Eleanor Donne, Basildon Socialist Party

‘What do we want? Fair pay – when do we want it? NOW!’

The picket line chants greeted Essex Socialist Party members and members of Basildon and Thurrock Trades Council as we came to offer solidarity to Unison members on strike at Pioneer special educational needs (SEN) Primary School in Basildon. The strikers are teaching assistants and other support staff working for Lift Academy Trust.

They want the trust, which runs Pioneer and two other SEN schools in Essex, to recognise their specialist skills supporting SEN students and to reflect this in their pay. We were told that teachers at the schools receive an ‘uplift’ but that Lift have so far ruled this out for support staff.

The support workers deal with more complex behaviour management, personal care and even medical care than they would in a non-SEN school. Some have been injured at work, and because of the demands and stress there is a high turnover of support staff.  The strikers made the point to us that an allowance would help retain experienced staff, which will benefit students. 

Unless the Trust make concessions there are further strikes on 5-6 and 9-13 February.