GMB welcome withdrawal of redundancy threat at West Hove Infant School
GMB welcome withdrawal of the threat of compulsory redundancies at West Hove Infant School. “This is welcome news that we received today from the governing body and the local authority,” says GMB Southern
GMB, the union for support staff at West Hove Infant School, have welcomed today’s (1 May) decision by the school’s governing body to withdraw the threat of compulsory redundancies. The decision was made following a proposal from the school’s head, which would affect support staff and others in the school, following budget cuts.
The head was proposing to save a sum of around £167,000 leading to changes to terms and conditions, as well as the potential compulsory redundancies. However, following a series of meetings with the GMB, the school, and the Local Authority, the governing body has announced there is now no longer any proposals to make the low paid support staff supplying care and education to children, including those with special needs, compulsory redundant.
Mark Turner, GMB Branch Secretary said: "This is welcome news that we received today from the governing body and the local authority. The GMB has spent over 4 weeks in extensive discussions and negotiations with the school and the Council to attempt to prevent our members from being made compulsory redundant and this has now been achieved. Unfortunately, this is not the end of the road for this school or indeed others in the city.
"We do appreciate that there have still been large changes for staff that remain in the school including changes to roles, hours and pay. The whole process has been incredibly difficult for all but the red line for the GMB was always any threat of any compulsory redundancies, of which a large number were initially proposed.
"The government rhetoric on more money in education is a fallacy, in fact a complete and utter lie, as week on week we are facing support staff across the City at risk of either being made redundant or having their pay and conditions placed under attack by the failures of this government.
"In regards to West Hove it has been very difficult for our members and all involved but we believe we have reached a satisfactory conclusion where no one has been forced out of their job against their will.
"As mentioned, sadly this is unlikely to be the end and we are currently in consultations with other schools in the city affecting our members but all our members can be assured we will do everything to protect, wherever possible, their pay and conditions of employment."
Contact: Mark Turner on Mark.Turner@brighton-hove.gov.uk or 07860 787 973 or GMB Southern Press Office 07970 114 762
