School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB)

(15/07/2010)Following the general election, the Independent Chair of the SSSNB received a letter from the Department for Education which stated that the Department was undertaking a review of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) and support staff pay and conditions. As a result of this SSSNB activities was put on hold. The SSSNB Executive Group met on 13 July. At that meeting, Department for Education officials stated that government Ministers had still not made a decision on the future of the SSSNB. They were asked specifically to provide a written update on which areas, if any, of the SSSNB work programme could continue. The independent chair will be writing to the Secretary of State expressing concern over the delay. UNISON and the other support staff unions have also written to the Secretary of State asking for an urgent meeting to discuss this. To date we have not received a reply. The School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) has been set up to negotiate support staff pay and conditions of employment in all maintained schools in England.

The SSSNB and its working groups meet regularly to develop the detailed proposals on roles, jobs and contracts. It is a statutory body under the Apprenticeships, Children, Skills and Learning Bill.

What is the SSSNB?
The Schools Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) has been established as a legal body in November 2009. It is negotiating terms and conditions for schools support staff. Trade unions are represented as follows: UNISON 8 seats, GMB 4 seats, UNITE 3 seats. The employers’ representation is: Local Government Employers (LGE), Foundation and Voluntary Aided Schools (FASNA), Catholic and Church of England Education Services. There is an Independent Chair.

Which school support staff are covered by the SSSNB?
All support staff employed to work in a community, voluntary-aided, foundation or trust school. All staff employed centrally to work in or across schools and staff in Short Stay Schools (PRUs) will also be covered. But staff employed by a private contractor, or who work in an Academy are NOT covered.

What is the SSSNB doing now?
Two working groups have been set up. The ‘Core Contract and Working Year Working Group’ is developing a new national contract with core conditions and a definition of the working year.

The ‘Role Profiles and Job Measurement Working Group’ is creating national role profiles. These will be evaluated using a new job evaluation scheme specifically developed for schools. Talks have started on the principles of a new pay structure and pay progression.

Will terms and conditions change this year?
Once there is a new package of pay and conditions UNISON will ballot its members. This is likely to be around April 2010. If members vote in favour, then employers would need to formally notify staff that the SSSNB would in future be negotiating their terms and conditions. Staff are not likely to move to a new pay structure before September 2010.

How will UNISON keep members updated?
Schools that appoint local UNISON reps will be best placed to keep members up to date. We will run briefings and training before the ballot. New body news is up to date UNISON information on the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.
Latest issue from schools home page
www.unison.co.uk/education/schools/index.asp

If you would like to find out more about the SSSNB please contact education@unison.co.uk or sign up to our email bulletins here www.unison.org.uk/news/mailinglist.asp

Will I have to sign a new contract of employment?
If members vote to accept the new arrangement, UNISON will sign up to it. This will mean a contractual change for staff (as currently pay and conditions are negotiated by the NJC for staff in community schools). We expect that employers will have to notify you of this change. More advice will be made available later. However, if any member is asked at any time to sign a new contract, our advice is always this — do NOT sign anything until you have spoken to your local UNISON rep or Branch.

I have a specialist/unique job – how will this scheme reflect this – I don’t want to lose status or money?
We are expecting about 100 national role profiles against which jobs will be matched. If someone has a unique job then this job will be evaluated individually using the new proposed JE scheme.

What’s the timetable for agreeing the scheme, consulting members and beginning the implementation phase?
The SSSNB has a remit letter which says that agreements should be reached by the end of May 2010. Currently the role profiles are being drafted and the JE scheme finalised. After this comes the important phase of testing in schools. And parallel to this there will be negotiations about the national contract and the new pay structure. Finally, there will be consultation of members and a ballot. Only after a YES vote will implementation begin – in September this year at the very earliest but quite possibly not until the following year.

How will the transition from my current pay and conditions to my new conditions be managed?
The SSSNB will negotiate details of how the transition from the current situation to a new pay and conditions structure will be managed. It is too early for any details at this stage because first of all we need to negotiate the new structure and the national contract before negotiations on implementation can start.

What will happen if the government changes after the general election?
The Conservatives have made it clear that they don't like national pay - for anyone in the public sector. However we don't know for sure if they would repeal the legislation which is now in place establishing the SSSNB. We do know that only the Labour Party and therefore a Labour Government is committed to seeing through a national pay structure for school support staff in England

My authority is going for JE for other local government workers but is stalling on schools staff, is this right?
Our advice to all local authorities is that they should continue with job evaluation for all staff, including schools. Any equal pay claims are valid until a new structure has been introduced either through the current Single Status exercise or through the work of the SSSNB.

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