CLASSROOM ASSISTANTS DISPUTE
antrim |
worker & community struggles and protests |
press release 
Thursday November 01, 2007 12:10
by . - CWSC
NIPSA CALLS FOR TRANSPARENCY
The Minister for Education Catroina Ruane has stated publicly that the current offer on the table to settle the Classroom Assistants dispute is valued at £45 million. This is in direct contradiction to the statements by the Education Boards that the offer is valued at £40.2 million.
These opposing statement have caused great confusion amongst parents and staff.
NIPSA is calling for transparency in the job evaluation process and demanding access to the costings for the job evaluation process.
NIPSA General Council member and Classroom Workers Strike Committee member Brian Booth stated
“The Minister for Education has called on all trade unions to consult their members on the current offer to Classroom Assistant. In making this call the Minister has stated that the offer is worth £45 million. It is, therefore, a matter of considerable concern that statements issued by the Education Boards and the documentation issued to trade unions clearly state that the value of the offer is £40.2 million.
Throughout the job evaluation process there has been a history of inconsistencies in management’s approach. At one point management asked the Department of Education to set aside £80 million for the process then the Minister announced £30 million. Subsequently the Education Boards announced £25.2 million. This confusion has led to serious concerns amongst Classroom Assistants. These concerns have been heightened by the history of major financial problems faced by Education Boards over the last number of years.
The Minister must come clean on the real financial situation. Trade unions must be allowed access to the costings for job evaluation for Classroom Assistants and an explanation must be provided for inconsistencies.
Classroom Workers, parents and the general public have a right to know if money that was set aside by the Direct Rule administration for support services in schools has been diverted by the Assembly for other purposes.
If the financial trail leads us to the conclusion that the job evaluation dispute in education has been deliberately manufactured by the Assembly we are facing a very serious situation for everyone in this country”
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Comments (1 of 1)
Jump To Comment: 1Thursday, 18 November, 2004, 19:21 GMT BBC PRESS RELEASE (copied of the internet)
The Southern Education and Library Board (SELB), which is based in Armagh, is predicting a shortfall of an estimated £28m over the next three years.
SELB chief executive Helen McClenaghan revealed the projected shortfall at a monthly meeting on Thursday.
Ms McClenaghan said she feared its budget for services supporting schools from 2005 to 2008 may be "totally inadequate".
The board will hold a special meeting in two weeks' time to plan how to cut costs.
The Belfast and South Eastern Boards are already the subject of a special government inquiry into their overspending.
The North Eastern Board has cancelled all but emergency maintenance to stay within its budget this year.
In a statement, the Department of Education said the money allocations had not been finalised.
It added that it was the responsibility of the boards' chief executives to make sure their spending remained within budget.
This is 2007 how quickly have the ELBs made up their shortfalls and on whose backs are these savings made? Is special education one area, ask parents who are waiting to have their child
statemented or education psychology employees who are still awaiting salaried money owed from 2002? Make up your own minds regarding classroom assistants, taking into account how many ELBs honour time term agreements and issue permanent contracts? Helen McClenahan is very welcome to respond to this posting.
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