95% of school support workers say that there are regular or occasional staffing shortages in their place of work

Unite survey reveals impact of crisis on both workforce health and the care of children 

Unite the union issued a warning that the Stormont Executive must dedicate funding to tackle the low pay driven staffing crisis undermining school support services. In recent months, Unite membership has taken repeated strike action over low pay 

A Unite survey completed by over 500 classroom assistants, transport, catering, cleaning, admin bus drivers and escorts and other school support staff confirmed the scale of the staffing crisis.

• 37 per cent of school support staff regularly and 41 per cent occasionally considered leaving their job due to low pay. 
• Over three quarters (76 per cent) reported regular staffing shortages; a further 19 per cent reported occasional staffing shortages.
• 39 per cent had to work outside their contracted hours or responsibilities on a regular basis to cover with a further 31 per cent doing so occasionally. 

Over two thirds said that staffing levels in their workplace had reached a point where the care of children had been compromised with 35 per cent saying this occurred regularly and 32 per cent said it occurred occasionally. 

The survey also highlighted the mounting toll the crisis was having on workers 53 per cent said they were regularly and 37 per cent occasionally stressed at work. Nearly two thirds (63 per cent) said that this had affected their mental health and over half (51 per cent) said their physical health had been affected. Almost two-thirds (65 per cent) said that they felt tired at work regularly with 29 per cent occasionally.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Chronic low pay of school support staff has created severe staff shortages; workers are at breaking point and education services at risk of collapse. If this isn’t swiftly resolved further strike action will be inevitable.”

The crisis in the school support services has been made worse by the failure of the executive to implement a pay and grading review. It was first instructed to deliver this by the UK-wide NJC pay body to address low pay and equality concerns in 2018. 

Kieran Ellison, regional officer for Education Authority workers, explained, “The majority of our members have a day-to-day responsibility for the care and safety of children with special educational needs. Low pay has created a staffing crisis which has left the remaining workforce on its knees.

“Unite is meeting the education minister next week. Our members will expect to hear funding has been earmarked for the pay and grading review as a first step in addressing the staffing crisis in our schools. If that is not forthcoming – we will be meeting to decide the next days of strike action.”