The Education Authority (EA) has been notified of further strike action by Unite the Union from Tuesday 26th April to Sunday 1st May and also from Tuesday 3rd May to Sunday 8th May causing further expected disruption to some education services; including a number of EA home to school transport (yellow bus) services, some school meal services and on the availability of a number of Classroom Assistants, particularly in Special Schools.
The EA has also received notification from Translink that their GMB and Unite bus drivers have voted to take strike action in relation to a pay offer from Translink. Whilst Translink are continuing to negotiate with the Trade Unions to seek a resolution, if this action goes ahead it will result in all Translink bus services, including school services, being withdrawn from Monday 25th April to Sunday 1st May and on Friday 6th May (one day), causing significant disruption right across the school transport network.
Parents are urged to follow the EA and Translink websites and social media channels for regular updates and details of any planned disruption. Parents, particularly those whose child’s bus service was disrupted during the previous strike action or whose child uses a Translink bus, are advised to make plans for alternative transport. If your child connects from an EA bus to a Translink service, you should make alternative arrangements for the entirety of their journey during the Translink period of strike action if it proceeds.
The EA are continuing to implement a range of contingency measures and will continue to work to minimise disruption for children and young people and very much recognise the impact this has on their learning.
For updates on how EA services are impacted by industrial action parents can visit the EA website
www.eani.org.uk/industrialactionupdates and social media channels.