Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has been urged to release money for public sector worker pay awards.

The unions made the call after an estimated 170,000 public sector workers last week took part in a strike over pay.

Nurses, teachers, health support workers, transport workers and civil servants were among those who took part in the walk-outs.

Mr Heaton-Harris laid new legislation in the House of Commons on Wednesday to extend the deadline for the resumption of the Stormont Assembly to February 8.

He previously said the money for public sector pay awards can be released when the Assembly and Executive is restored.

Irish Congress of Trade Unions assistant general secretary Gerry Murphy said regardless of what happens in terms of the political stalemate at Stormont, the funds for public sector pay awards should be released now.

“Last week saw 170,000 public servants make salary sacrifices, lining out in the cold streets on picket lines, talking part in marches and rallies, in search of pay justice,” he said.

“Their hopes as expressed across the North and on the airwaves are genuine and deserve to be addressed today and not strung out for another fortnight.

“We welcome that an amendment to today’s Westminster legislation will call on the Secretary of State to unlock the financial package he has withheld from the NI Department of Finance.

“Talks between trade unions and public sector employers must begin immediately so workers can reap the rewards of their principled resistance to these shameful political games.

“This should not depend upon whipped votes at Westminster by MPs from all parts of the UK. If anything, today’s Parliamentary theatre underscores the need for locally accountable politicians making decisions in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

“Regardless of what happens between now and February 8, Chris Heaton-Harris must move immediately to release the money to meet the overdue wage bill of our public servants.

“Society must now engage in a serious discussion on how NI is financed and the trade union movement is ready to be part of those discussions.

“After last week, it would be unthinkable for our political class to try and progress without us.”