Strike set to bring Northern Ireland to a standstill as workers walk out over pay

The largest ever strike in Northern Ireland's history gets underway in just a few hours time, bringing the region to a standstill.

From midnight on Thursday, hundreds of thousands of public sector workers will begin a day of industrial action over pay and conditions.

Services within health, education, transport and roads will grind to a halt as workers brave the cold on the picket lines.

There's been a warning to 'only travel if necessary' as gritters join the strike, coinciding with a warning for ice across Northern Ireland.

The strike is the subject of the latest UTV Podcast:

The secretary of state has repeated that decisions on pay are devolved - but public sector bodies say pitching 'pay against politics' is immoral.

Some school support staff in Northern Ireland started their walkout on Wednesday.

Around 800 members from the union Unite are taking part in a total of eight days of strike action over pay and working conditions.

The strike - which includes classroom assistants, catering and bus drivers - has already resulted in major disruption.

"We understand the parents, they're angry, and we totally get that," a classroom assistant on the picket line told UTV.

"But the parents have to understand we're as angry as they are.

"We're in there doing a day's job, I challenge Chris Heaton-Harris to come in and do one day of my job and walk away with my wages at the end of the month and see does it suit him."

Speaking in Parliament, the Northern Ireland secretary said he's acutely aware of the detrimental impact the strike will have and the mounting calls for him to step in.

However his position has not changed.

Chris Heaton-Harris MP said: "Public sector pay is devolved to Northern Ireland, decisions on matters like this are obviously ones that locally elected ministers should take as they involve big and fundamental choices.

"Every penny spent on pay is a penny not spent on services.

"The choices around this are therefore eminently political, indeed as close as you would get to come to choices made in the period of direct rule.

"Direct rule is absolutely not the way forward here."

But that doesn't cut it for a body representing over 50 public organisations, which in a letter to Mr Heaton Harris and the Prime Minister, described the current situation as 'immoral'.

Nicole Lappin from the NI Public Sector Chairs' Forum said: "I accept that that language is particularly robust, and it is not a word I would normally use, however I do believe that it is immoral to tie public sector delivery to the restoration of the Executive.

"I agree with the secretary of state when he says that would normally be a matter for the devolved administration, but at the moment there is no devolved administration."

MLAs returned to Stormont on Wednesday for an Assembly recall but the bid to restore the power-sharing institutions failed.

“Our healthcare system is on life support, our education sector is failing, and the vital services our communities rely on are hanging by a thread," said Padraig Mulholland from NIPSA.

"Our members and the people of Northern Ireland deserve better, and as the leading public service trade union, NIPSA cannot allow this to continue.

"Following the failed attempts to restore the Assembly and the failure of the secretary of state to move from his position of releasing the necessary funds to end the action, tomorrow’s strike will only be the start of the disruption.

"The continued disregard for our members’ concerns will leave us with no choice but to escalate our actions.

"The upcoming weeks will inevitably witness intensified industrial action to draw attention to the urgent need for a needs-based budget to underpin our public services and a fair and decent pay rise for all public sector workers."

There are expected to be picket lines, parades and rallies across NI on Thursday, including at Belfast City Hall, the Guildhall Square in Londonderry, and in Omagh and Enniskillen.

PSNI Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said a significant policing operation will be in place across the day, with a visible presence at parades and picket lines.

“We are there to monitor crowds, minimise disruption and to keep everyone safe,” she said.

“A number of large parades are planned across the country including in Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, Fermanagh and Omagh.

"We anticipate some traffic disruption in these areas and have issued guidance on our social media channels about the potential for delays. I would encourage the public to check this guidance before they travel.

“With the icy conditions and the disruption to gritting operations, I also want to highlight the advice recently issued by the Department of Infrastructure that people should avoid unnecessary travel. If you do need to use the roads, please take extra care and allow additional time for your journey.”

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