In the autumn of 2023 Unison Cambridgeshire became aware that Astrea had implemented a new pay structure for Teaching assistants,. This led to a dispute with Astrea which started in November 2023, and has taken 10 months to resolve.
The new pay structure was in addition to the four Astrea were already operating in Barnsley, Doncaster Sheffield and here in Cambridgeshire where Astrea run The Ivo school in St Ives, Cottenham Village College and the Centre School, Ernulf Academy and Longsands in St Neots.
The trust had breached the Trade Union Recognition Agreement (TURA) by failing to agree these changes with Unison. The Branch received many calls from Unison members, complaining about varying terms and conditions for new starters. The Branch worked closely with our colleagues in Yorkshire, where Jordan Stapleton, the Regional Astrea NJCC representative, took up the case on behalf of all Unison Astrea members.
The letter which formally ended the dispute has been sent out to all Astrea members. It includes the following statements:
This breach of the TURA was not only seriously damaging to industrial relations, but UNISON members were frustrated and angry that some new starters were being employed on better pay than long-serving support staff doing the same work. This was clearly unfair, a blow to support staff morale and a loss of trust and confidence in the Trust to adhere to the terms of the TURA.
Following UNISON’s decision to enter into an industrial dispute with the Trust, we have been working closely in the background with the Trust’s Head of People Taryn Edge to resolve the dispute. This has hard work has resulted in the following agreement:
·All legacy support staff employed on the original pay structures, who have comparators on the new pay structure on higher pay, have the right to vary their contracts to level up their pay to be equivalent to their comparators.
·All other terms and conditions of affected employees will remain the same.
·All legacy support staff who have higher pay than their comparators in the new pay structure will be unaffected.
·Support staff who receive an increase in pay will have it backdated to April 2024.
The Trust will approach support staff who have comparators on the new structure on higher pay to offer them a variation of contract to level up their pay. This will be managed on an individual basis and employees will have the option to accept or reject the variation to contract.
UNISON welcomes this resolution which avoids the need for members to take industrial action. The agreement ensures affected members, who were understandably frustrated at seeing new colleagues doing the same work earn more, have their pay levelled up, whilst no member will be at a detriment.
The Cambridgeshire Branch believes this is a firm result for its members, one that will preclude the need for members to take industrial action.. It is hoped that this dispute will mean that future negotiations are now open and transparent and that no changes will be implemented without first going through the proper procedures.
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