Essential workers' strike brings County Derry to a standstill

Braving the snow, protesters were at picket lines across County Derry this morning.

Out in the streets in Claudy, Magherafelt, Limavady and Dungiven, amongst others, they went out to protest for their working rights and pay.

Bus drivers, nurses, teachers, civil servants and train drivers are on strike today as well as cleaners, classroom and cooking assistants.

“What we are hoping for is for the Secretary of State to hand over the money that the British Government has given him to put together the money that people deserve,” said Teresa Fallon, cleaning supervisor and Limavady’s UNISON representative.

“We’re all coming out, we’ve had enough. 

“The cost of living for us is terrible. It's colossal,” she said.

“We can't afford to do anything to have a bit of luxury in life.”

Teresa manages 18 people as a cleaning supervisor and she is paid the same amount as a person managing three people.

Following the strike, she hopes for a better salary after a job evaluation.

“I would just like to say that the government has got to step up and do their jobs. The rest of us need to go to work to get paid. [The members of the Government] shouldn’t get paid, they are not doing their job.”

SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan added: “It’s fair to say the general mood is sombre, exasperated and angry.

“The disruption and impact on the day is nothing compared to the disruption and degradation to public services which has been caused by years of dysfunction and deadlock presided over by leadership parties here.

“The latest Assembly recall is the seventh since May 2022 - each attempt being blocked by the DUP. I’m under no illusion that the restoration of an Assembly will solve every problem, the potholes won’t be filled with gold.”