School support staff deserve better
Support staff are the backbone of our schools. Teaching assistants, ALN support workers, technicians, office staff, cleaners and caterers keep children safe, supported and able to learn. But too many are struggling.
Pay is low. Staff are on term time only contracts that don’t reflect the hours and responsibilities that are undertaken on a daily basis.
Most of the workforce is women, which means low pay for support staff is also a major issue of gender inequality.
The current system isn’t working
Right now, pay and conditions for school support staff come through the UK-wide National Joint Council. It wasn’t designed for schools in Wales and it shows:
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Big differences in pay between councils for the same job.
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Outdated job descriptions that don’t match what you actually do.
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No consistent national standards for roles, grading or career progression.
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A growing number of agency and outsourced staff with even fewer rights.
This leaves support staff undervalued and schools struggling to recruit and keep experienced colleagues.
A Welsh solution
UNISON’s new Labour Research Department report sets out a clear answer: Wales should create a Wales School Support Staff Negotiating Body (WSSSNB).
A WSSSNB would:
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Give support staff a proper national voice.
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Set fair, consistent pay across Wales.
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Create clear, up-to-date job roles.
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Provide a national handbook with minimum conditions for all support staff.
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Make sure the work you do is valued and rewarded properly.
The Welsh Government has the power to create this body. The Cabinet Secretary for Education has already said low pay in the profession is a “social injustice” and expressed support for the proposal.
Why this matters
A national negotiating body would improve:
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Pay – fairer wages and an end to postcode pay gaps.
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Job security – clearer contracts and fewer short term roles.
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Respect for your skills – grading that reflects the real work you do.
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Pupil support – better recruitment and retention means more stability for children.
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Equality – with 90 percent of support staff being women, fair pay would lift thousands of families out of in-work poverty.
This is about fairness, dignity and making sure schools can rely on a skilled, valued workforce.
Read the report and support the campaign
Our campaign starts with making sure every support worker, every councillor and every Senedd Member sees the evidence.
Read and share:
Summary guide (bilingual English and Welsh)
Every school support worker deserves fair pay and a voice. A Wales School Support Staff Negotiating Body is how we win it. Let’s make it happen.