Striking Essex school staff win payment for specialist work

Support staff at two schools in Essex have won a long-running dispute to get an extra payment for their work with children with special educational needs (SEN), says UNISON today.

The workers at Columbus School & College in Chelmsford and Pioneer School in Basildon – both SEN specialist sites run by Lift multi-academy trust – took eight days of strike action before their employer agreed to pay the allowance, the union says.

Staff carry out intimate and personal care, deal with sometimes severe behavioural problems and administer medication alongside their regular classroom duties.

Workers were poised to walk out again last month, but at talks at conciliation service Acas, Lift agreed to a make the same payment as many other SEN staff receive.

Teachers already received an allowance and it used to be paid at the two schools before they were transferred out of Essex County Council to Lift, says UNISON.

Staff have now voted to accept the offer.

UNISON area organiser Bea Bartilucci said: “It should never have taken strike action for Lift to admit people should be fairly paid for their work.

“Supporting SEN children requires so much more training and responsibilities – helping with oxygen tanks, using winches to safely transport children and administering medication frequently.

“Staff absolutely love their jobs and supporting these children. It’s fantastic they’re finally getting the payment they deserve after fighting so hard for it.”