Education welfare officers determined to continue with strike action

A STRIKE action in Dungannon seeking increased pay for Education Authority staff, will continue until demands are met, a union representative has pledged.

Social workers took to the pavement last Tuesday as part of long-running pay dispute with the Education Authority (EA).

The Education Welfare Officers, who are members of the trade union NIPSA, are seeking pay parity with their colleagues in the health service, who are paid around £5,000 more per year.

Last week’s protest was the 16th day of action taken by around 120 welfare officers across the North.

Speaking to the Tyrone Herald, Helena McSherry who is the branch secretary of the education sector of NIPSA for the former Southern Education and Library Board area, said there will be more protests.

“This was our 16th day of action in this dispute. All we are asking for is for pay parity. Because of the pay difference, many of the welfare officer are leaving their positions in the Education Authority to work in the Health Service and it is causing a real issue of staff retention.”

Helena added, “We will certainly be continuing with the strike action and I have to say that I have seen such a determined group of workers.”

The Education Authority have previously said they remain committed to finding a “resolution to the Education Welfare Officer pay dispute and continue to engage with them on an ongoing basis”.