People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin has welcomed legal action being taken by Unite the Union against the British Government.
Unite say they are taking this action because the Labour government failed to carry out an impact assessment on the decision to remove the winter fuel payment from millions of pensioners.
“I commend Unite the Union for their legal challenge to the British Government’s decision to cut the Winter Fuel Payment without conducting a proper equality assessment.
“It is frustrating that it has to be done. Unite had a motion passed at the Labour Party conference demanding the scrapping of the winter fuel payment be reversed.
“This move by Unite is a reminder to Starmer and party leaders, that they need to be listening to the people who put them in power.
“The Stormont Executive must also explain why no impact assessment was carried out before the DfC Minister announced it would slash the allowance too.
“Trade unions here, where we have disproportionately higher levels of fuel poverty, should take similar action to hold the Stormont Executive to account for its failure to carry out an Equality Impact Assessment.
“During this campaign against the winter fuel cut, we have seen a great coming together of charities, campaigners and unions.
“Unity is our strength. After 14 years of Tory rule we demand better from a Labour government.
“People Before Profit will continue to call on Stormont to put in place measures to ensure that no pensioner in the North will lose their winter fuel payment.”
Tags: