Unions representing school support staff have submitted a claim for a £3,000 a year pay rise next year.
Unison, GMB and Unite have submitted a claim for £3,000 at all pay points for 2025-26 for school staff and local government employees.
They also called for school support staff to have the right to take at least one day of leave within term time, a minimum hourly rate of £15, an extra day of holiday and for the working week to be reduced by two hours.
In the unions’ submission to local government employers, they point out school staff pay has “plummeted for more than a decade”. Their pay award for 2024-25 was an average rise of 2.5 per cent.
Unions accepted a £1,290 pay rise for this year. Unison head previously urged members to reject the “disappointing” deal, but accepted it after not enough members voted in the union’s strike ballot.
The year before, school support staff received a pay rise of £1,925.
Mike Short, Unison’s head of local government, said: “Services provided by council and school workers are vital for communities to thrive. But wages have remained low, and without decent pay, staff feel undervalued and are looking for better-paid work elsewhere.
“A proper pay offer is essential.”
Schools and trusts have raised concerns about funding pay rises while facing pressure on budgets, particularly special schools with a higher proportion of teaching assistants.
The Department for Education has further said there should be no funding for a recommended 2.8 per cent rise for teachers for 2025-26.
Warning of school cuts
Teaching unions warned many schools would be forced to make cuts to afford this.
The former Commons Education Select Committee called for the government to ensure support staff pay rises are factored in and funded in school budgets.
The Labour government has introduced legislation to reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.
However, the body is not expected to make a pay rise recommendation for school support staff until 2027-28.
For the latest education news and analysis delivered every weekday morning, sign up for the Tes Daily newsletter
