UNISON branch treasurer ’ s determination wins fair pay for college staff

A library assistant and UNISON branch treasurer has won another victory in the union’s battle to ensure that its term-time members in education are being paid their due. Julie Robinson discovered that the term-time staff at Solihull Sixth Form College were receiving no payment in respect of public holidays, as they were entitled. Those affected included admin staff, careers advisors, science and art technicians and, like herself, Learning Resource Centre staff. The payments concern those Bank Holidays and other concessionary days that fall outside of the school or college term. In contrast to Ms Robinson and her colleagues, teachers and full-time workers were receiving these payments. “At first it was just gut instinct,” Ms Robinson said. “I had a feeling that it was wrong, but I didn’t know why. I didn’t know what the framework was.” This was in Easter 2017. Then she noticed that a UNISON sixth form and FE college seminar, in Leicester, included a workshop on term-time working, and signed up. “I thought I’m going to go for that one and take all the ammunition with me, and I will find out something. And I did. It seemed that a lot of employers had adjusted their term-time workers’ salaries. Ours had not. That’s where it started. “When we found out we had been underpaid, and by how much, I suppose it was a shock,” she adds. “I feel disappointed I suppose, especially since you sort of think everything is being done properly in the public sector.” A...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article News education higher education pay West Midlands Source Type: news