GMB TO BALLOT OVER WOLVERHAMPTON PROPOSALS

The GMB will ballot members working within Wolverhampton schools over proposals by the City Council to introduce new pay and career structures for school support staff.

The union is angered by the Council’s refusal to accept crucial amendments to the proposals which are essential in protecting the profession of both teachers and support staff.

The GMB is concerned that the new deal, which introduces Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs), does not have safeguards to protect them from being used as ‘teachers on the cheap’. Additionally, where Teaching Assistants are utilised to cover supervise classes in the absence of teachers, there would be no recognition of this reflected in their pay.

Rob Kelsall, GMB Union Negotiator, said: “I am amazed that the City Council has taken an approach to introduce the new career structures without first allowing our members in schools the opportunity to voice their concerns or opinions on their futures."

“We are appealing to the Council to recognise that the additional responsibilities taken on by our members in schools as a result of the Government’s plans reform the schools workforce. We are appealing for them to invest more monies into the agreement and more importantly ensure that the quality of education within Wolverhampton schools is maintained. I am pleased that the largest teaching union, NUT, is supporting our position.”

The ballot will commence on Monday 20 December, with the results announced on Monday 10 January 2005.


Full details of the City Council's proposals are available to download here (PDF 440KB)

For further information, please contact Rob Kelsall on 0121 550 4888.

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