The Education Trade Union Group (ETUG) which represents Teacher and Support staff Unions* within the Northern Ireland Education Sector met today. In response to the announcement today from the Education Authority of severe budgetary cuts, the ETUG issued this statement
Whilst we welcome the Education Authority Board refusing to back the draft savings plan we are concerned that a letter that has been sent to schools today does pass on the need for savings to be made by them. We are particularly concerned about the direction given in the letter, “to defer entering into any new contractual arrangements for staff or services."
The out workings of this means that our lowest paid staff, such as those providing classroom assistance support to our most needy children, will not get job security and may therefore not be appointed. We cannot expect our most vulnerable children with Special Needs to be deprived as a result of a political choice. The hard-won gains we have made in this area cannot be lost.
Our children our often trying to learn in environments that are less than conducive to learning, as they are already run down and in need of maintenance which has not be budgeted for in several years.
The members of the Education Trade Union Group have a duty to speak out for our members and the students they serve in our schools. We will continue to campaign for our pupils to be taught to the highest of standards with adequate and appropriate resources and safe buildings.
* Unions on ETUG are: GMB; INTO; NAHT; NIPSA; UTU; UNISON; NASUWT; Unite; Prospect.
