“Obviously our goal is to end of bullying in the workplace; however the workers’ immediate demand is for precautionary separation so as to protect the complainants (victims) whilst the investigation is conducted. This could be done by either temporarily suspending the manager on full pay, or temporarily transferring the manager, if the latter action is taken then the employees would be prepared to suspend the action and await the outcome of the investigation.”

The Unite rep said the union “understands that there are allegations of bullying at other deports and question whether there is a culture of bullying in Nichola Mallon’s Infrastructure Department”.

He added: “We have written to the Minister to demand an urgent meeting to raise our concerns directly. In the absence of intervention at Ministerial level, this industrial action is likely to escalate both at that site and at other DfI Roads depots where workers are discussing balloting on similar grounds.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure said: “Earlier this year complaints were raised by staff in our Woodburn depot. Management initially attempted to have these resolved informally, however as this was not successful a formal process commenced.

“Temporary arrangements have been put in place to provide protection to all parties involved. Management have also engaged with the staff involved, the Trade Union and their representatives throughout the process.

“The Department complies with the Northern Ireland Civil Service policies and procedures on the management of Human Resources, and there are well established procedures for staff to follow when they experience an issue at work. NICS Human Resources (NICS HR) provide support services for all NI Civil Servants in the workplace by providing advice and guidance on personnel issues, and have been engaged in this process from the beginning.”