Latest from Unison in Schools
October 2026
SSSNB Consultation- 15th September-6th October
Our member consultation is now live
UNISON members working in schools in England are being consulted on the SSSNB proposals between 15 September and 6 October 2026. Personalised voting links are being emailed to eligible members or you can vote by clicking the link below. If we’re to win the best possible new deal for school support staff, we need everyone to make their voice heard
You can find out more about the SSSNB by visiting Unison’s dedicated website:
A new deal for school support staff | UNISON – the public service union
NJC Pay 2026 Update
Following the ballot for industrial action over NJC Pay, the 50% turnout threshold was not met in enough large employers to have the impact needed to improve the offer.
The employers’ offer of 3.3% has been accepted by the joint unions and will be implemented as soon as possible with back pay from 1 April.
Ealing Payroll have confirmed this will be implemented in the September pay run.
You can read the letter to the employer’s here:
NJC letter from joint unions to employers (accept) 2026
SSSNB Consultation
The SSSNB will decide pay, terms and conditions for ALL school support staff in England, as well as take a new approach to staff training and development.
Find out more about what this involves and how this might affect you
UNISON will be consulting school support staff in England in between 15 September – 6 October 2026, giving all affected members a say on the SSSNB.
Please ensure that all of your contact details are up to date on your member account, so you do not miss out on being consulted.
NJC Pay 2026 Update
NJC Industrial Action Ballot
Following receipt of the full and final offer of 3.3% for council and school workers in England and Cymru, UNISON’s committee of leading activists have decided to ballot members for strike action.
The ballot will run in a selected number of target employers from 9 July until 6 August.
Members under NJC Pay in Ealing will be balloted. Look out for a purple envelope coming to your home address from 9th July!
UNISON will be recommending that members being balloted vote YES for strike action
Please make sure your contact details ( home address, email address, phone number) are up to date by contacting the branch at Ealingunison@ealing.gov.uk
You can also log in to your MyUnison account and check/update your details this way
Find out more about the Pay Ballot here
UNISON in Schools
Get the latest news and find out what training and support you can access at our National Schools page:
NJC Pay 2026
Latest news – 2026 pay offer rejected
In March 2026, the NJC Employers’ Side for England, Cymru and Northern Ireland made a pay offer of 3.3% on all pay points. This was in response to our headline claim of £3,000 or 10%, whichever was greater.
In April 2026, UNISON’s NJC Committee met and agreed that this pay offer falls short. The Committee have therefore decided to reject this offer on behalf of the members.
Preparations are being made for the next steps and you will hear more soon.
You can view all the details of this year’s pay campaign here
Andrea Egan Wins Unison General Secretary Election
Andrea Egan has been elected as the next Unison General Secretary. Her 5 year term will begin on 22nd January 2026.
Ealing Unison nominated Andrea for General Secretary and we send our best wishes to her on her success.
It’s our hope that her leadership will allow all aspects of Unison to better represent members and protect, preserve, defend and improve your terms and conditions.
You can read more about her victory here
2026/27 NJC Pay Claim Submitted
Unison and the joint Trade Unions submitted our 2026/27 NJC pay claim to the employer’s side yesterday, 1st December.
Our headline claim is for an increase of at least £3,000 or 10% (whichever is greater) and a minimum of £15 an hour.
In addition, we are asking for:
• One extra day of annual leave for all staff
• A reduction in the working week by two hours, with no loss of pay
• The ability for school staff to take [at least] one day of their annual leave during term time, with no loss of pay
• The abolition of Level 1 Teaching Assistant role and instead all Level 1 role holders be moved onto Level 2
It is our hope that in submitting our pay claim on 1st December, it will give us a better opportunity to be able to negotiate meaningfully with the employer’s side and reach agreement by 1st April 2026. The employers will consult on our claim during December and January, and we are urging them to respond to us a s soon as possible.
If you have any questions about the claim, feel free to contact your local Unison rep if you have one in your workplace or email us at Ealingunison@ealing.gov.uk
If you work in a school, you can also contact our schools convenor at Judged@ealing.gov.uk
We are going to do all we can to reach the best settlement possible for you as our members, and we’ll need you to be involved in giving us your views and responding to any consultations or ballots which may come.
Say No To Racism
NJC Pay 2025/26 Pay Settled
The 2025/26 NJC Pay negotiations have been settled. The final outcome is 3.2% uplift on all pay points, backdated to 1st April 2025.
View the new pay spines here
APTC_Pay_Award_2025_26_Corporate_final_acc3
APTC_Pay_Award_2025_26_Schools_acc3
You can find out more about the pay claim below:
Unison in Schools
Find out more about Unison in Schools and the new School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB)
The beating heart of the school community – Magazine
2025/26 NJC Pay Claim Submitted
UNISON, alongside other unions has submitted a claim for a pay increase of £3,000 on all pay points. This would be pro rata’d for part time and term time only staff.
This claim would begin to reverse the pay depletion that members have suffered under.
In addition, the claims asks for:
- A clear plan to reach a minimum pay rate of £15 an hour
- One extra day of annual leave for all staff
- A reduction in the working week by two hours, with no loss of pay
- The ability for school staff to take (at least) one day of their annual leave during term time, with no loss of pay
You can read the full pay claim here
You can keep up to date with the pay claim and the employers response at the link below:
Council and School Pay | Campaigns | UNISON National
Stars in Our Schools Celebrates 10 Years
Read about Stars in our schools and the event at Westminster to celebrate 10 years since it began
NJC Pay Settled
For members under NJC Pay
Dear Ealing Unison members,
Ballot Outcome and settlement of 24/25 Pay Award
Unfortunately, we didn’t reach the 50% turnout threshold here in Ealing or nationally, and nor did we meet the threshold in enough large employers to be able to take industrial action on this year’s pay offer.
As a result, Unison’s national NJC pay committee has reluctantly accepted the offer, and agreement has now been reached with the employers.
Here in Ealing, the offer amounts to an increase of £1,491 (pro-rata for part time staff) on all pay points 1-48, with a 2.5% increase on pay points 49-62. Please see attached a circular outlining the details of the pay award and a table which explains the local percentage increase on each Ealing pay point for your information.
Ealing payroll will implement the pay award in November’s salary. This includes back pay to 1st April and the ongoing monthly uplift.
Thanks to all of you who engaged with this year’s pay claim and took your opportunity to vote.
Please see below the Pay agreement letter and updated Ealing Pay Scales
Pay Agreement GLPC letter Oct24
APTC_Pay_Award_2024_25_Schools_acc4
Formal Industrial Action Ballot of members on 2024 NJC Pay offer
Following a recent consultation of members on this year’s NJC pay offer, Unison’s national pay committee has decided to formally ballot all members under NJC pay for industrial action.
The ballot is now open and runs from 4 September to 16 October. You will receive your ballot by post to your home address. It will arrive in a purple envelope like this:
All you need to do is complete the ballot paper and return by post using the pre-paid envelope provided. You’ll hear plenty more about this in the coming weeks from us here in the branch and from Unison nationally, and feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions or would like to talk. Please spreads the word amongst colleagues and fellow members.
Not received your ballot papers? You can request a new one by calling our Ballot Hotline on 0800 0 857 857 or via My UNISON | UNISON National
You can find out more about the pay offer and the ballot here
Each vote is crucial, so Please use your chance to have your say on your pay by voting in this important ballot!
It’s really important that we have the correct information for you, especially as we prepare for a formal ballot of members, so if there are any changes to your job role or contact details such as home address, email or phone number now or in the future, please let us know. You can do this by emailing Ealingunison@ealing.gov.uk or creating/logging into your myunison account here:
NJC Consultative Pay Ballot Closed
Unison’s consultative pay ballot on the NJC pay offer closed on Friday 28th June.
Thank you to those of you who took part in the ballot and used your opportunity to have your say on your pay.
Unison’s national NJC pay committee meets on 2nd July to discuss the results and next steps, and we will be in touch as soon as an outcome is communicated to branches.
Find out more about the pay offer and the ballot here
2024/25 NJC Pay Claim Submitted
Despite providing some of the most vital services in our communities, council and school staff have seen 25% wiped from the value of their pay since 2010. Staff are continuing to struggle with the cost-of-living crisis and will find better-paid, less-stressful work elsewhere if their pay continues to lose its value.
As part of the 2024 pay claim, we are asking for all council employees to receive
A wage increase of £3,000 or 10%, whichever is the greater
This is the only way to maintain the staff levels necessary to deliver services to the public, looking after the most vulnerable, giving children the education they need and keeping neighbourhoods safe.
Find out more details about the Pay Claim here
Notice of Ealing Unison AGM
Agreement reached on 2023 NJC Pay Award
Unison Schools Newsletter 2023
Launch of Ealing Unison Black Members Group
Unison Schools Newsletter 2023
RAAC
School Buildings – Safety Concerns | Key issues | UNISON National
Unison Statement on NJC Pay Ballot
The ballot of council and school members covered by the NJC in England and Wales, on the pay offer for 2023, closed on 4 July. Regions have been sent the full results, and branches should now have the ballot results for employers in which they have members. As this was a ballot of 345,000 members in more than 4,300 employers, the process of getting results out has been a complicated one, and branches are thanked for their patience.
UNISON’s NJC Committee met on 11 July to consider the full results of the ballot. Due to the Tory anti-trade union laws, we can only take industrial action in employers where we achieved a turnout of 50% or more (with a majority voting for action). We passed this turnout threshold in a number of employers, but most of these were smaller employers. Given the legal restrictions placed on action, the NJC Committee agreed to await the ballot results from our sister union Unite, whose ballot closes at the end of July, before confirming publicly our agreed next steps.
We appreciate this causes some delay for members in moving on from the ballot, but under the circumstances we know branches will understand and bear with us.
Unison NJC Pay Ballot Closed- Results
We have now received our NJC Ballot results. It’s not what we’d hoped for.
In Ealing:
The NJC Pay disaggregated ballot for the majority of our branch, which included the council and community schools (all LBE Employees) achieved a turnout of 42.17%.
Sadly, this means we did not meet the 50% threshold to have a successful ballot.
We only achieved an over 50% turnout and vote for possible strike action in 5 specific schools (Non-community and balloted as individual employers). We will write to these members separately.
As a result, the Branch Committee and reps are considering what to do about this and whether or not it would be right and appropriate to ask members in these schools to take strike action.
We also need to await the result of several National Meetings being held next week to have a clearer understanding of what will happen next – which may including having to accept the employers pay offer.
We will be in touch with further information as soon as we have some next week.
On behalf of the branch, I’d like to thank those of you who took part and voted in this ballot.
Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to talk.
2024/25 NJC Pay Claim Submitted
Despite providing some of the most vital services in our communities, council and school staff have seen 25% wiped from the value of their pay since 2010. Staff are continuing to struggle with the cost-of-living crisis and will find better-paid, less-stressful work elsewhere if their pay continues to lose its value.
As part of the 2024 pay claim, we are asking for all council employees to receive
A wage increase of £3,000 or 10%, whichever is the greater
This is the only way to maintain the staff levels necessary to deliver services to the public, looking after the most vulnerable, giving children the education they need and keeping neighbourhoods safe.
Notice of Ealing Unison AGM
Agreement reached on 2023 NJC Pay Award
Unison Schools Newsletter 2023
Launch of Ealing Unison Black Members Group
Unison Schools Newsletter 2023
RAAC
School Buildings – Safety Concerns | Key issues | UNISON National
Unison Statement on NJC Pay Ballot
The ballot of council and school members covered by the NJC in England and Wales, on the pay offer for 2023, closed on 4 July. Regions have been sent the full results, and branches should now have the ballot results for employers in which they have members. As this was a ballot of 345,000 members in more than 4,300 employers, the process of getting results out has been a complicated one, and branches are thanked for their patience.
UNISON’s NJC Committee met on 11 July to consider the full results of the ballot. Due to the Tory anti-trade union laws, we can only take industrial action in employers where we achieved a turnout of 50% or more (with a majority voting for action). We passed this turnout threshold in a number of employers, but most of these were smaller employers. Given the legal restrictions placed on action, the NJC Committee agreed to await the ballot results from our sister union Unite, whose ballot closes at the end of July, before confirming publicly our agreed next steps.
We appreciate this causes some delay for members in moving on from the ballot, but under the circumstances we know branches will understand and bear with us.
Unison NJC Pay Ballot Closed- Results
We have now received our NJC Ballot results. It’s not what we’d hoped for.
In Ealing:
The NJC Pay disaggregated ballot for the majority of our branch, which included the council and community schools (all LBE Employees) achieved a turnout of 42.17%.
Sadly, this means we did not meet the 50% threshold to have a successful ballot.
We only achieved an over 50% turnout and vote for possible strike action in 5 specific schools (Non-community and balloted as individual employers). We will write to these members separately.
As a result, the Branch Committee and reps are considering what to do about this and whether or not it would be right and appropriate to ask members in these schools to take strike action.
We also need to await the result of several National Meetings being held next week to have a clearer understanding of what will happen next – which may including having to accept the employers pay offer.
We will be in touch with further information as soon as we have some next week.
On behalf of the branch, I’d like to thank those of you who took part and voted in this ballot.
Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to talk.
Ealing Unison Branch Bulletin:
Ealing Unison Bulletin 16th June 2023
Following Unison’s rejection of the employers below inflation pay offer in March, our National NJC Pay Ballot opens on 23rd May. The ballot will run until 4th July.
If your employer follows NJC pay (including LA maintained, VA and foundation schools and the vast majority of academies), a ballot will be sent to your home address in a red envelope.
The employers made it clear that their below inflation offer was their final offer, so if we want an improved pay offer we will need to be prepared to take strike action in order to do so.
All you have to do is open the envelope, vote yes and return your ballot using the pre-paid envelope provided. You can also help by discussing this ballot with your colleagues and encouraging them to make sure they’ve used their vote too. Thanks to this government’s anti-trade union legislation, we require a 50% turnout in order to achieve a successful ballot.
The best way that we can respond to cuts in our pay and attacks on workers rights is to vote in this ballot, so let’s make it happen!
During the ballot, we will be holding online and face to face meetings across our schools and workplaces, and will also be emailing, calling and texting to make sure build momentum and do all we can to engage with each other during this crucial time.
If you’re interested in becoming a pay ballot contact or workplace rep during this time to help get the vote out and spread the word, please get in touch with us at Ealingunison@ealing.gov.uk or call 0800 0 857 857.
If you don’t receive a ballot or are worried that you’ve not been included in the ballot, you can call a dedicated helpline to request a new ballot be sent to you. Details will be shared here on our website when the phoneline goes live.
You can keep up to date with the latest news about the ballot and download resources for your workplace, as well as digital materials for social media, on the Unison NJC Pay website
Use the Unison pay calculator to work out how much your pay should increase based on the current inflation rate so you can see just how ineffective the current offer really is
Unison moves to strike ballot on2023 NJC Pay Claim
National Joint Council (NJC) pay is due to be awarded on 1 April this year. Our claim, including a permanent increase of RPI + 2% on all scale points, was submitted on 30th January. This would equate to an increase of 12.4%.
The National Employers responded on 23rd Feb, making what they call a full and final offer of an increase of £1,925 (£2,229 in Ealing with London Weighting and pro rata for part-time employees) to be paid as a consolidated, permanent addition on all NJC pay points 2 to 43 inclusive, with an increase of 3.88% on all pay points above the maximum of the pay spine but graded below deputy chief officer.
Given that the offer falls short of what we asked for, Unison’s National pay committee has decided to move straight to a ballot of all members under NJC Pay to secure a mandate for industrial action. This will require at least a 50% turnout. Ballot papers will be posted to your home address in May. Please make sure that your membership details are up to date. You can do this by
- Logging on to my unison
- Call- 0800 0857 857
- Email- EalingUnison@ealing.gov.uk
You can read the full pay claim, the employers response and keep up to date with the latest on this years pay negotiations here:
NJC: Council and school pay 2023 | Campaigns | UNISON National
You can read the full pay claim here:
You can also find out who your local councillor is and contact them about our pay claim here:
Guidance from Ealing Unison about NEU Teachers’ Strike
Ealing LA Guidance on Strike Action by NEU Jan 23 – Vers Final
Ealing Unison letter to HTs- NEU Teacher Strikes
Archbishops must honour Real Living Wage pledge for Chruch School Staff, Says Unison
The following communication has been received from Ealing Payroll in relation to the School Support Staff pay rises for 22/23.
The pay awards will be implemented in the December pay run (backdated to April 22).
- Pay Award value – As Ealing apply the outer London pay spines, the award value is £2229 on each scale point (slightly higher than the national award of £1925). The award only applies to Basic Pay and London Weighting. Ealing Supplement is not included in the award and will not be uplifted as this is a local agreement.
- Additional Holiday – From 01 April 2023, support staff will get an extra day’s annual leave entitlement. The term time only calculation will be updated at this time and TTO staff will see the increase in the Gross Pay. There will be a 0.2 increase to the ‘weeks paid’ for TTO staff. For ‘all year round’ support staff, the additional day will be added to the annual leave balance.
Please note that employees in receipt of Universal Credit (UC) may suffer financial penalties as a result of the payment of the backpay element of the NJC pay award.
All employees affected by this issue should firstly speak to their Universal Credit Work Coach via their online account or call the Universal Credit Helpline on 0800 328 5644 and once they have done this and if they are affected should contact the Payroll section in the HR & OD department at Ealing Council on genpayroll@ealing.gov.uk for assistance
2022 NJC Pay Award Settled
The trade union side of the NJC Executive (Unison, Unite, GMB) met on 1st November to share the respective unions’ consultation results and agree the way forward. UNISON members and GMB members had voted to accept the 2022-23 pay offer, while Unite members had voted to reject it.
Consequently, the meeting agreed to accept the 2022-23 pay offer.
We will liaise with employers (covered by the NJC pay arrangements) to ensure the pay increase and backpay are paid as a matter of urgency. In Ealing, the pay increase and backpay will be implemented in the December 2022 Salary.
Pay Agreement GLPC letter Nov22
The consultation closed on Tuesday 20 September and we have now received the results. UNISON members have voted to accept the pay offer. Of those who voted, 63.5% voted to accept the offer and 36.5% voted to reject.
There are three recognised unions involved in the local government pay talks: UNISON, GMB and Unite. We now await the results of GMB’s and Unite’s consultations on 2022 pay, both of which will end in October.
Once all three unions have their consultation results, we will meet to agree a joint trade union position.
UNISON schools newsletter Autumn 2022
The cost of living crisis is driving Teaching Assistants into other work- Guardian Article
Unison Consultative Ballot on Pay Offer
Unison’s National negotiators have decided to hold a consultative ballot of members on the pay offer made by employers.
This will not be a ballot about taking strike action, but on your view about whether to accept or reject the pay offer made by the employers.
To those of you who have already given your views to the Branch, thank you very much for your responses. They have all been noted. You may need to vote again even if you did respond to us before, but we will let you know as soon as we find out.
The consultative ballot is now on and ends on 19th September.
Please email your name, Place of work and Employer as well as ACCEPT or REJECT to Ealingunison@ealing.gov.uk
Ealing Unison recommends you VOTE TO REJECT the pay offer.
NJC Pay offer Details- 25th July 2022
FAO Unison Members under NJC Pay and Conditions
The employers side have made an offer to raise pay from April 2022, in response to the unions claim. This will apply to all members employed by the Council and other employers, including schools, whose wages and conditions are set by the National Joint Council (NJC).
Unison’s claim was for £2,000 on all spinal column points or the rate or Retail Price Index – currently over 11%
The offer is for:
• An increase of £1,925 on all NJC pay points 1 and above (This equates to £2,229 including London Weighting)
• An increase of 4.04 per cent on all allowances
• From 1st April 2023, An increase of one day to all employees’ annual leave entitlement
• The deletion of pay point 1 from the NJC pay spine
Salary increases range from 10.5% for the lowest to 4.04% for the highest grades. You can see the proposed percentage increases for your individual pay points (SCPs) in the employers letter here:
Emps to NJC TUs pay offer 25Jul22
The employers have rejected the introduction of a school support staff retention payment scheme, as well as a one off Covid 19 recognition payment.
Ealing Unison Reaction
This is a pay cut for all members – even the lowest paid. With inflation at 11%, heating and energy costs set to rocket, and food prices rising every week, this pay offer just adds to our problems. The employers offer means that no staff will receive an inflation-equivalent pay increase
Unison members have lost 27% of their 2010 wages through pay settlements that failed to meet up with inflation. This offer, if accepted will just add to that figure.
On 31 March, the energy price cap was £1,277 per year. It is predicted to rise to £3,244. The pay offer will not even cover the increased cost of your energy bills.
Unison National negotiators will meet on Friday 28 July to respond and consider next steps. They want to know how members feel about this offer.
As a branch committee, Ealing has made our National negotiators aware that we recommend rejecting the employers offer and moving straight to an Industrial Action ballot.
Please feel free to give your reaction to the offer by emailing Ealingunison@ealing.gov.uk
Do you feel Unison should accept this offer – Reply ACCEPT
Or
Do you feel Unison should reject the offer and move to an industrial action ballot. Reply REJECT
We will keep you updated as soon as we hear the outcome of today’s meeting with Unison national negotiators.
You can also follow the latest on twitter and our website:
EalingUnison (@EalingUnison) / Twitter
Read the full Supreme Court Judgement here
Listen to the Judgement here
Latest for School Members- July 2022
UNISON and Labour highlight the importance of School Support Staff
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Benefits of being a Unison Member
From Discounts on insurance, holidays, health cover to free legal advice for you and your family, find out more about the benefits you’re entitled to as a Unison member here
NJC pay claim 2022-2023 – 6 June 2022
Ealing Unison letter to Ealing Cabinet- NJC Pay Claim 2022
18th June TUC Rally: Together we will rise in UNISON
Free Legal support for Unison Members and their Families
As a member of UNISON Greater London, you and your family have access to specialist legal advice and representation from the UK’s leading trade union law firm, Thompsons Solicitors.
Over the past year, Thompsons has secured just under £5 million in compensation for UNISON Greater London members who have suffered injury or illness at or away from work.
Ensure you and your loved ones receive 100% of compensation
As a UNISON Greater London member, you and your loved ones keep 100% of any
compensation secured. You get access to Thompsons Solicitors’ specialist expertise and you won’t pay a penny in legal fees – win or lose.
Call your dedicated legal specialists for a chat about how they can help on 0800 0 857 857.
Fill out a form online Start a Claim | Thompsons Trade Union Solicitors
Here’s a reminder of your full legal package
UNISON Greater London members are covered for a wide range of legal matters, including:
· Personal injury – at or away from work, on holiday or on the roads
· Serious injury – including brain injuries and spinal cord injuries
· Industrial disease or illness – including asbestos-related diseases.
Members also have access to:
· Special funding terms for medical negligence claims
· Employment law support (accessed via your UNISON branch)
· A free, online simple wills service and reduced rates for more complex wills, conveyancing and powers of attorney
· Help defending work-related criminal allegations
· Advice on settlement agreements.
Family members get help with:
· Personal injury advice and representation for accidents and injuries away from work, on holiday or on the roads
· Reduced rates for wills, conveyancing and powers of attorney.
2021 Pay Offer Settled
Agreement has been reached on the pay award for local government services (‘Green Book’) employees, covering the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022. The attached circular sets out the detail.
In accordance with London agreement the London pay spines and allowances will be uprated as follows.
• With effect from 1 April 2021, an increase of 2.75 per cent on pay point 1
• With effect from 1 April 2021, an increase of 1.75 per cent on all pay points 2 and
above
Ealing Payroll has indicated that it will implement the new rate plus the 11 months of back pay in the March 2022 Payroll.
Latest For members in Schools- January 2022
Joint_union_checklist_Jan_2022_FINAL_
UNISON Pay Calculator- Click here to try it
Local government members working in councils and schools are balloting for strike action. But why? What has happened? And what’s next? Here is everything you need to know about council and school pay:
1 People working in councils and schools have been offered a 1.75% pay rise. Or 2.75% if they are on the lowest pay point.
2 Inflation is expected to average over 3% for 2021 – and RPI (rate of inflation) is currently running at 4.8%. That means that in real terms this offer is really a pay cut.
3 Over the last year, some costs have risen significantly – even higher than inflation:
- petrol and oil – 17.9%;
- electricity bills – 5.8%;
- house prices – 8%;
- rents – 6.9%;
- nursery place for a child under two – 4%.
4 The value of local government pay is now 25% lower than it was in 2010. Year after year, it’s been chipped away. That means, in effect, local government workers work at least a day a week for free, compared to 2010.
5 41,202 staff working in councils and schools don’t even earn the real living wage of £9.50.
6 68% of those working in local government are women.
7 From December 1 to January 14, UNISON is balloting its local government members, asking if they are willing to go on strike to improve their pay.
8 375,000 thousand people are being balloted.
9 They work in 40,000 workplaces across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
10 This would be the first local government pay strike since 2014.
11 79% of members who voted in the first indicative ballot voted to reject the pay offer and move to ballot for strike.
Find out more on the campaign hub here
If you work in a council or school, you’ll receive an important letter and your voting papers through the post from 1 December. Keep your eyes peeled! Every member must return their vote in the free post envelope by 14 January. Your vote is vital.
Are your address details up to date? Check here
Public Sector Pay- Enough is Enough!
Unions call for safety measures to return in schools- September 2021
Local services face catastrophic cuts. Watch here
Ealing Unison Secures Pay Increase for 300 staff who work under the Ealing Schools Catering Contract
LG_02_NJC Circular on CV/CEV- 8th January
Latest Unison advice for Members in Schools- 8th January
Advice for UNISON members working in special schools and colleges
January-model-letter-for-members-2
Black History Month Virtual Event- 23rd October
No going back to normal- Sign the Unison letter and join the campaign
Joint Union Checklist for September- 8th September 2020
Joint Union Checklist for Medically Vulnerable and High Risk Groups- September 2020
UNISON response to Govt Plans to fully re-open schools in September- 3rd July 2020
Government Guidance for full opening of Schools in September 2020
Join Unison in Schools Facebook Page
Covid-19 Response Fund- Financial assistance for members- 19th June
Govt U-Turn on free summer school meals- 17th June
Learning for Unison Members and Activists
NJC Circ Coronavirus and return to work test trace and hospital admission 12Jun2020
Unison free online CPD, Courses, Resources for members
Unison has also created a 1_June_template_letter_for_members for staff to send to your employer should you still feel that your concerns have not been addressed and that it is not safe to attend work.
You can also find a joint union checklist for primary, secondary and special schools (see below) to evaluate whether your school risk assessment covers the main health and safety requirements.
Unison continues to consult with all schools- including special and secondary- to ensure that members health and safety is protected and that you are safe at work.
Ealing Unison Branch officers were be in attendance at the Council and Trade Union Joint Committee on 29th September 2020 and will be pushing councilors including the Council Leader on their response to covid-19 and how best to support schools in Ealing during this time.
If you do wish to get in touch with us for support, advice or representation please email judged@ealing.gov.uk or ealingunison@ealing.gov.uk
Guidance and template letter for vulnerable employees- 28th May
Email to members in Schools- 20th May 2020
Ealing Unison letter to Heads- Risk Assessments- 20th May 2020
Coronavirus Primary Workplace checklist PDF -18th May
Joint union planning guide for secondary schools
Joint union planning guide for special schools
Model-letter-for-school-members to send to Head Teachers
Outcome of Unison National Schools Committee Meeting- 14th May
Find out how Unison’s Charity- There For You- can help
Joint TUC Statement from Education Unions’- 13th May 2020
Unison Short Statement- 11th May
Colleagues, tomorrow we will be working with the other TUC education unions to agree a joint position on returning to schools in response to tonight’s additional guidance from the Department for Education (England) on schools opening. Until then we would advise members not to engage with planning for a return to school on June 1st. Look out for the statement tomorrow
Unison Response to PM’s Statement of 10th May
Unison Local Govt Update- 5th May
Unison Posters and Social Media Graphics
EGFL Gatekeeping Newsletter- 29th April
PPE Not Promises- Unison Advice and Petition- 29th April
NJC Pay Offer and Union Response- 28th April
TUESDAY 28th April – Is Workers Memorial Day. Please take some time to watch this video made by Camden UNISON. We would ask all workers to take some time at 11am tomorrow to join with UNISON and all Trade Unionists across the world to think of all those front line workers who have lost there lives not only during this crisis but while doing their job.
Unison National Covid-19 Schools Page
Joint Union Statement on Re-opening of Schools- 16th April
Govt Guidance on Social Distancing in Education Settings-7th April
Govt Guidance on PPE- 12th April 2020
3 April – Covid-19 FAQs school support staff – England and Wales
Unison letter to Education Secretary- 31st March
Key messages to schools 27 March 2020 SCGELP (002)
STAFFING GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS REVISED 25 March 2020 (002)
Ealing Unison letter to Heads- School Provision– 24th March 2020
Final LGA Workforce guidance on school closure – Covid-19 (1)
Visit the News page more information
Ealing Schools Volunteer Database
Volunteer Database – For Schools
Ealing are seeking to establish a database of volunteers from within the current workforce in Ealing Schools who are willing to be deployed to other schools in Ealing should the need arise.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2LPXSGV
Staff should not volunteer unless they can be released by their own school and remember that the scheme is voluntary. Any staff that are already self-isolating or not working due to age or a pre-existing medical condition are not to complete the questionnaire.
Once Ealing LA start to get replies they will be able to download them into a spreadsheet and send this to Heads who request it along with a password to open the spreadsheet.
Of course we will be negotiating with Schools and the Council to ensure that those volunteer staff who work during periods of school closure to ensure that staff are appropriately compensated in this eventuality.
Schools in UK to close to most Pupils from Friday 20th March. Provision
The Government have announced that UK Schools will be closed from Friday 20th March 2020 until further notice.
The Government have said that children of key workers such as NHS staff, Police and delivery drivers will continue to be educated.
The Government also released guidance yesterday evening on:
Continuing to provide free school meals to all pupils who qualify
All maintained Schools in the Borough of Ealing will be open from Monday 23rd March to provide educational provisions for keyworker and vulnerable children only. Unison is clear that schools an the Local Authority should:
- Continue full pay for all staff and guarantee full pay for contractors (catering, cleaning etc) and agency staff during this emergency period;
- Suspend all sickness absence procedures and ensure no detriment to staff;
- Conduct health and safety risk assessments, provide protective equipment and ensure the school is fully stocked with all necessary cleaning products;
- Postpone redundancies, restructures, TUPE transfers and non urgent disciplinary hearings (etc) during this period, to free up resources and to reduce the number of people going into schools;
- Work with unions and employers locally and nationally to help get schools and pupils and staff through the crisis, with both sides recognising the need for flexibility;
- Arrange rotas and schedules to reduce the number of staff required on site while still providing safe care for children who need to attend. With vastly reduced pupil numbers, there is no need for all staff to work on site each day. Home working (where the role permits) for staff not scheduled to be on site will also better achieve the recommended social distancing of staff and pupils in school.
- Adopt the approach of asking for volunteers first on issues of redeployment and additional hours;
- Ensure staff are fully paid for working through the Easter holidays.
The Government is clear that Schools and families need to follow these key principles:
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If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
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If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
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Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
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Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
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Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.
Ealing LA are finalising their scheme to ensure FSM pupils who are not attending school can continue to have lunch provided for them during this difficult time.
Schools are liaising with their on-site catering services and catering providers to make sure plans are in place to provide free school meals to eligible pupils attending school on site.
Asked whether schools that have already closed to pupils will be forced to re-open to key worker children, the PM says the government will work to ensure that – where necessary – schools will provide facilities for those pupils.
Read the BBC news article on School Closures here
Government answer promised after school shutdown confusion
“Not every school [will be] providing the service for key workers and the vulnerable,” he adds.
However, he says that on Monday 23 March vulnerable children and the children of key-worker parents should turn up to their current school as normal.
Ealing Unison and sister Trade Unions will be in close communication and consultation with the Local Authority over the coming days to clarify the Council’s response to these announcements and work out how these measures will be implemented. We will update members as soon as possible via this website and email.