Strike action by Derby school support staff is to be suspended following a new offer from the city council, UNISON has announced today (Friday).
UNISON will now recommend that its members across the city’s schools accept the offer.
That offer will now be put to staff, and if they vote to accept the deal, the 10 month-long dispute will come to an end.
Teaching assistants and their support staff colleagues will now return to work on Monday (20 March). They will be asked for their views in a ballot, which opens on Wednesday and closes on 5 April.
Commenting on the news, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Throughout this dispute, UNISON has made every effort to get an offer that would enable Derby school support staff to end their strike and go back to into school.
“Staff from our head office and the regional team have been working hard to reach a settlement, and have been involved in lengthy negotiations with councillors to try to find a way through.
“From the very beginning, striking school employees have received an incredible amount of support from parents, pupils, teachers, head teachers and the public. That has been very much appreciated.
“It’s not been easy for anyone, but the huge pay cuts introduced last summer sadly left school support staff with no other choice. Now it’s time for them to have their say, which means things could soon be back to normal.”
Media contacts:
Adrian Morgan T: 0115 847 5464 M: 07939 478 418 E: a.morgan@unison.co.uk
Alan Weaver T: 0207 121 5555 M: 07939 143310 E: a.weaver@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen T: 0207 121 5463 M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk
