Strike calls as support staff pay body is axed

Public sector union Unison said it would ballot its members on strike action 'as a matter of urgency' and demanded an equality impact assessment, because low-paid women would be among the worst hit.

In a written statement Mr Gove said, 'The Government has conducted a review of the future policy direction for determining school support staff pay and conditions, including the role of the SSSNB, and has concluded that the SSSNB does not fit well with the Government's priorities for greater deregulation of the pay and conditions arrangements for the school workforce.'

He said he would introduce legislation to abolish the SSSNB at the earliest opportunity.

The decision means that school support staff will continue to have their terms and conditions determined locally by employers.

Christina McAnea, Unison head of education, said, 'This is a bitter blow to the mainly women, overwhelmingly low paid, hard working and loyal support staff in schools. Unison will be consulting our members on taking industrial action as a matter of urgency.

'The coalition's consultation process was a sham. It was obvious the Government had made up its mind, right from the beginning, that school support staff are not worthy of national pay and conditions.'

Philip Parkin, general secretary of Voice, the union for education professionals, said the move was an insult to school support staff. 'This is outrageous. Three weeks ago on 14 October, the future of the SSSNB was "under consideration - subject to further discussions with employer and union representatives". What happened to the "consideration" and "discussions"?'