The Ulster Unionist Party’s Policing Board spokesperson Ross Hussey and its Justice Spokesperson Tom Elliott MLA have called on David Ford and Sammy Wilson - the Ministers for Justice and for Finance & Personnel respectively – to take steps to ensure that civil servants receive their equal pay claim.
Mr Hussey said:
“For some time now I have been actively working on behalf of a number of civil servants who worked as civilian staff with the Police and who did not receive their equal pay settlement.
Many of those affected have served in Police stations for periods of 20 years, and were working in conditions which fell far short of what would be acceptable in terms of health & safety today, working in barracks which were regularly attacked, personally targeted by terrorists and often confined to barracks when stations had to be ‘locked down’.
For almost five years these people have been seeking justice. This Assembly must take up their case and the relevant Executive Ministers must do what is right.”
Mr Elliott said:
“It is shameful that this matter has not been resolved long before now. A business case was produced three years ago by the Northern Ireland Policing Board but the DoJ refused to ratify this business case which they claim was on the advice of Sammy Wilson’s Department of Finance & Personnel.
I believe that these people, are entitled to this equal pay settlement, and steps must be taken by both DFP and DOJ to resolve this matter without further delay.”