Young Alliance slams Executive for strike inaction

3.43.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 12th Oct 2007

Alliance Youth Chair Cllr Ian James Parsley

Chair of Young Alliance Cllr Ian James Parsley has slammed the Executive for failing to take action in the light of pay disputes both from classroom assistants and further education lecturers.

Cllr Ian James Parsley stated: "The total lack of action by the Executive has led to disputes throughout the education sector.

"Classroom assistants are on strike, further education lecturers are in dispute, parents have no idea what will replace the 11+. Is this what devolution was supposed to deliver?

"This is an issue to be tackled by the Executive as a whole, as it involves Education, Employment and Finance issues. Yet the only action we are seeing is buck passing to other agencies and officials.

"The Minister for Education must take direct action to chair meetings to resolve the classroom assistants' dispute. The Minister for Employment and Learning must deliver for Further Education Lecturers in the same way his counterparts in Wales have done. The Minister for Finance must ensure the relevant packages are available.

"All Ministers in the Executive have responsibility to deal with such issues, and take firm action. That action will not be popular in all circles, but that is the reality of government. It is time the Executive got on with the job it was elected to do."

ENDS