On Thursday 12th March, UNISON, the largest union in Northern Ireland representing thousands of education support service workers, will hold an event at Coláiste Feirste, Belfast, to mark International School Meals Day and launch a pledge calling on politicians to commit to supporting universal free school meals and valuing the catering workforce and infrastructure that make high-quality school food possible.
UNISON NI is today bringing a campaign to Stormont calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to support classroom assistants by committing to fix the many employment issues that have left them undervalued for too long.
The Pay Review Body recommendations on Agenda for Change (AfC) pay for 2026/27 have been published, with a 3.3% pay uplift recommended.
In Northern Ireland the Health Minister has stated that it is his desire to proceed with the 3.3% uplift for the AfC workforce in 2026/27. The Minister has also stated his commitment to progress towards HSC becoming a Real Living Wage employer, alongside honouring the commitment previously made to funding for independent sector adult social care workers who provide direct care in order to deliver the Real Living Wage for them.
UNISON is aware that the Health and Social Care (HSC) workforce have been receiving communications from their employers informing them that there is an urgent issue with February pay. This will impact payment of enhancements, such as additional hours and overtime, and payment for bank shifts for work undertaken by staff in the last several days of January.
UNISON Regional Secretary Patricia McKeown launches a special edition of VIEW, the independent social affairs magazine, on the state of the health and social care system. As private healthcare companies operating in Northern Ireland make increased profits, the health service’s largest trade union UNISON argues that their role is worsening health inequalities, entrenching a two-tier system, and draining capacity from already under-pressure public services.
The joint trade unions (UNISON, NIPSA, Unite, GMB), representing support staff in education are urging the public to join a protest against proposed education cuts and the Education Authority’s proposal to increase the price of school meals on Wednesday, 3rd December at 12:30 PM on the steps of Stormont.
UNISON Northern Ireland is supporting a petition by Act Now NI calling for the Minister for Education to step in and stop the increase in the cost of school meals, due to take effect in January. This follows the announcement of a number of cost saving measures by the Education Authority (EA) earlier this month including a 20% increase in the price of paid school meals.
Commenting on the petition launch, UNISON Regional Organiser Joe McCusker said:
Following announcements earlier this month by the Health Minister on funding for 2025/26 Agenda for Change (AfC) pay, UNISON entered further discussions with the Department of Health. It has been confirmed by the Department that it will proceed to put in place a consolidated 3.6% pay uplift for the AfC workforce, fully backdated to 1st April 2025. The Department has stated that this will be paid to the workforce in February 2026.
UNISON Northern Ireland is deeply concerned by today’s announcement from the Education Authority (EA) that it intends to take forward a number of saving measures this month, including increasing the price of paid school meals and reducing overtime payments.
Press release from the Anti-Poverty Strategy Group
Marking International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, 17th October 2025
The Executive must do whatever it takes to end poverty
The Anti-Poverty Strategy Group is marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty by calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to do whatever it takes to end poverty.
