NI Education: School staff strike to cause

Unison, Unite, the GMB and NIPSA represent thousands of non-teaching staff in education.

That includes bus drivers, school catering staff, classroom assistants, cleaners and other support workers.

The unions are taking the strike action over the failure to reform their pay and cuts to the education budget.

They said that there had been a failure to implement a long-standing review that would lead to pay increases.

Unison, Unite and GMB members employed by the Education Authority (EA) will walk out for the full day on Thursday, while NIPSA members will strike for two hours after the start of their shifts.

Unite members working for the EA are also striking on Wednesday 15 November.

The Department of Education (DE) said it is continuing to engage with the EA on the content of the pay and grading business case to "ensure the proposals are fully justified and affordable".

The initial annual implementation cost for the EA would be £39m, with the subsequent recurring cost rising to £71m after three years, the department said.

"This would be in addition to any national NJC (National Joint Council) pay rise each year.

"However, there is currently no budget available to implement this without further funding being made available."