Thousands of School Support Staff in Northern Ireland to Strike Over Pay Dispute

In a decisive move, over a thousand members of Unite the union, employed as school support staff in Northern Ireland, are set to initiate a series of strikes starting Monday, May 20. They have one clear demand, which is the implementation of the long-overdue reassessment of grades and pay.

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Years of Neglect and Underpayment Push School Support Staff to Strike

This action follows six years of frustration over the failure to enact the review, leading to a staffing crisis in the education sector. Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham emphasised the plight of these workers, highlighting their underpayment and the persistent neglect of equality issues.

The strike, coordinated with NIPSA and GMB unions, is likely to disrupt schools significantly across the region. Unite Regional Officer Kieran Ellison stressed the need for political support, urging MLAs to reject any budget lacking provisions for the review’s funding. 

With education workers reaching their breaking point after years of waiting, the message to Northern Ireland’s decision-makers is clear: it’s time to prioritise the well-being of school support workers and the students they serve.