Term-time staff set to win full-time deal

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.

The draft proposals also recommended to schools the immediate review of all temporary contracts with a view to confirming staff on permanent contracts, where appropriate. It said the Boards would assist schools in this regard by providing detailed personnel and legal advice to them, and that the arrangements would also apply to staff employed in special schools as well as those employed in mainstream schools with a statemented child.

The proposals added that all new school-based appointments for classroom assistants, secretaries and technicians would be appointed 'on the basis of a 52-week contract'. The additional money, estimated at 4m a year, would come direct from the Department of Education, not the Boards themselves.

NIPSA 517 branch secretary Brian Booth said its members were 'delighted' by the draft proposals. He added that the union would be recommending that its members accept the offer, on condition that Board management clarified some points, including a one-off emergency payment to cover the Christmas 2000 period, protecting the terms and conditions of those already employed all year round, and ensuring an equality of terms and conditions between the five Boards.

Mr Booth said, 'Management has met the majority of our demands. Their offer, which is now officially on the table, is much better than we had hoped for. However, there are a few issues needing further clarification such as pension rights for those who have just retired, and a one-off backdated payment to cover the Christmas holidays because term-time staff will be paid only for two weeks in January.'

Term-time worker Janette Murdock, who is also vice-chair of NIPSA branch 517, added, 'We do believe that what has been proposed may present a way forward and hope that it may form the basis for resolution in this long-running dispute. It should also be noted that our proposed industrial strike action is now on hold to allow for further clarification and negotiations to develop, but we would be expecting a speedy conclusion.' There will be a Joint Negotiating Council executive meeting on 8 January. The Board management proposals will be put to union members the following week.

In November the Northern Ireland Assembly called on education minister Martin McGuinness to pay the term-time school support staff and gave its overwhelming backing to their cause.