northern ireland - action brings concessions
WORKERS, JULY 2005 ISSUE
Disciplined and united action by non-teaching staff in Northern Ireland (reported in the last issue of Workers) has brought significant concessions from Angela Smith, the Education Minister.
Following more strike action, which closed all the special schools, and a call for further action on 17 June, the minister met with NIPSA (the Northern Ireland Public Services Alliance) and has managed to come up with an extra £10 million for special education and the schools meals service. She has also promised to resolve the pay dispute by releasing money for pay upgrades from the Department of Education, where they have apparently been "sitting on it" for years.
The action deserves massive publicity through the union movement in Britain as an example of what can be done by determined and well organised action in defence of public services.