Really proud of UNISON derby city school support staff who are know more than ever determined to continue with their fight against the imposed changes to their terms and conditions.
UNISON members in schools do not want to take action, nor do they want to disrupt the education of the children they love to support, but Derby City Council have given them no choice. 25% loss in pay is just not acceptable.
Their employer Derby City Council refused to meet with their UNISON representatives forcing them to take industrial action, a decision they did not take lightly, a decision that caused further financial hardship but a decision they overwhelmingly voted to take.
Since Derby City UNISON members have engaged in Industrial Action their employer Derby City Council agreed to meet with their UNISON representatives and eventually put an offer on the table for them to consider.
The offer
£1000 ( subject to employee contributions) was offered to all those affected staff who lost pay from the changes to working weeks, working hours and an allowance. Those affected staff had to meet all of the above criteria to have benefited.
Any strike deductions reimbursed and
Further correspondence to schools advising to migrate staff over to a 37 hour contract, although schools allegedly do not have to do this.
This offer would ONLY benefit 250 affected staff and for the remaining 900 nothing.
UNISON members rejected this offer as being insulting,derisory and divisive.
On the 9th September following a further meeting with their UNISON representatives Derby City Council the employer put a further offer on the table, this offer was the same as the original offer with an increase in the £1000 to £2000.
This offer only applied to the 250 affected staff in special needs schools and the remaining 900 affected staff will receive nothing.
Derby city Council wanted school support staff to suspend their action and lobby of parliament on Wednesday 14th September but a clear mandate was given to their UNISON representatives that unless the employer made an offer that benefited all then the scheduled action will continue. Derby City Council withdrew the offer.
UNISON still undertook to do consult those members affected and those members further rejected the offer as Insulting, derisory and divisive.
Following the subsequent letter from Derby City Councils Chief Executive Officer UNISON members are more angry, more determined and more insulted that their employer is laying the blame at their door.
The blame lies with the employer Derby City Council, these are there changes,there decisions, there choices.
#togetherwearestronger.
Nicole Berrisford – Branch Secretary