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A New Year message from our General Secretary, Dave Prentis

In UNISON, we like to look forward. 2019 will be another challenging year for public services and everyone who works in them. Yet it’s also a year that holds genuine promise. It’s a year when we can continue the fightback against austerity, it’s a year when our union can continue to strengthen and grow and it’s a year when we might get to chuck the Tories out of Downing Street and elect a government that genuinely cares about the services UNISON members provide.

2019 will be tough, but like every year I relish the challenges our union faces and the opportunities we will have to fight for better, stronger, better funded public services.

New Year wishes from everyone at the UNISON Worcestershire Branch Office to all our members, their friends and family. 2019 will be a challenging year but we remain committed to supporting our members through the good times and bad!

Schools in England are facing average cuts of 8% per pupil by 2020

Real-terms cuts to school funding since 2015 have led to a big reduction in the number of secondary teachers, teaching assistants and support staff in England, says research published in February by the School Cuts alliance of education unions.

The situation is likely to get even worse, as it’s predicted that 17,942 (nine out of ten) primary and secondary schools in England and Wales will be hit by a real-terms cut in funding per pupil between 2015-19.

Jon Richards, Head of Education at UNISON, said: “Job cuts are disproportionately affecting teaching assistants and support staff in schools across England. As a result there is now a staggering one teaching assistant for 67 pupils in secondary schools. Children with special educational needs and disabilities rely heavily on teaching assistants, so sadly they’ll be suffering the most as a result of these devastating staff cuts.

“The education system is buckling under the weight of funding cuts, which are driving away staff who haven’t already lost their jobs, and jeopardising our children’s future.”

UNISON Worcestershire is aware of many schools where Teaching Assistants posts are being cut and those remaining TAs are being asked to work above and beyond their contracts in order to provide cover. If you are a TA experiencing these kind of problems get in touch with one of our Branch Case Workers for a chat, phone 01905 26186.