GMB UNION MEMBERS IN LONDON GEAR UP FOR ACTION AS INTERNAL MEMO REVEALS NLW PRESSURES.
School support staff receive no pay for 8 weeks of the year pushing them below the National Living Wage as an hourly rate – with Teaching Assistant’s earning an average £8.35/hour
In a letter to Local Authority Chief Executives, seen by GMB London – the national body for schools and local government pay (‘The Employer’) flag worries about meeting the legal wage floor.
Mary Goodson, a GMB activist and TA in Barnet, London said: We’ve reached boiling point – we’ve been pushed and pushed and our good will and love for the kids has been taken advantage of. Somethings just switched and people can’t and won’t put up with it. We just want to do a good job for the kids – but if 1/3 of us are looking to foodbanks and people can’t fill their car up what choice do we have but to fight for better?
Keith Williams, GMB London Senior Public Services Officer said: “Our members have had enough. As the country prepares for the hottest summer of industrial action in a generation – School Support Staff in London are gearing up for a big fight. The staffing crisis, low wages and the cost-of-living crisis – it’s too much and they can’t stretch their pay packet any further. They’ve been put-upon, over-burdened and underpaid for a decade and the unpaid 8week break makes their hourly pay just won’t cut it with this Cost-of-Living crisis.”
In 2019 the Employer introduced a new pay scheme designed to “get ahead” of the National Living Wage so it is shocking to see that they’re not even confident of meeting the legal wage floor. Any offer from the Employer must be in excess of making sure they are abiding by NLW legislation that comes into effect in April next year. Our members have got wise to this Government’s waffle and spin and they simply won’t put up with being paid the legal minimum. People are angry – and rightly so.
“The Government and the Employer owe public sector workers and contractors a cost-of-living pay rise. Working people cannot keep picking up the bill through reduced services and reduced wages.”
“There now has to be proper recognition of the dire situation our public service due to years of Tories cuts and this cost-of-living crisis makes it even more urgent to address the low wages of key workers.”
Lisa Bangs GMB London Schools Lead said “Our members in schools are paid below the National Living Wage per hour because they are unpaid for 8 weeks of the year. It’s impossible for them to get another job in the holidays, and the majority of them have children to look after too – so they’re turning to foodbanks.
“These skilled key workers provide vital support to some of our most vulnerable children and in doing so enable all children to get the best from their education. For too long they have been undervalued and underpaid and they have had enough. Central Government must step up and properly fund a pay rise for key workers if it is to improve morale and prevent adding further to the recruitment crisis in our schools.”