Green Party MLA Steven Agnew said: “We support the workers’ right to strike and believe it is not up to politicians to decide where, when and how workers can protest.

“This is the first strike by health workers in Northern Ireland for nearly 30 years and this is not a decision that they have taken lightly.

“The Health Minister needs to recognise the rights of workers to protest and should not be attempting to coerce them through guilt not to take this action.

“Instead, he should be listening to their issues and concerns and not demonising them.

“These are health professionals who have dedicated their lives to looking after the welfare of others and they are best placed on the front-line to assess the damage that health services cuts are inflicting on both patients and staff.

“While this will create one day of disruption, these strikes are ultimately taking place to protect quality of service in the long term with the needs of patients at the core.

“Unison has clearly felt compelled to get its members out on strike as a response to the brutal cuts in health and public sector budgets because they feel they have no other option as no-one seems to be listening to their concerns.

“They want their voices to be heard so they can protect conditions for the ordinary men and women who work in our health service and ultimately provide a health service that is fit for purpose for both patients and staff.

“The Executive needs to place greater value on the contribution that public sector workers in both health and education provide to our society and they should not be the first to suffer when the books need to be balanced.”