'No progress' in classroom talks

By Maggie Taggart
BBC Northern Ireland Education Correspondent

Classroom assistants are still due to take strike action

Emergency talks to avert a strike by classroom assistants have ended without progress, unions have said.

The negotiations were hastily arranged after Education Minister Caitriona Ruane called on employers and unions to resolve the dispute.

In an assembly debate, members voted to demand action on the 12-year dispute.

Employers representatives would only say talks were ongoing, while unions said there may be more developments ahead of Wednesday's planned strike.

Ms Ruane had told assembly colleagues she sympathised with the schools staff and regretted that negotiations had delayed a settlement for such a long time.

'Tick-box meeting'

Unison spokeswoman Patricia McKeown said the minister's remarks were the only reason for the meeting taking place.

"However, we are not going to accept a tick-box meeting, there should have been some sensible proposals," she said.

Another three-day strike is planned for October.

It was not the first time that the assembly has debated the stalemate over the job evaluation of 7,000 classroom assistants.

Jim Shannon of the DUP described it as Groundhog Day, in that they keep discussing it without appearing any closer to agreement.

Mary Bradley of the SDLP said the frustration of the classroom assistants was palpable, especially since some colleagues have passed away since the long negotiations began.