Strike action expected to cause 'significant disruption' at schools in Northern Ireland

Schools are "likely to experience significant disruption" as Education Authority employees who are members of the Unite union begin seven days of strike action.

The industrial action, starting on Thursday, is a result of an ongoing dispute over pay and work conditions.

When balloted, 94% of Unite members voted to take to the picket lines.

More than 700 education workers are expected to take part in the walk out, including school bus drivers, maintenance workers, catering staff, classroom assistants, playground supervisors, school administrative staff, cleaners, building supervisors and ground maintenance staff.

Unite said the strike is the result of a "failure of the Department of Education to implement a pay and grading review".

It added that the review would see "significant increases to the pay of Education Authority workers" but said the implemented has been "prevented as a result of the punitive budget set for the department by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland".

The General Secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, committed her union’s full support for the striking education workers.

“It is totally unacceptable education workers in Northern Ireland have been denied this improvement as a result of this punishing budget set by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

"This budget is not enough to maintain education services – let alone offer any protection to education workers in the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.

“Chris Heaton-Harris’ brutal austerity budget is the cause of this strike action.

"Unite’s members working in education can be guaranteed the full support of this union in their fight for decent wages and to safeguard education services in Northern Ireland.”

Kieran Ellison, the lead Regional Officer for Unite in the Education Authority workforce, said "responsibility for the impact that this strike will have resides squarely at the feet of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland".

"He has set a brutal budget that fails our children, fails our schools and fails the workers who deliver the service," he added.

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