Tens of thousands of public sector workers walked off their jobs across Northern Ireland on Thursday, protesting a lack of pay rises and a political deadlock that has left the region without a functioning government since 2022.
advertisementThe 24-hour strike by around 150,000 teachers, nurses and bus drivers is the largest strike in Northern Ireland in years. The country’s government has been non-functional for almost two years, after one of the two power-sharing parties left in a dispute over post-Brexit trade rules.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has rejected a return to power by Irish nationalist Sinn Féin. May 2022 Election.
Based on the authority sharing rules established based on Northern Ireland peace processthe government must include both British trade unionists and Irish nationalists.
Thousands of striking workers have rallied in Belfast and other cities to demand a return to power for the DUP and British authorities to give public sector workers in Northern Ireland the same pay rises as those in other parts of the country. I asked for it.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said the British government had agreed a £3.3 billion (€3.85 billion) financial package, but it could only be delivered if the Northern Ireland government got back up and running. Ta.
He said: “This package has been on the table since before Christmas and will remain there and will be available to the next Northern Ireland Executive from day one.” Workers said politicians in Belfast and London were using them as political pawns.
Teacher Linda Miller said she just wanted pay to be on par with other parts of the UK. “We are losing teachers left, right and centre, in Doha, Dubai and everywhere else,” she said. “The education system is crumbling. Our buildings are crumbling.”