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Fundamental Review of NIHE
24/03/2011
DSD Minister Alex Attwood statement to the NI Assembly yesterday.
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FUNDAMENTAL REVIEW OF NIHE
You will have heard yesterday that the Department of Social Development Minister, Alex Attwood, made a statement to the NI Assembly on the proposed direction of travel for the future of the Housing Executive.
It is clear from that statement that the Senior Management Team and the Housing Executive Board have been working in partnership with DSD to develop a model which would lead to the break-up of the Housing Executive as we know it today into a strategic body and a separate landlord body. NIPSA has many real concerns over any proposal to breakup the Housing Executive, not least the impact this would have in the long term on staffing and staffs terms and conditions of employment.
NIPSA is fundamentally opposed to the sell-off or privatisation of the Housing Executive and any attempts in this direction will be resisted vigorously.
Trade Union Side this morning considered the Minister’s statement in detail and it is our intention to raise the matter with Management at tomorrow’s Joint Consultative and Negotiating Committee (JCNC) to ascertain the Boards current thinking on the Minister’s statement.
Given we are now entering a pre-election phase it will not be possible for NIPSA to engage with the current or possible future Minister on this issue until the election on 5th May. NIPSA will be issuing guidance to members in the run up to the election on key questions regarding the future of housing and the Housing Executive. We will be encouraging you, your family and friends to challenge all political representatives on their views on future of the Housing Executive to ensure that as union members and constituents your views are heard loud and clear.
A further bulletin will be issued to members once we are in receipt of further information from either the Department of the NIHE.
Yours sincerely
ALISON MILLAR
Deputy General Secretary
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