They have accused management of 鈥渇ailing to deliver a fair and equitable pay rise for 2023/2024鈥. The trade union Nipsa said the workers are requesting an extra 1% 鈥渋n line with the award given for 2023/2024 pay to other workers in the organisation and other public sector workers鈥. NI Water has contended a 鈥渟mall number鈥 of workers are taking part in industrial action, and do not expect the action to affect services. Speaking on the picket line at NI Water headquarters in north Belfast, Patricia McKee, a worker and Nipsa representative, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e on strike here today as a last resort. 鈥淭hese pay talks have been going on since 2023, they鈥檙e covering the 2023/24 pay remit at a time when inflation was at 10%, we鈥檝e been offered 4%. 鈥淥ur senior management within the company awarded themselves a 5% pay rise, what we鈥檙e looking for is a fair and equitable pay rise.鈥 A spokesperson for Nipsa urged management to return to the negotiating table with a 鈥渟erious and fair offer鈥. 鈥淭he ballot result is a clear and unequivocal message: our members will not stand by while they are treated unfairly,鈥 they said. 鈥淒espite repeated efforts to engage constructively with management, no satisfactory offer has been made to address the pay disparity between this group of workers and others 鈥 whether that鈥檚 senior management or other public sector employees who received a 5% pay award for 2023/24. 鈥淭his situation has caused understandable anger and frustration among our members, who continue to deliver vital work under increasingly challenging conditions. 鈥淚t is unacceptable that while other employees received a higher settlement, this group has been left behind. 鈥淭here is no justification for treating our members differently when it comes to pay. 鈥淭he strong mandate for action reflects the determination of our members to achieve pay justice. 鈥淲e urge management to return to the negotiating table with a serious and fair offer for 2023/2024 pay that addresses the imbalance and respects the value of all staff equally.鈥 Rose Kelly, NI Water鈥檚 director of people and learning, said they believe the pay offer was fair and equitable. 鈥淎s an arm鈥檚 length organisation, NI Water operates a range of complex pay arrangements across its workforce. 鈥淥ver 95% of our staff accepted the 2023/24 pay deal. However, Nipsa separately balloted a small number of employees who chose to remain on a legacy pay framework, and they have rejected the pay offer. 鈥淭he union has informed us that 29 of these staff out of a collective bargaining unit of almost 1,000 employees have voted to take industrial action, including a one-day strike on Thursday 26 June. 鈥淲e firmly believe the total pay offer for 2023/24 is fair and equitable, as reflected in the overwhelming acceptance by our wider workforce. We remain committed to resolving this matter and ensuring these employees receive their pay settlement as soon as possible.鈥