Staff at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council are taking industrialaction today over a pay dispute. Unions have said talks collapsed between officials and council management leaving 'no alternative' but to take strike action. -- -- In a statement, the council said: "Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is disappointed that the JTUS is continuing with plans for strike action in light of the pay proposals put forward together with management side’s acceptance of the five other requests of the JTUS. However, the Council respects the JTUS right to take industrialaction. "A meeting of the Council’s Strategy Policy and Resources Committee on 1 December 2020 agreed in principle for ratification at full Council, the proposal put forward by Senior Management. The pay proposals once ratified by Council will be effective from 1 December 2020.