Classroom strike set to go ahead

Further strike action by classroom assistants will take place

A three-day classroom assistants strike will begin on Tuesday, after Nipsa union members rejected a new pay offer.

On Friday, the unions were offered a new deal which included a £15m one-off payment to compensate for a change in the way salaries are calculated.

Unions say that could mean £2,500 for each classroom assistant, but Nipsa said that did not go far enough.

Education Minister Caitriona Ruane said talks planned for Wednesday should be brought forward.

"They should be getting together and talking until we get this resolved - this is not good enough," she said.

Schools closed

The other main union, Unison, was to have held a ballot on strike action.

However, after meeting with representatives they have suspended the ballot.

During the one-day strike last week most special schools had to close.

Mainstream schools remained open, but they say it would be much harder to cope with a longer strike.

Nipsa members are also planning "all-out" strike action from 8 October.

The union's Alison Millar said: "We would call on employers now to put a serious offer on the table because the all-out strike can be averted."