Northern Ireland grinds to a halt over public pay dispute

A strike by the majority of public sector workers in Northern Ireland shut schools, halted transport services and left icy roads ungritted on Thursday, with people warned to only travel or seek medical help in an emergency.
The 24-hour strike, which trade unions said was the largest in a generation, was called after workers failed to receive pay increases despite multi-decade high inflation, following the collapse of the region’s power-sharing government in early 2022.
The walkout by some 170,000 nurses, teachers, train drivers and other workers will add pressure on the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to end its two-year protest over Britain’s attempts to settle post-Brexit trade rules for the region.
Public pay has risen in the rest of the United Kingdom and the British government pledged last month to provide the funds for pay rises if power-sharing resumes. Local politicians and unions say London should push through the hikes regardless.
The strike began amid a yellow weather warning for ice, prompting warnings that road journeys should be limited to essential travel only due to the conditions and limited gritting. Road service staff are among those set to strike for a week.