Austerity Mark 2

Redundancy Information

A guide for School Support Staff at risk of redundancy 2022
Why? This comes amid warnings that 90 per cent of schools will run out of money next year as reserves dry up amid soaring prices.

School funding is supposed to rise in cash terms in the coming years, but inflation and soaring energy bills mean these increases are worth less than when they were announced.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies warned earlier this year that the government would not meet its promise to restore school budgets to 2010 levels, with budgets set to be 3 per cent lower in real-terms by 2024. This amounts to a £2 billion shortfall.

Without scaremongering – The Conservative Government’s reductions of Sefton School’s Budgets are going to potentially lead to support staff redundancies-

So If this does happen what happens first ?

Letter and Staff Meeting

The school will send official letters to your home address regarding potential changes in how the budget is spent.  This will highlight where a school has a new structure and where they consider jobs are at risk.

They may offer individual consultations and will certainly hold an initial staff meeting where meaningful consultation will take place.

Consultation

Consultation means an individual or a group may make representation/s to the Staffing Dismissal committee (Head teacher and Governors HR Diocese / Arch Diocese where applicable)

Sefton UNISON can challenge the budget proposals and stress the vital work that support staff performs. Parents, children and teachers value teaching assistants greatly.

We would welcome alternative proposals and take these to the school.

The school should consider who they are looking at as it does not necessarily follow that teaching assistants are at risk of redundancy.

What other areas can be looked at? In the past we have argued-

Could curriculum costs be reduced?- Could the school consider job sharing or reductions in hours for other (even teaching) positions? – Can services be bought from Sefton Council that are reliable and not looking to make profits from school’s budgets? -Can schools agree on best practice in procurement?- Can they use one company via the Local Authority to use economies of scale?- Can income be generated by use of school building for other activities? Can sports fields be available for hire?

Redundancy Options

If people want to leave on a voluntary redundancy basis – Personnel will provide figures and then consider these applications on a case by case basis.

Sefton would offer one week’s pay for every year worked (one and a half for every year over the age of 41)

If an employee is nearing retirement age – Sefton Personnel may consider an employee leaving on a voluntary retirement basis. They may consider redundancy and retirement.

If however, compulsory redundancy unfortunately happens, expect to receive a letter from Sefton Personnel giving you 12 weeks’ notice (not 90 days) of dismissal.

You’ll normally be entitled to statutory redundancy pay if you’re an employee and you’ve been working for your current employer for 2 years or more.

You’ll get:

  • half a week’s pay for each full year you were under 22
  • one week’s pay for each full year you were 22 or older, but under 41
  • one and half week’s pay for each full year you were 41 or older

Length of service is capped at 20 years.

Your weekly pay is the average you earned per week over the 12 weeks before the day you got your redundancy notice.

 

What can Sefton UNISON do for people at risk of compulsory redundancy?

We press schools to help with re training and UNISON can offer skills courses for members.

  • We will ask for help in CV writing from UNISON’s training unit.
  • We will see if there is UNISON welfare available for financial hardship
  • We will ensure parity in the selection process and ensure ring fences are fair.
  • We would ask if members can be allowed time off to go for interviews.

ON A NATIONAL LEVEL– UNISON WILL CAMPAIGN AGAINST CUT TO SCHOOLS.

Please contact your local MP.

Please also see the School cuts website.   www.schoolcuts.org.uk

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