Durham councillors to vote on new compensation offer for teaching assistants

Teaching Assistants in County Durham say they’re facing an ‘ultimatum’ as a new compensation offer is being discussed by the council.

Earlier this year, Durham County Council confirmed plans to fire and re-hire staff on a ‘term-time’ rate, with some facing a pay cut of up to 23%.

In a final attempt to resolve the ongoing dispute, councillors will today be asked to agree to up the offer of compensation for those affected from one year to two.

However, this anonymous teaching assistant has been in the profession for 30 years and insists the deal isn’t good enough, she says hundreds of protesters aren’t interested.

“Oh well we’ll give you an extra year of crumbs off our table, it’s appalling. You vary from angry to frustrated to downright devastated.

“We want it to be fairly regraded. We think the council should vote against implementing this change because I haven’t met anyone yet who is interested in losing their pay in two years.

“It is the most stressful year I’ve ever had. I’m certainly prepared to walk away from my job. I can’t stand the stress any longer and I certainly wouldn’t work for the tiny amount of pay that they’re offering. It won’t pay my bills.

“People have already lost their homes. There’s’ one girl that I know of has sold hers, she’s panicked and she thought I’m not going to be able to meet the repayments so she has moved back in with her parents. Others I know have mortgaged and they’re at crisis point.”

Cllr Jane Brown, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for corporate services, said:

“All but one council regionally and many nationally have already changed to term-time pay for teaching assistants.

“Our proposals are aimed at providing fairness and parity across our workforce and ensuring that teaching assistants, like other council employees, are paid only for the hours they actually work.

“We have a legal responsibility to resolve this matter and have been in discussions with the unions and teaching assistants for a year in an effort to find an appropriate solution.

“While continuing to implement the council’s decision to dismiss and reengage staff on new terms we have continued this dialogue and, following a meeting involving an ACAS mediator, propose a final revised offer.”

If full council agrees, unions have committed to undertake a consultative ballot of their members on what is considered to be the best offer that can be achieved through negotiation. The result of this would be known no later than September 29.

If agreement is not reached through this process, the Council’s original decision of May 2016 would continue to be implemented with notice of dismissals being issued in early October 2016 and one year’s compensation for staff from January 2017.

If agreement is reached, the dismissal and re-engagement process would cease immediately and the new arrangements would be applied.

For more information on the proposed changes to teaching assistants contracts visit www.durham.gov.uk/newera .

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