Progressive Unionist Party leader Dawn Purvis MLA is putting forward an amendment today in the hope of avoiding Wednesday’s strike action across Northern Ireland.

NIPSA, the union representing the classroom assistants, called yesterday evening for all political parties in Northern Ireland to get behind the PUP’s amendment.

The 13 year long pay dispute has reached this critical stage, due to the decision of the education boards to make a final offer in June of this year, which would actually reduce the classroom assistants pay. 

Ms. Purvis said, “These skilled workers deserve a fair pay structure to be put in place.  If the issue of strike action is not resolved soon, it could escalate to an all out strike which would be incredibly detrimental to the education and well being of our children”.

“Skilled classroom assistants are going to be forced to leave the educational system due to what has now become not only a lack of fair pay structures, but proposed cuts to their current pay”. 

“These people play a key role in both the educational and social development of our children and it is offensive that the boards should not pay them the wages that they are due”.

“I hope that the other MLA’s support today’s amendment as not to do so would be an infringement of these workers basic rights”.