Unions in threat over axeing of support workers

UNIONS ARE threatening industrial action against one of the country’s largest academy chains over plans to axe support staff.

The David Ross Educational Trust, which is sponsored by the billionaire Carphone Warehouse founder and Tory Party donor David Ross, runs 32 schools across the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber.

Eight unions, including the NUT, Unison and GMB, have issued the trust a final warning over proposals to cut nearly £1m in funding from school budgets and up to 40 jobs, including caretakers, receptionists and administrative staff, from the schools, including five primaries in Yorkshire. Talks are to be held at ACAS over the plans, which unions say will put overworked staff under greater pressure.

Rachelle Wilkins, GMB lead officer for DRET, said: “The proposed redundancies are causing morale to sink through the floor, while workload and stress are going through the roof. The employees at risk are vital to the smooth running of schools and staff tell us the plans won’t work.”

The five in Yorkshire – Wold Academy, Ainthorpe Primary and Endyke Academy, all in Hull, Quay Academy in Bridlington and Thomas Hinderwell Academy in Scarborough – are expected to be among the least impacted.

The trust says the changes are aimed at making the running of schools more efficient, at a time the sector is facing financial pressure. They said they had been speaking to unions since last year and until recently the relationship had been “productive and positive”.

The trust’s director of operations David Harrison added: “We want to stress that from our extensive consultation with staff, the majority have been very understanding, and appreciate that our desire to improve education outcomes are at the heart of the proposals.”