School staff supporting pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in Essex have announced a series of strikes over a lack of recognition and pay, UNISON says today.
Teaching assistants, pastoral support workers and other support staff at three schools run by the Lift Schools multi-academy trust will walk out next Wednesday (28 January), and seven further days from 5 to 13 February.
The specialist staff – at Columbus School & College in Chelmsford, Pioneer in Basildon and Lift Clacton’s The Key – say they should receive an additional allowance for their specialist roles.
SEN teachers at Lift schools receive up to £5,500 extra a year for the extra skills and responsibilities that come with their roles, UNISON says.
Support staff often deal with the bulk of behaviour management issues, as well as having responsibility for personal and medical care. Without them, teachers would be unable to do their jobs, adds the union.
The extra work makes it hard to hang on to staff, leading to a reliance on agency workers at greater expense and causing upset to many students who need routine and familiar faces to thrive, says UNISON.
Despite trust bosses claiming such an allowance is forbidden under academy school rules, the union points out other academies make these payments and they are permitted within the local government “green book” under which the workers are employed.
UNISON area organiser Bea Bartilucci said: “A SEN allowance is there to make sure staff are recognised and paid properly for the extra work and responsibilities that come with supporting children who need extra help.
“For Lift to dismiss this as a bung, after months of refusing to talk about it at all, is insulting.
“Lift is out of order. Managers urgently need to get their act together so that we can avoid these strikes.”
Leighanne Merchant, a learning support assistant at Pioneer, said: “Staff are taking this action for the children’s benefit. They deserve consistent, permanent staff who know them and their needs.
“This allowance would help more people stay permanently so schools aren’t forced to rely on an ever-changing roster of agency and relief staff who don’t have time to get into the job.”
Katie Andrews, a learning support assistant at Pioneer, said: “Staff never wanted to take strike action, but we’ve had months without any resolution. All it would take to prevent this is an offer that actually values staff’s hard work and dedication to students. It’s up to them.”
Take action
Join the pickets:
Where: Columbus School & College, Oliver Way, Chelmsford, CM1 4ZB (grass verge outside Andrews Park).
When: 8am to 11am, Wednesday 28 January.
Where: Pioneer School, Ghyllgrove, Basildon, SS14 2LA (by mini roundabout near busway).
When: 8am to 11am, Wednesday 28 January.
