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Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

Support Staff Pay

31 replies

YouthClub · 02/08/2023 13:39

Now teachers will have a 6.5% increase does anyone think support staff should strike? Not just classroom based staff, but admin/office staff too. I know the majority in our school are on the minimum wage and worth so much more!

OP posts:
DinkyDaisy · 02/08/2023 17:52

There was an offer for support staff...
Unison called for strike action but not enough voted for it.
I hope offer goes through though support staff deserve far more.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 03/08/2023 09:21

The Unison ballot was very badly organised. Office staff and TAs at my school are with union but only one person got a ballot paper. When I tried to contact them to get one the online system said to phone or email. Phone lines weren’t answered and when I sent an email I was told to request online, round and round in circles…. same for my colleagues so about a dozen people in one workplace didn’t get to vote - multiply that by all the other schools and you get a lot of people not able to vote and I bet more than 50% of us would have voted to strike.

DinkyDaisy · 03/08/2023 09:52

Agreed. A wasted opportunity...

Original poster
YouthClub · 03/08/2023 10:17

That’s awful! I think pretty much all support staff in my school would have voted, but again didn’t know anything about it. 🤬
Surely, an online ballot paper would work so much better and be more accessible. 🤷🏼‍♀️

OP posts:
DinkyDaisy · 03/08/2023 10:25

Really don't understand why wasn't on line...

Takoneko · 03/08/2023 10:39

They aren’t allowed to be online. To strike the ballot has to “be a postal ballot where members vote by marking a box on a voting paper and return it in a prepaid envelope” and “be supervised by a qualified independent person (a ‘scrutineer’ - often someone from an organisation like the Electoral Reform Society)”.

That’s why all of the indicative votes are done by text or online and then strike ballots are postal ballots. The unions wouldn’t do the postal ones if they had a choice. They are so much more expensive and logistically challenging.

Swanhilde · 03/08/2023 12:08

The NEU support staff ballot is still open, although has gone very quiet now that the teachers have accepted their deal. I get the feeling that they've lost interest in us now ...

Takoneko · 03/08/2023 12:20

@Swanhilde I’m not sure if you’re aware but in June the NEU lost a case at the TUC and have now had to accept not to seek to collectively bargain on behalf of support staff. They had to pay damages to Unison, GMB and Unite. I think that is what killed off their support staff pay campaign. They aren’t allowed to do any campaigning for support staff without the express permission of Unison, GMB and Unite, who have the collective bargaining rights for support staff, which the NEU doesn’t have. It’s all a bit complicated and messy, but in essence they were seen as trying to poach members from the support staff unions even though they don’t have collective bargaining rights for support staff.

samsam123 · 05/08/2023 10:44

I work for Bucks CC they have their own meagre pay grade lower than NJC we didnt get the nearly 2k bonus last year. Support Staff here in Unison who dont seem bothered.

Runaround50 · 06/08/2023 13:52

@samsam123 are you support staff for BCC? If so, just wondered whether you knew what the highest play scale is, for a TA?

Currently Grade 6 in Cheshire.

Watsername · 06/08/2023 15:33

I was really annoyed we didn’t get the £2K last year in Bucks.

@Runaround50 I don’t think the scale is published publicly. Have a look at the Buckscc job site- current vacancies are published on there with pay. Most TAs are level 1B. Some choose to be HLTAs.

Runaround50 · 06/08/2023 15:38

@Watsername thanks, will do 👍
How come you didn't get the 2K in Bucks?

Toffeesgirl · 07/08/2023 13:58

Apparently our Multi Academy Trust doesn't recognise Unison and so none of the support staff were sent ballot papers!! Go figure.

Considering how many schools are now in MATs, I'm not surprised they didn't get enough votes!

CurlyhairedAssassin · 07/08/2023 14:42

Toffeesgirl · 07/08/2023 13:58

Apparently our Multi Academy Trust doesn't recognise Unison and so none of the support staff were sent ballot papers!! Go figure.

Considering how many schools are now in MATs, I'm not surprised they didn't get enough votes!

It's surely not nothing to do with the MAT if people become legitimate members of a legitimate union or not. If people want to become members of Unison they can do. They should have got ballot papers from the union if they were members. Although I'm another Unison member who didn't get a ballot paper so missed the deadline. Makes you wonder what you pay your subs for.

Toffeesgirl · 07/08/2023 15:39

It was the Unison rep who told them they weren't eligible to vote. I'm with s different union so don't have the exact wording.

Chickenkorma64 · 10/08/2023 21:03

Most of my support colleagues are not union members because they can’t afford the subs on the pay they get. With the cost of living everyone is down to the wire at the end of the month.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 11/08/2023 11:09

Chickenkorma64 · 10/08/2023 21:03

Most of my support colleagues are not union members because they can’t afford the subs on the pay they get. With the cost of living everyone is down to the wire at the end of the month.

Unison fees are very low - I pay less than £8.00 pm and I’ve seen how much benefit having a union behind you can be when the parent of a child makes a serious (complete codswallop) complaint about you. Without the support and legal assistance of her union a colleague would have lost her job as she would have been unable to defend herself.

I was very strongly advised (by the Head Teacher)to join a union for my own protection when I started working in school and I believe all of my support staff colleagues are in a union.

Support Staff Pay
Fullofpudding · 19/08/2023 00:18

I don't know anyone that got a ballot paper from unison and nobody I work with was able to contact them. Angry

Swanhilde · 19/08/2023 09:52

NEU ballot didn't meet threshold (again). As posted above, not balloted on pay but terms and conditions. Seems we're happy with them ...

JanglyBeads · 26/08/2023 22:16

My colleagues and I didn't get ballot papers from UNISON so we rung, spoke to a nice chap at length..... but still didn't receive ballot papers!

DinkyDaisy · 27/08/2023 06:46

I asked for replacement ballot papers via their online system and none arrived...

DinkyDaisy · 27/08/2023 06:49

The expectations in my role have become so much I am considering looking for another job. I have an overwhelming feeling of dread at going back after the summer and realise not healthy or appropriate on what I am paid. The role is increasingly intense...

JanglyBeads · 27/08/2023 09:57

Have you thought of applying for a regrading? Or are the problems more than pay?

DinkyDaisy · 27/08/2023 11:00

I want a regrading but school good at fobbing me off. Think got going back to school blues as well...