UNISON members will be among tens of thousands of public service workers on stirke across Northern Ireland tomorrow, Friday 13 March.
Health and social services, education boards, schools, bus and train services and the civil service will all be affected as workers take action to protest against unsustainable cuts which put the public and their services at risk and which will result in massive job losses.
As the strike preparations were being finalised today, UNISON Northern Ireland regional secretgary Patricia McKeown said: “UNISON has asked all public service employers to behave responsibly.
“This means ensuring that the public is notified in advance on key issues such as school closures and rescheduled surgery and outpatient clinics.
“We thank those school principals and health managers who have already taken these steps. Those who have not, need to act now.
“Where our members are involved, we are providing cover for the young, old and infirm in residential care, and at bank holiday levels for community and hospital care.
“On acute care we are providing emergency cover on detailed agreements with the employers.”
While it is public service workers who are striking, Ms McKeown said: “The spotlight now needs to move to the culprits who are responsible for this growing crisis in public services. They fall into three categories:
“The UK government for slashing the block grant and attacking the welfare state; our own government for producing a devastating set of cuts in response; employers in areas such as health and social services who have backed the proposals by producing cuts to services which put people at permanent risk.”
Ms McKeown added that “confidence in our political system is at an all time low.
“If our politicians wish to restore confidence in a system which could work if they demonstrated that they really have the best interests of the people at heart, then now is the time to reverse the damaging decisions.
“Workers and the public alike are demanding their rights.
“Tomorrow is one expression of the anxiety and betrayal felt by our members and their communities.
“The campaign will continue until decisions are taken by those in power which protect the people rather than rob them of their rights.”