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The head of NIPSA has called for the whole of the working class “to join us in this struggle” as their members in the civil service walked out in a dispute over pay.

Carmel Gates, the outfit’s general secretary, was speaking as teachers joined them on strike today, with at least several hundred attending a rally at Belfast City Hall.

She pledged to “build a mighty campaign for pay justice”, as most schools stayed closed on Wednesday as a result of the action.

All five teaching unions in Northern Ireland are involved, with the National Association of Head Teachers striking for the first time in its history in relation to pay.

It followed a similar day of school strike action on February 21.

Civils service walkouts meanwhile were set to involve employees of various services from courts to MOT centres today.

A pay award of £552 extra per year for some civil servants was offered by the government at the start of the month, but Ms Gates dubbed this “insulting and derisory”.

She also claimed that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, was imposing sanctions on public services to try to force Northern Ireland political parties to return to the Assembly.

“The action has been forced in large measure by the government’s decision to implement sanctions in Northern Ireland,” she said.

“The sanctions imposed by the Secretary of State and Westminster are designed to force Northern Ireland political parties to return to Stormont.

“The pay award to our members of £552 is insulting and derisory and adds to the wage cut of more than 20% in 10 years. More than 60% of civil servants now earn below the NI median wage.

“It is time for the trade union movement to say enough is enough. We will build a mighty campaign for pay justice and for an end to cuts in public services.

“I call on every working-class community to join us in this struggle.”

Justin McCormick, a language teacher at All Saints’ College, west Belfast, was one of those at the Belfast rally on Wednesday. He said: “If we don’t stop the rot now there’ll be no teachers in the future, and who will teach our young people?

" At the end of the day, it’s and investment in young people, it’s not a pay rise.”

NIPSA boss calls for whole of Northern Irish working class to show solidarity with civil servants and teachers in 'mighty struggle' over pay

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