Special needs teachers across East Sussex have voted to strike.

National Union of Teachers members working for East Sussex County Council Special Education Needs Services voted 100% in favour of strike action. 

The union said they were opposing plans to remove Early Years Specialist Teachers from School Teachers Contracts and onto inferior terms and conditions that will see them take up to a 25% pay cut and stop them paying into the teachers’ pension scheme.

Strike dates could be announced within the next week. 

Phil Clarke, secretary of Lewes, Eastbourne and Wealden NUT said: "These are highly skilled professionals who have been treated very poorly by East Sussex County Council, this is reflected in the 100% Yes vote we received for strike action.

"The vital work these teachers do is being sacrificed to save money leaving vulnerable young children without the support they need.

"Already these changes have resulted in half the team leaving meaning 4 teachers having supervisory responsibly for 600 children.

"Concerns are growing that the service will not be able to meet its statutory obligation to assess all children with in the legal time frame.

"It is a huge step to ask these members and their colleagues to take strike action. We do however believe that teachers’ contracts should not only be for those working in the classroom but also for professionals who have moved to highly specialised roles supporting and teaching vulnerable children, for which being a qualified teacher is an essential criteria”

“We still hope to avoid strike action but we need East Sussex County Council to negotiate in good faith.

"Attempts at talks and mediation with ACAS have failed because the County are seemingly not willing to compromise on any level, despite the damage being done to the support for children and families, as professionals leave the service.

"This is an unprecedented step in the area and the County Council should be thoroughly embarrassed these highly skilled professionals have so overwhelming voted for strike action.”

A spokeswoman for East Sussex County Council said: 

“We are surprised and disappointed that the NUT have chosen to issue a press release well in advance of the conclusion of our internal dispute resolution procedure.

 

“There has been a long period of consultation with more than 300 staff members on changes to services resulting from the implementation of the national reform agenda. It is worth noting that this dispute relates to four staff members. While acknowledging that the proposals will result in changes for the staff concerned, moving from a standard teaching week of 32.5 hours to 37 hours per week and from 38 weeks per year to 52 weeks per year, with an annual leave entitlement, in line with other council staff and the early years education providers with whom they are working.  As acknowledged by the NUT, the staff affected are in advisory roles rather than directly teaching children.

 

“The council remains committed to resolving this matter and ensuring that we have a well-qualified and appropriate workforce that can best meet the interests of some of our more vulnerable children and families. We do recognise that change is difficult and will continue to engage with staff and unions to resolve this dispute. To that end, the proposal is to protect the staff members’ pay for three years.  We believe that strike action would be detrimental to children and families and not appropriate at this stage, particularly given that the dispute resolution process has not yet been exhausted.”