Nipsa members are being balloted over strike action

The union will ballot 5,000 of its members on Friday over a possible one-day stoppage on 13 May.

Other unions including the T&G and Unison also intend to ballot members to decide whether to join the action.

Several members of the province's five education and library boards have resigned over the �30m cuts.

Nipsa Assistant Secretary Tommy Wright said he was urging all union members to vote for strike action.

"It is not acceptable that the government can get away with not properly funding education and library services," he said.

"It is despicable that these cutbacks will directly impact in a very serious way on the most vulnerable children in our community, in particular children with special educational needs."

Mr Wright said the union could not sit on the sidelines and "witness the destruction of our education services".