The teachers unions are expected to table a joint motion demanding that they be prioritised in the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out, to be discussed at their respective conferences today. Speaking at the INTO conference yesterday, Norma Foley defended the Government decision to change the vaccine roll-out schedule from an occupation-based one to one led by age, saying it was "not a value judgement on any given profession".

Elsewhere in education, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has warned that the lack of a fully integrated third level sector has fostered inequality, elitism, skills shortages, stress on students and high drop-out rates from higher education. 

The Times reports that community employment scheme supervisors are to ballot for strike action if the Government does not table proposals by the end of next week to deal with a long-running dispute over access to a pension scheme.

The pandemic has put young people under "more stress than ever before" according to a RED C research poll published today. 

The Times has this piece on the plight of the Debenhams workers one year on.

The Labour Court has been asked to consider the establishment of a joint labour committee in the childcare sector.

The Journal reports on a landmark decision, in which the Supreme Court has declared that laws placing an absolute ban on employment disputes being heard in public is unconstitutional.

A Bill has been moved which introduced, would provide a sick pay scheme for migrant workers in the meat, dairy and horticulture sectors. Read more on that here.

And finally, a reminder to our civil service colleagues that the civil service pension webinar with our own pensions guru Billy Hannigan is on this lunchtime. See here for more info. 

The Police bring us our zen this morning. Roxanne is 43 years old this year and still a cracker.

Have a good day folks.