Strikes
Jun 15 2005 15:48
Classroom assistants out on strike
By Kathryn Torney
15 June 2005
Thousands of Northern Ireland's classroom assistants were out on strike today.
The industrial action, organised by Nipsa, is having a huge impact in schools across the province where the staff are mainly employed to work one to one with children with special needs.
The strike is part of a campaign against low pay for classroom decisions.
A rally was due to take place at Stormont Hotel in Belfast today.
Nipsa General Council member and classroom assistant, Janet Murdock said: "Classroom assistants have been forced into this by the education and library boards.
"We are going on strike with heavy hearts but I believe that the boards are trying to make us pay the price for the current financial crisis in education and aim to use poverty wages to drive out experienced classroom assistants.
"If they are allowed to get away with this, children will be badly affected. It is outrageous that the lowest paid and mainly female education workers are faced with a further wage cut. We will fight now and if necessary we will fight again in September."
Meanwhile, a strike planned for Friday due to the funding crisis at the education boards may be suspended following a "constructive" meeting between the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and Education Minister, Angela Smith.
Nipsa's Deputy General Secretary, Brian Campfield, said that the minister had entered into a commitment to consult her colleagues about trying to secure additional funding in the short term.
He said: "If her response is positive, Nipsa will consider suspending the strike to allow a breathing space for a longer term resolution of this damaging dispute."
In a statement, the minister said: "We all want what's best for children's education and I look forward to continuing to work with all the stakeholders to make progress
Hello Jamesy;
Fridays education strike has been called off by NIPSA leaders on the promise of a government announcement. Another case of being sold down the swanee by trades union leadership? Lets see what happens...
James Connolly, yer first four posts have appeared since the Ireland forum went up - good to see people getting involved. But really all yer doin' is cutting and pasting from mainstream media articles. How about raising some issues, letting people know what you think and are at and discussing how libertarian communists in Ireland can organise around issues that effect us and the rest of the working class?