Exciting news for Wales’ school support staff! 🚀 If Welsh Labour stays in power after May’s elections, they’re pledging to boost pay and recognition for over 30,000 school support staff, most of them women. First Minister Eluned Morgan announced that support workers, including teaching assistants, cooks, cleaners, and caretakers, could soon receive year-round pay instead of just term-time pay.
This move aims to recognise the vital role these staff play in our schools. With a new negotiating body, Labour plans to ensure fair pay and professional development for these key workers, fully funded by the Welsh Government.
Head teachers have been raising alarms about tight budgets, but the First Minister is confident that better pay for support staff is crucial. “Support staff are essential in driving up school standards and attendance. They’re the backbone of our education system,” she said.
Unions have long fought for this change, and there’s hope it will help recruit and retain these valuable workers, many of whom have left for better-paid positions elsewhere. Cath Rowlands, a higher-level teaching assistant in Cardiff, shares how important this change would be: “Our roles have evolved significantly, and it’s time our pay and conditions reflect that.”
This pledge is part of a broader commitment by Welsh Labour to improve workplace fairness, including ending zero-hours contracts and ensuring businesses pay a real living wage if they receive government support.
What are your thoughts on this proposed change? Let us know in the comments! #SchoolSupport #FairPay #WalesEducation