Unite will ballot workers at the Education authority in response to plans to cut the terms and conditions of school support workers.

In a further development, cost-cutting proposals have been made for a wider review of the system of SEN education to make it “financially sustainable”. This will impact the jobs and pay of school support workers as these are the biggest element of SEN education costs.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Stormont needs to step back from its attacks on school support workers. The rights of our members, and the rights of children with Special Educational Needs are not up for grabs.

“Our members have the full support of their union in the fight to defend themselves and the right of SEN children to access education.”

The union has published a letter [see link below] it received from education minister Paul Givan which stated that “changes to SEN support will not be driven by cost-saving objectives”only to immediately continue “in the current constrained financial environment, we have no choice but to reform the model of support… failure to do so would carry significant, adverse financial implications.”  

The letter came in response to an earlier Unite request for clarification on whether the additional £5 billion funding from Westminster for Special Educational Needs and Disability in English councils would result in a Barnett formula uplift for Northern Ireland and whether that would be ring-fenced for SEN. An additional £380 million in Barnett consequentials was announced yesterday but has not been ring-fenced for SEN education.

Unite regional officer for education, Kieran Ellison said, “Despite his claim to the contrary, the letter from Paul Givan confirms the attack on the education sector, its workforce and SEN children is driven by the budgetary squeeze on the education department.

“It is deeply shameful that Givan and the Executive seem to think the rights of SEN children and SEN school support workers are the low-hanging fruit when it comes to cuts.”

ENDS…