“The majority of our members already have a new personal labour history and that is that they’ve taken part in industrial action,” says UNISON Northern Ireland secretary Patricia McKeown.
Members in education and health took strike action on 5 October and will be out again to defend their pensions tomorrow, joined by more UNISON members and workers from almost 20 other unions.
“We anticipate that in Northern Ireland on the day, the trains and buses will stop, the civil service will close, education will shut down and the health service will be reduced to emergency and critical cover,” adds Ms McKeown.
“In Northern Ireland, the highest proportion of our workforce is in the public sector – you’re really talking about the place coming to a standstill.”
“There will be literally hundreds of pickets lines across Northern Ireland that morning and there will be lunchtime rallies in all main towns.”
The largest rally is planned for Belfast, where feeder marches from the north, south, east and west of the city will merge in Royal Avenue and converge on Belfast City Hall.
Striking workers from across the unions are expected address the rally.
“When you take into account that the vast majority of UNISON members in Northern Ireland have already lost of day’s pay in taking strike action on 5 October,” says Ms McKeown, “the fact that they’re prepared to come out in even larger numbers on 30 November is evidence of their strength of feeling about the attacks.”