A union representing school support staff has rejected the 3.2 per cent pay rise – saying it is a “disgrace” the proposed increase is less than teachers received.
Pay for support staff, carers and council staff is negotiated between the Local Government Association (LGA), referred to as the “national employer”, and unions.
A majority of 77 per cent of members at one of those, GMB, voted against the pay offer after 150,000 people were balloted.
The union did not reveal the voting turnout – but it means they will demand employers go back to the negotiating table to up their offer, with a potential impact on already-stretched school budgets.
It follows the government upping its teacher pay rise for this year to 4 per cent.
‘Disgrace’
National employers said in April their offer would mean the lowest-paid workers would have seen their pay rise by more than £6,000 since April 2021. However the rise this year equated to just 3.2 per cent.
GMB’s national officer Kevin Brandstatter called the offer a “real terms pay cut” and “one of the worst in the public sector”.
“Offering teachers 4 per cent and badly paid school support staff and other council workers just 3.2 per cent is a disgrace,” he said.
“The LGA has shown complete and utter contempt for hard working public servants doing their best to deliver services despite insufficient staff or resources.”
Support staff pay starts at £23,656, according to the 2024 pay scales.
This compares to a starting salary last year of £31,650 for teachers on the lowest pay band, which will rise to just under £33,000 in 2025-26.
Unison, the other main union representing support staff, said its committee is due to meet later this week to decide whether it backs the deal, with an update due next week.
Unite has also already rejected the deal.
School budget hit
A 3.2 per cent increase was lower than the predicted growth in wages across the wider economy, which had been revised to 3.7 per cent by the Office for Budget Responsibility this year.
But chair of the national employers James Lewis said in April they were “acutely aware of the additional pressure the offer would place on finances” but believed the offer “is fair to employees”.
Any rise that is more then expected will also put further strain on already-stretched school budgets, many of whom will have budgeted for the 3.2 per cent.
Unions had called for an increase of at least £3,000 across all pay points, along with a “clear plan to reach a minimum pay rate of £15 an hour”.
They also demanded one extra day of annual leave for all staff, a reduction in the working week by two hours with no loss of pay, and the ability for school staff to take at least one day of their annual leave during term time.
Support staff work hard and deserve a higher pay rise.
Support staff are doing more and more these days yet are never valued. We have university degrees and life experience that is always under valued. I cover lessons, I meet with parents, I am trained in mental health and SEN support, I complete all forms and referrals for children to access health services, I organise trips and complete risk assessments and am also the person who gains your child’s trust and supports them when they feel alone. Tell me why my role is worth less?
It’s the same pay claim for the last 3 years. Employers have made their pay pay offer the last 2 years, which has ultimately been accepted by the unions. Strikes don’t work as they have not budged on offers. Ultimately staff end up getting backdated pay7 months later. Would rather have it now. £3000 rise is never going to happen, nor is extra days off, reduced hours or £15 an hour for years.
Without the TA’s/ support staff, many children would not keep their school place or be able to access education. Those reasonable adjustments made by TA’s/ support staff ensure the pupils reach their full potential and avoid suspension. With no spaces in special schools and expensive alternative provision being the other options, the government should think again about how much they value the work of non-teaching qualified staff.
Let’s not even start with the fact that support staff are only paid for 39 weeks a year compared to a teachers 52.14… do they think we honestly don’t with through the holiday periods as well? As an SBM, I carry the responsibility for the budget so have both the schools finances and personal finances in mind, but support staff should not be penalised for poor school block funding, especially when the same consideration wasn’t given to the Teachers pay award. A part funded SS pay award at 4% would be fine for most budgets as we factor it in at budget setting.
Totally agree. If we keep pushing for more money, there will be more redundancies! I feel this is a fair and equal payrise compared to previous years. What needs to happen now is a consistent payrise, then eventually it will catch up to where it needs to be. We should accept the offer and focus the attention on next April so we can start having the payrises when we should and not months later.
Again we’re treated like second class or even third class, every time this happens when we’re the ones in the direct firing line out verbal, physical and emotional abuse from children and their parents.
The government needs to appreciate the level of highly trained staff giving 110% to their role. Every time the living wage goes up on time every year, making our wage pathetic. This is the only job where it is ok to be abused from all sides. Things need to change, urgently!!
“highly trained”? What qualifications do you have. I have a post-graduate degree as a Teacher and I’m only getting 4%. What’s fair for you?
Y11 TA for 28 yrs, could earn more in a supermarket. But what really hurts is that although I work 8am-4pm 5 days a week, I’m classed as part time and will get a part-time pension because of the holidays…which I’m not paid for!!!!!