Level Two Teaching Assistant (TA) miss out on a possible 6% pay rise: read on

Frustration does not suffice to explain how I am feeling at the news that of the 604 workers balloted by Barnet Council only 243 voted.

The total ballot figures for the two Level 2 TA posts are as follows:

Staff in Favour            233

Staff voting against    10

Staff did not vote        361

It is important to understand this was not a strike ballot called by the Trade Unions.

It was a TA schools grading group appeal carried out by Barnet Council.

Group appeals are for posts in where there are multiple workers in the same job role.

Because there is a potential for the grade to go down, all post holders get a vote on whether to go ahead with a vote.

In June this year Nursery nurses working in Barnet faced similar challenge, delivered a mass YES vote in the ballot. It is a fact that 80% of Barnet Council Nursery Nurses are in Barnet UNISON. This meant when we campaigned for the YES vote, members worked with the branch to ensure all Nursery Nurses voted YES.

GOOD NEWS: Nursery Nurse Grading Appeal success

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2017/05/22/good-news-nursery-nurse-grading-appeal-success/

What went wrong this time?

Barnet UNISON does not have a high percentage of TAs in Barnet Council Primary schools, we estimate less than 15%.

This means that without a trade union making the case to vote YES all TAs have now missed out on the opportunity of a 6-7% pay rise.

What can we do?

It is important that Barnet UNISON has details of every single Barnet UNISON TA who may have a 3.4% pay cut on 1 April 2018.

If you are at risk of a 3.4% cut on 1 April 2018, please contact (with all your details) the Barnet UNISON branch on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Best wishes

John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.