Belfast, Northern Ireland, 26 April 2023

Today, Civil Service and Teaching Unions held a rally at Belfast City Hall as Northern Ireland witnessed the biggest industrial action in many years as hundreds of teachers and civil servants took part in a day-long strike. Most schools remained closed due to the action. The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA), the largest union in the province, was joined by PCS, GMB, Unite, and teachers' unions.

Teachers' unions have voiced their concerns about the considerable decline in teachers' pay in Northern Ireland when compared to pay in the rest of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. They say declining pay has resulted in difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers, which has adversely affected the quality of education in the province.

NIPSA representatives have stated that there has been a significant decrease in the value of public service pay, and the government needs to take immediate action to address the issue. They say the strike serves as a wake-up call to the government to address the concerns of teachers and public service workers in Northern Ireland.