North's classroom assistants suspend strike

Striking classroom assistants in the North have suspended their action in a bid to broker a settlement, it was announced this evening.

Union representatives said they had voted to allow a two-week opportunity for negotiations aimed to securing an agreement.

But the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) warned demonstrators would return to the picket lines at the end of the month if no deal is reached.

John Corey, NIPSA's General Secretary, said: "Members have voted democratically today to suspend the strike action until October 30 to enable these new negotiations to proceed.

"However, at the meetings today members remained extremely angry that the core issues of the dispute have still to be resolved and members made it very clear they are fully committed and ready to resume strike action if that is necessary.

"It is therefore essential, if we are to resolve this dispute, that the employers come to these negotiations fully committed to negotiating a new agreement that will be acceptable to the classroom assistants."

Protests involving thousands of staff started last week over changes to pay and conditions for new employees.

Special needs schools have been closed and picket lines mounted after talks broke down.

But the decision to suspend the action was hammered out during two days of talks with Education Board employers at the Labour Relations Agency in Belfast.

A joint statement by the North's five education and library boards stressed how efforts were focussed on a return to normality for pupils and parents hit by the disruptions.

Anticipating the suspension, Robin Harper of the North Eastern Board said: "We very much welcome that.

"Our primary concern is for the welfare of the children affected by the strike and we want to see them back in school as soon as possible.

"The next step is for the employers and all of the trade unions involved to engage in further talks over the next two weeks with a view to addressing the issues which remain of concern to classroom assistants.

"The other three trade unions - Unison, GMB and T&G (Unite) - will suspend the outcome of their current consultations with their members on the final offer from management side while these discussions go on."