Northern Ireland strikes: public sector services expected to be at a standstill as tens of thousands of workers stage mass walkout

Northern Ireland was bracing itself today for a day like no other.

Around 170,000 public sector workers were expected to go on strike today - in an row over pay - bringing services across education, health and transport to standstill.

Workers with 15 trade unions will take part in unprecedented industrial action.

These will include teachers, nurses, police staff and civil servants.

Bus and train services will also grind to a halt.

Workers were expected to stage demonstrations and marches through Belfast and Londonderry - with other pickets across Northern Ireland.

It comes at a time when weather warnings are in place for ice and snow.

Meanwhile, gritting crews will also be on strike.

And due to the combination of industrial action and particularly cold weather, the Department for Infrastructure advised motorists that only absolutely essential journeys were made.

In a recent stark statement the chief executives of the five health trusts along with the Ambulance Service boss, warned the disruption would be on a "massive and unprecedented scale", with a best-case scenario resulting in a service similar to that offered on Christmas Day.

Earlier, the Department of Health predicted expected disruption to services would be on a scale never before seen in Northern Ireland,

The Department added that the strike would be taking place at a time when services were already under severe pressure

The statement warned that in addition to delays over and above existing levels, some services may not be available at all.

Indeed, patients needing chemotherapy or dialysis will not be exempt from the action.

Unions said they had no choice but to take such action.

Rita Devlin, Director of the Royal College of Nursing, said her members were "beyond frustrated and angry."

“The reality is that no nurse in Northern Ireland wants to take strike action, but we have been left with no other option," she said.

“RCN members in Northern Ireland have been raising concerns about their inability to deliver safe care for years. While 18 January is a significant day, our members are worried every day of the year about the impact of low staffing levels and their ability to give care to patients.

“Nursing staff are apologising every single day to patients about cancelled appointments and delays in treatment. They are beyond frustrated and angry at the current situation and Thursday is their opportunity to have their voices heard loud and clear."

Alan Perry, GMB Senior Organiser, said industrial action was "always a last resort".

“But our members are desperate," he said.

“After years of real terms pay cuts, a global pandemic and now a crushing cost of living crisis they cannot cope any more.

“We know the money is there - the Secretary of State has said so.

“To avoid prolonged mass industrial action, he must put it in the pockets of those who keep this country moving.”

ish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) assistant general secretary Gerry Murphy said: "The Secretary of State's strategy has clearly failed and it has failed the people of Northern Ireland.

"The trade union movement have won the popular argument, as witnessed by the support we have seen from women's groups, the voluntary sector, students' unions, the 50 chief executives in the public sector, the PSNI Chief Constable and the head of the NICS (Northern Ireland Civil Service) and the public at large."

Deputy general secretary of the Nipsa union, Patrick Mulholland, warned that the action could escalate if the dispute is not resolved.

"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, the strike will only be the start of the disruption," he said.

"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."