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03/12/2007
Classroom Assistants' Walk Out Is Last On Cards - For Now
Striking classroom assistants on a one-day stoppage today have pledged to return to normal working from Tuesday as their union, Nipsa, has voted to suspend the long-running strike in the dispute over pay and conditions.
Three other unions representing assistants have accepted a deal which added an extra £15m to compensate for changes in work conditions.
However, Nipsa represents more than 3,300 classroom assistants in NI and the General Secretary, John Corey, said it was important that the strike went ahead on Monday.
"The decision was taken by classroom assistants at meetings across Northern Ireland over the weekend," he said.
"They, quite frankly, are outraged and disgusted at what happened last Friday when the Joint Negotiating Council reached an agreement which seeks to enforce these changes on classroom assistants' terms and conditions.
"Classroom assistants decided, democratically this weekend, that they would take strike action today to demonstrate their disgust against that.
"The employers are seeking to impose a change against the wishes of the majority of classroom assistants."
Mr Corey said the union had not been defeated and that its campaign would continue it would enter a different phase.
Nipsa members have taken 16 days of strike action prior to joining the picket lines again today.
(BMcC)
Three other unions representing assistants have accepted a deal which added an extra £15m to compensate for changes in work conditions.
However, Nipsa represents more than 3,300 classroom assistants in NI and the General Secretary, John Corey, said it was important that the strike went ahead on Monday.
"The decision was taken by classroom assistants at meetings across Northern Ireland over the weekend," he said.
"They, quite frankly, are outraged and disgusted at what happened last Friday when the Joint Negotiating Council reached an agreement which seeks to enforce these changes on classroom assistants' terms and conditions.
"Classroom assistants decided, democratically this weekend, that they would take strike action today to demonstrate their disgust against that.
"The employers are seeking to impose a change against the wishes of the majority of classroom assistants."
Mr Corey said the union had not been defeated and that its campaign would continue it would enter a different phase.
Nipsa members have taken 16 days of strike action prior to joining the picket lines again today.
(BMcC)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:Staying cold. Any freezing fog that has formed overnight will slowly thin and disperse during the morning. Otherwise dry and bright much of the day with perhaps the odd coastal shower in the north and east. Maximum temperature 4 °C.Tonight:Dry at first with cloud thickening from the south through the evening. The odd shower, wintry over high ground, over northern counties, becoming more persistent rain over Down and Antrim. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
