industrial action

A pay offer aimed at avoiding industrial action by unions has been put on the table by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt.

A fourth teaching union in Northern Ireland, the NEU, is also going to ask its members if they should hold a formal ballot for industrial action.

There had been stalemate over a pay rise for teachers for three years as inflation rose, leading to strikes and other industrial action.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that NI Water are in the process of balloting their members over industrial action.

She said she cannot see any other option other than industrial action if pay parity is not met but said it will ultimately be the choice of members.