Nursery World - Term-time staff set to win full-time deal

Term-time school support staff in Northern Ireland look set to accept proposals put forward by the Province's five Education and Library Boards which will give them full-time contracts and benefits. Acceptance of the draft proposals tabled by Board management on 20 December, the day before the end of term, would bring the long-running 16-month dispute to an end. NIPSA, the trade union representing the 5,000 classroom assistants, secretaries and technicians affected, gave the proposals a very warm welcome and said it had now put plans for strike action 'on hold' while it sought clarification of some points.

Acceptance of the draft proposals tabled by Board management on 20 December, the day before the end of term, would bring the long-running 16-month dispute to an end. NIPSA, the trade union representing the 5,000 classroom assistants, secretaries and technicians affected, gave the proposals a very warm welcome and said it had now put plans for strike action 'on hold' while it sought clarification of some points.

The Board management offer gives all existing term-time school staff the option to transfer to a 52-week contract based on the existing number of contractual hours together with an option to request unpaid leave during school closures, subject to the prior approval of their board of governors. They will also be entitled to full annual leave, full statutory holidays and enhanced pensions.

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