Classroom assistants today threatened to go on strike unless the government acts to end an anomaly which means they only get paid in term-time.
Their demands - made by a group of noisy protestors outside a gathering of education chiefs attending the north of England education conference in Huddersfield - were set to overshadow a keynote speech by education secretary Estelle Morris. She was expected to set out further details of plans for schools to make more use of support staff, such as classroom assistants, bursars and technicians.
The protestors - all from the Kirklees area - said the pay problem was a national one which undermined the valuable work done by classroom assistants. Depriving staff of eight weeks' pay every year was "a frightening but above all intolerable prospect which should be re-addressed". They were technically unemployed over the Christmas period, for example, yet by law could not claim benefits, such as Job Seekers Allowance.
The group said it was prepared to consider strike action if the government refused to listen to its demands.
Margaret Auty, who has 25 years experience under her belt, and works at Ravenshall special school in Kirklees, said: "This is not a dispute with our school. It is a problem which the government must tackle urgently. We are seeking parity and equal status with teaching staff.
Last year a similar anomaly in Northern Ireland was changed to ensure classroom assistants are paid during their holidays as well.
The protestors, all members of the Unison trade union, said in a statement: "This group of people are not valued enough to merit payment for the full 52 weeks of the year. These people who support, educate and above all care for our children are only paid for the weeks that they work during term-time plus statutory holiday pay, which in some cases leaves up to two months of each year unpaid".
There are around 96,000 teaching assistants in England. Secretaries, administrative staff and technicians are also adversely affected by the current rules.
