NIPSA or the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance is a trade union

Trade union

A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...

 based in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. It is the largest white collar trade union in Northern Ireland. It is organised into two distinct groupings, the Civil Service Group and the Public Officers Group. The former caters for civil servants

Northern Ireland Civil Service

The Northern Ireland Civil Service is the permanent bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports the Northern Ireland Executive, the devolved government of Northern Ireland....

 and the staff of public bodies employed on civil service terms and conditions, whilst the latter covers employees of education and library boards, health and social services boards, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive

Northern Ireland Housing Executive

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is the public housing authority for Northern Ireland. It is the enforcing authority for those parts of housing orders that involve houses with multiple occupants, houses that are unfit, and housing conditions.- Origins :...

, district councils, other public bodies and voluntary organisations.