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Press Release

ATL COMMENT ON NEW NATIONAL NEGOTIATING BODY FOR SUPPORT STAFF

12 May 2008

Commenting on today’s announcement by Jim Knight that a national negotiating body for support staff will be in place by September, Dr Mary Bousted, Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) general secretary said:

“We are pleased to hear the national negotiating body for support staff will be up and running by September. It should ensure support staff finally get fair pay and conditions.

“For far too long many support staff could earn more stacking shelves in a supermarket than supporting a child with special educational needs.

“We have long campaigned for support staff to be treated as professional school staff with a national pay scale, terms and conditions, so we are pleased the Government has recognised the invaluable role they play.

“Teaching assistants and cover supervisors are professionals with specialist skills and deserve to be treated as such. They play a key role in schools helping children’s learning, and should be treated the same as the other professional school staff, and be paid the same basic rate for their work where ever they are employed in England.

“We look forward to continuing discussions with the DCSF over the details of how this negotiating body will work.”



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Association of Teachers and Lecturers

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