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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/nov/07/teaching-assistants-strike-shuts-schools-in-durham
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| Teaching assistants' strike shuts schools in Durham | Teaching assistants' strike shuts schools in Durham |
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| Nearly 100 schools will be forced to close or cut classes during a 48-hour strike by hundreds of teaching assistants in County Durham starting on Tuesday. | |
| The walkout follows a long-running dispute over plans by Durham county council to fire 2,700 classroom assistants and re-employ them on termtime-only contracts, which their unions claim could result in them losing up to 23% of their already modest salary. | The walkout follows a long-running dispute over plans by Durham county council to fire 2,700 classroom assistants and re-employ them on termtime-only contracts, which their unions claim could result in them losing up to 23% of their already modest salary. |
| As many as 1,877 teaching assistants are preparing to walk out on Tuesday and Wednesday. At least 37 schools will be fully closed on one or both of the two days, it is believed, and at least 52 others will be partially closed or will cut classes. The vast majority of schools affected are primaries and nurseries. | |
| Striking teaching assistants plan to lobby councillors outside Durham’s county hall on Wednesday morning, and will hold a rally outside Durham Miners’ Association, which backed the industrial action. | Striking teaching assistants plan to lobby councillors outside Durham’s county hall on Wednesday morning, and will hold a rally outside Durham Miners’ Association, which backed the industrial action. |
| The cuts, approved by the Labour-led council in May, initially included one year’s compensation for loss of earnings, and were revised in September to include a “final offer” of two years’ compensation. | The cuts, approved by the Labour-led council in May, initially included one year’s compensation for loss of earnings, and were revised in September to include a “final offer” of two years’ compensation. |
| The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) has accused the council of forcing low-paid teaching assistants to choose between a pay cut of up to 23% if they do not agree to work longer hours, and a 10% pay cut if they agree to longer hours. | The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) has accused the council of forcing low-paid teaching assistants to choose between a pay cut of up to 23% if they do not agree to work longer hours, and a 10% pay cut if they agree to longer hours. |
| Union bosses say this would make teaching assistants in Durham some of the lowest paid in the north-east. Some teaching assistants in Stockton-on-Tees and Newcastle-upon-Tyne currently earn £3,363 to £4,501 more a year than their counterparts in Durham. | Union bosses say this would make teaching assistants in Durham some of the lowest paid in the north-east. Some teaching assistants in Stockton-on-Tees and Newcastle-upon-Tyne currently earn £3,363 to £4,501 more a year than their counterparts in Durham. |
| The industrial action comes after negotiations between the council and unions reached an impasse. In ballots, 93% of 1,755 Unison members voted for strike action, as did 84% of 122 members of the ATL. In a separate poll, members of the GMB union voted to accept the council’s new offer. | The industrial action comes after negotiations between the council and unions reached an impasse. In ballots, 93% of 1,755 Unison members voted for strike action, as did 84% of 122 members of the ATL. In a separate poll, members of the GMB union voted to accept the council’s new offer. |
| Dave Prentis, the Unison general secretary, said: “No one should ever have to face a salary cut of almost a quarter. These staff have been treated appallingly. Teaching assistants will be showing just how strongly they feel about this next week and they will have their union and community standing beside them.” | Dave Prentis, the Unison general secretary, said: “No one should ever have to face a salary cut of almost a quarter. These staff have been treated appallingly. Teaching assistants will be showing just how strongly they feel about this next week and they will have their union and community standing beside them.” |
| Emma Parker, ATL’s district secretary in Durham, said: “It’s still not too late for Durham council to get around the table and negotiate a fair deal for its teaching assistants. What the Labour-run Durham council is trying to do is totally unfair – to cut the pay of low-paid workers. | Emma Parker, ATL’s district secretary in Durham, said: “It’s still not too late for Durham council to get around the table and negotiate a fair deal for its teaching assistants. What the Labour-run Durham council is trying to do is totally unfair – to cut the pay of low-paid workers. |
| “There are fairer solutions – Durham council could have decided to pay its TAs the going rate for support staff in the north-east. None of our TAs want to go on strike, and they certainly don’t want to disrupt children’s education, but the council has left them with little option.” | “There are fairer solutions – Durham council could have decided to pay its TAs the going rate for support staff in the north-east. None of our TAs want to go on strike, and they certainly don’t want to disrupt children’s education, but the council has left them with little option.” |
| Parker added: “If the council doesn’t rethink its deeply flawed plans it will lose thousands of dedicated, hard-working teaching assistants, with some leaving to work in higher-paying neighbouring areas, and children in Durham will lose out.” | Parker added: “If the council doesn’t rethink its deeply flawed plans it will lose thousands of dedicated, hard-working teaching assistants, with some leaving to work in higher-paying neighbouring areas, and children in Durham will lose out.” |
| Clare Williams, Unison’s northern regional secretary, said: “Nobody wants to see schools closed and teaching assistants on picket lines, but until Durham council drops its plan to slash their salaries, that’s inevitable. It’s unacceptable that staff who look after children in County Durham are being treated this way. The council needs to think again.” | Clare Williams, Unison’s northern regional secretary, said: “Nobody wants to see schools closed and teaching assistants on picket lines, but until Durham council drops its plan to slash their salaries, that’s inevitable. It’s unacceptable that staff who look after children in County Durham are being treated this way. The council needs to think again.” |
| John Hewitt, the council’s corporate director for resources, described the strike action as disappointing and added: “The education and wellbeing of our pupils is our primary concern and we know headteachers and governing bodies have worked hard to keep schools open and minimise disruption for young people and parents. | |
| “From the outset we have been clear that this is not a position that we want to be in, but the legal advice is unequivocal - the status quo is not an option.” | |
| Hewitt said the council remained willing to sit round the table with unions and teaching assistants to try break the deadlock.” |