Northern Ireland sees biggest strike in years as workers walk out over pay and political deadlock

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — Tens of thousands of public sector workers have walked off the job across Northern Ireland. They are striking to protest political deadlock that has left them without pay increases, and the region without a functioning government. Schools were closed, hospitals offered a skeleton service and authorities warned people not to travel unless it was essential as road-gritting crews joined the strike in the middle of a bitterly cold snap. The 24-hour strike by about 150,000 teachers, nurses, bus drivers and others is the biggest walkout in years in Northern Ireland. The regional Belfast government has not functioned for almost two years since one of the two power-sharing parties walked out in a dispute over post-Brexit trade rules.