More than 10,000 non-teaching staff went on a one-day strike yesterday in protest at education cuts totalling £30 million (€44 million).
The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, the largest public service union, and the Transport and General Workers' withdrew transport, meals and classroom assistant services, forcing some special schools to close.
Pickets were placed outside many schools and at government offices. Two-thirds of public libraries were also affected.
Patricia McKeown of Unison, another public sector union, told the junior Northern Ireland Office minister, Angela Smith, that her department was undermining education and library services.
"There has not been an increase in the education budget. Your department got its sums wrong and underbid in the previous budget round," she alleged.
Money had to be reallocated to "put the mistake right", she said.
Warning of further action, she said there also needed to be an urgent review of funding and unmet needs, and the removal of redundancy notices to halt further industrial action.
In a direct message to Ms Smith she said: "If you make commitments to this you will have gone some way to demonstrate to the people of Northern Ireland that your government will stop disrespecting us.
"No more spin, no more indecision. We demand the same additional resources made available to children and education workers in your constituency and we demand them now," Ms McKeown added.
The North's five education and library boards have been forced into announcing severe cuts and withdrawal of services, including the ending of some lollipop crossing patrols.
This has prompted resignations from the boards and last month provoked the public sector unions into announcing yesterday's one-day action.