Live coverage of the N30 strike in northern Ireland

national | anti-capitalism | news report Wednesday November 30, 2011 11:30 by Various - WSM

WSM members & supporters in northern Ireland will be providing live coverage of the N30 Pension strikes today via our Twitter feed. Anarchists in Derry have put a banner up in the city centre in solidarity with today's strike and a WSM leaflet (below) is being distributed across the north.

The strike is part of the UK wide public sector strike against attacks on public sector pensions, attacks similar to those imposed on public sector workers in southern Ireland over the last couple of years. They are part of a Europe wide offensive against the pensions rights of workers.

In Northern Ireland the main unions involved include the Northern Ireland Public Service Association (NIPSA), Unite, UNISON, the teacher's union NASUWT, the National Union of Teachers, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Irish National Teachers Organisation. Those unions in italics also organise in the south. The strike involves workers in health, education, transport and the civil service, workers in local councils, the assembly, the PSNI, Human Rights Commission, the Equality Commission and the Labour Relations Agency a wide range of other non-departmental public bodies are also taking part.

Early indications are that all buses and trains are shut by the strike including all the cross border services. About 70% of schools and colleges are closed, and most council delivered services will not be available. BBC has admitted that the strike is having a massive impact on health services. Trade union organised demonstrations are taking place at lunctime in Belfast, Derry, Newry, Downpatrick, Omagh, Ballymena, Portadown, Magherafelt and Cookstown.

The original article on the WSM site will be updated as the day goes on see http://www.wsm.ie/c/live-coverage-n30-strike-northern-i...eland

We are also tweeting at http://twitter.com/#!/WSMIreland