More than 150,000 expected to join public sector strike in Northern Ireland

Sixteen unions take action as collapsed Stormont leaves pay for nurses, teachers and road workers stagnant

Public sector workers have launched what is being billed as one of the biggest strikes in Northern Ireland’s history amid a dispute over pay and political deadlock.

Sixteen unions representing nurses, teachers, transport workers, civil servants and other sectors started a joint action on Thursday that was expected to cause widespread disruption across the region.