School Strike Looming - Again

A trade union is to begin consulting its members on resuming strike action by classroom assistants.

The Nipsa union has rejected a pay offer following weeks of discussion with employers.

Education Minister Caitriona Ruane said she was extremely disappointed no agreement had been reached.

There seems to be little prospect of a settlement in the long-running Northern Ireland classroom assistants' dispute.

Talks at the Labour Relations Agency in Belfast ended without agreement yesterday and despite two weeks of negotiations there appears to have been little progress in the pay and job evaluation dispute.

Nipsa has already said that unless its demands over job evaluations are met it will call more than 2,000 of its classroom assistant members out again.

Earlier this month 10 days of strike action closed more than half of special schools in Northern Ireland.

(BMcC)