Support staff pay and funding campaign

Campaigning for an above-inflation pay rise and further funding to improve staffing.

NEU members voted overwhelmingly (92% in England and 96% in Wales) to reject the NJC pay offer.

Union response

NEU have already conducted an indicative ballot that indicated a support for joint industrial action in support of the NJC claim, and on pay and funding alongside NEU teacher members.

Unison and Unite are currently balloting their members on the National Joint Council pay offer, which covers school support staff, with a recommendation to reject the employers’ offer.

The NEU has decided to ballot support members in any areas that Unison or Unite secure a mandate for industrial action, with a recommendation to vote ‘yes’, so that we strengthen the action.

NEU pressure ensured that this year’s teacher pay award is fully funded with additional funding for support staff pay.

Beyond teachers and support staff working together to ensure fair pay implementation and reduce workloads, we are actively seeking to develop unity with sister unions in schools and colleges, We would like to take this further and explore the potential of a joint-union organising campaign among support staff, to build their voice at work.

What is the unions’ pay claim for 2024/25?

The three recognised local government unions (Unison, GMB and Unite) have submitted the following above-inflation claim, to be payable from April:

All employees to receive a wage rise of £3,000 or 10%, whichever is higher
All employers to agree a clear plan to reach a minimum pay rate of £15 an hour in a maximum of two years
An additional day of annual leave for all staff regardless of their current entitlement.

What has been the employers’ response to the claim?

The employers have responded with what they have described as their ‘full and final’ offer :

An increase of £1,290 (pro rata for part-time employees) to be paid as a consolidated, permanent addition on all NJC pay points 2 to 43 inclusive
An increase of 2.50 per cent on all allowances (as listed in the 2023 NJC pay agreement circular dated 1 November 2023)

This equates to a 2.5% at the top of the scale and 5.7% at the bottom. It is not fully funded

2024 indicative ballot

		England			Wales
	Turnout %	Yes %	No %	Turnout %	Yes %	No %
Q1	59.5	97.1	2.9	57.8	96.3	3.7
Q2	59	85.9	14.1	57.5	85.3	14.7
Q3	58.5	88.9	11.1	57.1	87	13
Q4	-	-	-	57.1	62.2	37.8

Ballot questions:

Q1 Do you support the NJC unions' 2024-25 above-inflation pay demand?

Q2 Would you vote 'yes' to strike action alongside NJC unions in support of their 2024-25 pay demand?

Q3 Would you vote “Yes” to strike action alongside NEU teacher colleagues for further school funding, that fully funds pay awards, fully protects support staff terms, conditions and job security and provides improved levels of staffing provision in schools, colleges and education services?

Q4 (WALES ONLY) Would you vote “Yes” to strike action if the Welsh Government imposes a reform of the school year by reducing the summer break to four weeks?