Brendan Hughes
BBC News NI political reporter

Much of the pressure to resolve Northern Ireland’s mass public sector strike today has been on Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

But why is he taking the heat rather than the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which collapsed Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government?

It stems from Mr Heaton-Harris revealing his negotiating hand in December in efforts to end the near two-year stalemate.

He offered a £3.3bn financial package for Northern Ireland, including funds to settle public sector pay claims.

But he made the offer contingent on the Stormont institutions being restored.

That angered workers engaging in strike action, with the secretary of state being accused of using them as a form of blackmail.

However, Mr Heaton-Harris has argued public sector pay is a devolved matter for locally elected ministers in Northern Ireland to address.

And so while pressure may remain on the DUP, the government is also facing questions – as well as pickets outside its Northern Ireland Office headquarters in Belfast.

Adam Mandeville
Live page reporter in Belfast city centre

Amidst the disruption of the strikes, those on the picket lines still have support from people around Belfast.

Francis Boyle says: "It affected me this morning. I usually get the bus to work. My wife has to come into town to pick me up.

"I support them. Give them the money. They need a pay rise," he finished.

Similarly, shop worker Niamh Hughes tells us that, "instead of getting my usual public transport, I got a taxi instead. But I didn’t mind because the cause outweighs the inconvenience".

The rally in Londonderry was addressed by veteran civil rights campaigner Eamonn McCann.

He says people are spitting blood at how they are being treated.

“They’ve had enough," he told the large turnout in Guildhall Square at lunchtime.

Julian Fowler
BBC News NI

About 1,000 people have taken part in a protest march and rally in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.

Many of them were on picket lines early this morning outside South West Acute Hospital, schools, South West College, the bus station and road service depot.

They've been listening to union leaders outside the townhall.

It is a show of unity in their demand for pay parity and an increase of funding for public services.

Image source, Getty Images

Thanks for staying with us as we cover what's been billed as the biggest strike in Northern Ireland's history.

Let's have a look at why we're here and why public sector workers are on strike.

• A total of 16 unions are taking industrial action
• It is halting bus and train services, while most schools are closed and there is disruption across health services

• Workers left picket lines to join rallies in towns and cities, including Belfast, Londonderry, Omagh and Enniskillen
• As part of political talks aimed at restoring power-sharing government in Northern Ireland, the government offered £584m to resolve pay issues as part of a larger deal
• That money is dependent on Stormont's return and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has not yet agreed to end its boycott of power-sharing government in Northern Ireland due to its protest against post-Brexit trade rules

Ita Dungan
BBC News NI

Both of Áine Finnegan's children, one of whom has special educational needs, are off school.

She says with the weather so cold they will be confined to their west Belfast home for most of the day.

Her son Fionnbarr is unable to attend St Teresa's Special Speech and Language school due to today's strike and struggles when routines change.

Áine says without the stimulation provided at school, sleeping and eating patterns are disrupted and she is expecting 'meltdowns' later in the day.

She says she supports the striking workers and just wants to see politicians doing the jobs they are supposed to do.

Image source, Getty/Charles McQuillan

The rally in Belfast has now come to an end, and some workers, like those in the RCN have now finished today's industrial action.

Other unions are part of a longer industrial action period.

Image source, Pacemaker

Gerry Murphy of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is the final speaker on stage in Belfast.

"This is a campaign we will continue, this is a campaign we will win," he begins.

He says cuts to public services have seen many workers walk away from the sector in search of better pay and conditions.

"If we don't stop that outflow of essential workers, those services will collapse altogether," he says.

Davy Wilson
BBC News NI

Image source, bbc

Áine Kivlehan is a primary school teacher in Londonderry.

Speaking to BBC News NI from the rally in Derry, she says she'd rather be in her classroom.

"We are pushed to the limit - we are really feeling that," she says.

"It’s become a joke now and enough is enough.

"Politicians, all of them, need to do what it says in their job descriptions - the rest of us are trying to do that.

"They are letting our children down."

Davy Wilson
BBC News NI

Maria Morgan, from Nipsa, tells striking workers in Londonderry that they have made history.

This strike action is unprecedented in its scale and size.

She congratulates the 16 unions involved in the strike for standing together for better public pay and services.

The current situation can not go on, she says.

Ms Morgan says the Northern Ireland secretary must relax the funds to end the public sector pay dispute.

She tells the rally that: "Workers united will never be defeated."

Clodagh Rice
BBC News NI business correspondent

There are thousands of workers from more than a dozen unions at this rally at City Hall in Belfast.

A lot of them came from a rally earlier at the Northern Ireland Office at Erskine House, sending a message of “enough is enough” and they want to see an increase in their pay.

There is certainly a very big presence here in Belfast and we know that’s going to have a huge impact on the economy.

I have seen a couple of people out here trying to do some shopping, in terms of footfall in the city centre.

But a lot of the shops are closed because of this disruption.

Image source, PA Media

Mark McTaggart, of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), takes to the stage.

Mr McTaggart starts by saying he is heartened by the support striking workers have received from the community.

He describes Northern Ireland teachers as "the worst paid teachers across these islands".

Criticising the DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, he says: "He's more than happy to have a sea border for pay for public sector workers."

Image source, PA Media

Paddy Mackel, from The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa), is the first speaker to address the crowd in Belfast city centre.

“Make no mistake about it, we will win this fight,” he begins.

He describes the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) as a “shambles” and says its ministers “have power to resolve these pay disputes and they should do so now”.

He has a demand for Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton Harris: ”Hand over the money already set aside and clear off.”

Finn Purdy
Live page reporter at Belfast City Hall

Carer Carol McFey says she is out on strike asking for more money.

"Cost of living is getting higher, people are doing second jobs, bills are rising and we want more money," she tells BBC News NI.

"We'll keep coming out until we get what we want, and that's the way it is."

Finn Purdy
Live page reporter at Belfast City Hall

The stage outside City Hall in Belfast is currently occupied by a band playing music for those arriving at the rally.

So far we have had renditions of Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac and Fisherman's Blues by The Waterboys.

Finn Purdy
Live page reporter at Belfast City Hall

Helen Gillespie works in a treatment room in Finaghy, County Antrim.

She says the strike is not just about pay.

"The ones that are really suffering in this is the patients," she says.

"When our patients hurt we hurt - and we've no other recourse than to come out onto the streets and let patients voices be heard."

Victoria Stewart is a social worker working with older people.

"The service is in crisis," she says.

"We are often ignored, I feel."

If you click the PLAY link at the top of the page, you can watch the strike rally live.

Workers have marched to Belfast City Hall and will now hear from speakers.

Hundreds of striking public sector workers have arrived in Londonderry's Guildhall Square for a rally in support of their pay claim.

They include nurses, teachers, bus drivers and many other sectors.

The rally in the Guildhall Square will be addressed by the veteran civil rights campaigner, Eamonn McCann.

Barra Best
BBC News NI weather presenter

Those striking will want to be wrapped up warm as bitterly low temperatures continue to grip Northern Ireland.

Temperatures fell to -7C overnight in parts of counties Antrim and Down.

At 10:00 GMT sub-zero conditions were still being recorded across all counties with lows of -2 and -3 across most counties.

Image source, Paul Kane

Thermometers at best today will reach around 2C, with some spots staying closer to freezing.

Some of those on the picket lines will also have to endure snow showers, especially towards the north coast.

A weather warning for ice and snow showers is in place all day on Thursday.

Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly tells BBC NI he’s on the picket line with teachers and classrooms assistants in Larne, County Antrim.

“Talking to teachers and classroom assistants this morning, this is about the future of education – about valuing the profession and paying people equally,” he says.

“When people are being paid much higher wages across the rest of the UK, we are losing those people in Northern Ireland - we need to make this profession valued.”