Unions warn of church school staff strike (From The Argus)

Unions warn of church school staff strike

10:06am Saturday 20th March 2010 in

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Support staff in faith schools could go on strike if education officials refuse union pay demands.

Brighton and Hove City Council was forced to hand out backpay to thousands of staff last year who a court ruled had been on salaries that were too low.

Staff at faith schools were furious that they were left out of the new pay deal.

The GMB has written to school governors and the council offering one last chance to negotiate before ballot takes place.

Strike action by support staff in Brighton and Hove's 16 faith schools was called off in May last year because of legal issues.

However the threat of staff walking out is now back on the agenda.

In 2009 Brighton and Hove City Council staff were handed cheques for up to £25,000 each to compensate them for years of being underpaid according to new national equality laws.

Workers in different departments were able to claim compensation for being underpaid by comparison with staff in other parts of the organisation with the same skills.

Cleaners, office workers, teaching assistants and other support staff at faith schools were left out on a technicality because they were employed by their governing body rather than the council.

The GMB has said five faith schools where it represents staff have expressed an intention to walk out if they are not included in the deal.