Strike latest: UNISON plan Coleraine march

They have been on the ground since 7am and will march to Coleraine Town Hall at 12 noon.

Public services across Northern Ireland are being disrupted by the strike by public sector trade unions.

The strike is affecting transport services, education and the civil service.

The Department of Health say arrangements have been put in place to ensure “critical services will be maintained”.

Cover will be provided for emergency services and activities. It is understood that most nurses are not taking part in the strike.

An estimated 60% of accident and emergency crews and 80% of rapid response paramedics had planned to strike, but a major incident declared by the Ambulance Service “to maintain a safe level of cover” meant workers were required turn up for duty.

Translink services are set to be affected on Friday due to the industrial action

Translink is not operating any scheduled bus or train services, except the Ulsterbus express Belfast to Dublin service at 23:00 GMT.

The Department of Education has said it is the responsibility of school principals to decide if their school will remain open.

Members of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, which represents mainly Catholic teachers, is the only teaching union that voted for strike action.

The body that oversees Catholic education in Northern Ireland, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS), has said all schools should remain open, if not for children, then for teachers and other staff who do not want to strike.

However, with canteen and bus and train staff taking action, some schools have asked only senior and exam classes to come in, using alternative transport.