Image source, Pacemaker

Thousands of workers in the education and health sectors in Northern Ireland are due to strike on Tuesday.

Four teaching unions are taking part in a half-day's strike in a pay dispute - their first strike in six years.

For health and public service unions, Unite, Unison, Nipsa and GMB, this is further action in a pay dispute.

Teachers, nurses, ambulance and hospital staff will be on strike. Most schools across Northern Ireland are expected to close until midday.

The Department of Education said guidance had been issued to help principals assess and prepare for strike action.

The Department of Health said it fully understood the frustration of staff but there was no scope for resolution at local level.

'Backed into a corner'

The four teaching unions involved are the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT); the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO); the Ulster Teachers Union (UTU) and the National Education Union (NEU).

The NASUWT is calling for a 12% increase in salaries, following deadlock over a pay deal for the past year.

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said teachers had been left with no choice.

"Our members are not prepared to stand by while their pay packets shrink and their living costs rise," he said.

"The Department of Education and employers must bring forward a substantially improved pay offer if they want to see an end to this dispute." 

Gerry Murphy, from INTO, said teachers had been backed into a corner while the UTU's Jacqui White said the unprecedented move was a reflection of the strength of feeling.

Mark Langhammer, from NEU, said: "The money is there, we just need the right political priorities."

'Financial pressures'

The Department of Education said there had been active engagement between managers and teachers about pay.

But the statement said negotiations were taking place at a time of growing and unprecedented financial pressures within the education sector.

It said management remained committed to reaching a resolution that ensured teachers were fairly remunerated.

Teachers will be joined at a number of rallies across Northern Ireland by workers from the health unions.

Workers were told they would get a 2022-23 pay award of £1,400, but unions said this would not settle the dispute as it was lower than inflation.

In January, more than 20,000 healthcare staff in Northern Ireland took part in a one-day strike.

Image source, PA Media

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's strike, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the health service was facing an existential crisis, and their members would be calling for fair wages and safe staffing levels.

"In the absence of a functioning Stormont executive, the responsibility for resolving this dispute falls to the UK government," she said

Unison's Anne Speed said health staff and patients were "paying a price" for the political stalemate.

"The inertia from the secretary of state speaks volumes. Taking direction from Westminster who appear also to be doing nothing is just not good enough". 

Pádraig Mulholland, from Nipsa, said the combined action of healthcare and teaching staff was a warning to employers.

"We must have inflation-busting pay rises for all health service workers and an end to the chronic understaffing that puts lives at risk," he said.

The Department of Health says the strike undoubtedly impacts patient care.

But it added that it fully understood the frustration of staff who continued to work in extremely challenging circumstances.

"This a national dispute which is only resolvable at national level. Northern Ireland has a policy of pay parity with England HSC workers covered by the Agenda for Change framework," the department said.

"Given that policy position, the absence of ministers and current budgetary realities, there is no scope for a resolution at local level."

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