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BBC News
12-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
School staff earning less than minimum wage, union claims
Some school support staff are earning less than minimum wage because of the way their salaries are paid, according to a Cymru said their pay was also different depending on where they lived in added some staff were routinely asked to take classes when teachers are on planned absences, meaning they are acting well above their pay grade and beyond their skillset. One teaching assistant with decades of experience said those in the role were "treated as second class citizens, sometimes as skivvies". The Welsh government said a Strategic Education Workforce Plan will set out steps to make sure teaching assistants have the "recognition and support they deserve". Teachers in school are supported by a range of other staff, including teaching assistants, cleaners, catering staff and office workers. But their pay and working conditions are very different from their teaching colleagues, the union said, and many are on low wages which means they have had to take on second jobs to make ends meet. Julie Morgan from Bridgend has 35 years experience as a learning support officer or teaching assistant. She is also a union rep for the area, and said she was well aware of the challenges some staff faced, particularly being paid far less than the teachers they work alongside."We were a two-car family but we had to get rid of one of our cars because we couldn't afford to run the two," she said."We've just had to tighten our belts and be more careful. "Everything's gone up... compared to the teachers, we're treated as second class citizens, sometimes as skivvies." According to Julie's union Unison Cymru, teaching assistants are only paid for working nine months of the year because of school holidays, unlike teachers, which means their nine months of pay is stretched over 12 added many teaching assistants were on fixed term contracts, causing fears over job security, and pay rates were different across Welsh councils with people in different areas getting paid less than in others. Rosie Lewis from Unison Cymru said this long-term low pay situation meant some ended up earning less than the minimum wage, and has led to substantial hardship."Members are having to use food banks in the school to be able to put food on the table for their children," she said."We know of lots of schools, a couple in Cardiff for example, where they have a specific food bank for those staff working in the school. "Now to be in work poverty in that way... is a horrible situation for our members to be in." Ms Morgan agreed, and added: "When pay increments are talked about, teachers were offered 5.5%. Support staff are offered 2.3%. "Teachers are already paid a lot more than us, so that gap between teachers and us is getting bigger and bigger, and yet we work so closely together."Despite this, teaching assistants are being asked to teach classes not just in emergencies but during planned absences by teachers, the union Lewis added: "Our members are often working in a classroom with children on a very regular basis, timetabled in, when they're at a level of teaching assistant where it's not even permissible to do that on a short-term basis."She added members were "finding themselves working very regularly with children, teaching them when that actually isn't part of their role".The Welsh Local Government Association has been asked to comment on the Welsh government said: "Teaching assistants are a key and valued part of our education workforce and we want to make sure they have the recognition and support they deserve."The Strategic Education Workforce Plan will set out the next steps to achieving this including improving terms and conditions and working with our partners on a School Support Staff Negotiating Body for Wales."
Wales Online
03-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Welsh universities facing desperate funding crisis slammed as 'poorly run'
Welsh universities facing desperate funding crisis slammed as 'poorly run' Dan Beard, who chairs Unison Cymru's higher education forum, warned of the 'real danger' of a university in Wales collapsing next year, as Unison called for 'urgent' action (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Wales Online readers have been discussing a stark warning made by a union leader that there is a "real danger a university in Wales could collapse next year". Dan Beard, chair of Unison Cymru's higher education forum, cautioned the Senedd's education committee: "Without change, we will see universities collapsing or contracting significantly." His ominous forecast was made on the same day as Welsh university vice chancellors expressed to MPs their "optimism" about their institutions' survival. During an inquiry into higher education, prompted by cuts across Welsh institutions, Unison urged immediate ministerial intervention. "Nearly all universities are making cuts to some degree or another," Mr Beard informed the inquiry. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Unison criticised the Welsh Government's February announcement of £18.5m for universities as "nowhere near enough", highlighting Cardiff's £30m deficit alone. "Without a strategy and funding, Welsh universities will continue to contract, shedding staff and closing unprofitable courses," the union stated in its written evidence. University chiefs also informed MPs that the additional £18m they received from the Welsh Government this year had been offset by increased national insurance costs. They asked for a rise in domestic tuition fees to match inflation. Article continues below Commenting on the story, Theseldomseenkid asks: 'I thought these places were businesses? Why should they receive any funding from the government?' Tjh52 agrees: 'If private schools must manage their finances; then so should universities!' Harpinon adds: 'With the fees youngsters pay for these degrees, why are taxpayers paying also? These are businesses that have been poorly run and should be treated as that.' Daio99 thinks: 'Close them and encourage teenagers to learn a trade.' But Barrian retorts: 'Where do you think doctors, pharmacists, paramedics etc come from?' Oldcastle says: 'I work at one of these universities, specifically, I develop cures and treatments for devastating diseases. Inventions that were born at welsh universities are used around the world to improve and save millions of lives. "We invented the technology that most medical DNA tests use to this day. We invented the tech in breathalysers. But the money made from these inventions doesn't go to the universities, it doesn't stay in research, it goes to the companies who buy rights and then sell the inventions and their shareholders. 'Companies focus on profit and won't invest in risky, long-term research. Public funding fills that gap, allowing universities to innovate and create technologies that benefit everyone. Without it, breakthroughs like DNA testing tech wouldn't exist. Supporting universities is an investment in society, not 'scrounging'.' Airmarshall thinks: 'It is about time the Universities merge as every one has a management structure with Vice Chancellors on significant salaries, all the back office staff and bureaucracy that comes with it. Lots of Universities (former polytechnics) have ballooned taking on too many courses, run at too many sites.' JoseJones writes: 'It feels like universities are a bit of an industry all of their own, a swirl of institutions/jobs in the name of higher education. Graduates are sold the line that they will have much better prospects if they have a degree, but is that really the case? Higher Education is needed, definitely, but it feels like too many school leavers are pointed towards like it's the be all and end all but it's not.' Hufeniapoeth agrees: 'Universities should be streamlined and more efficient. We need to cut down on degree courses, some of which have been created and are of little relevance. "It's time to reduce the number of vice-chancellors and administrative staff. Not everyone has to attend a university, or even those former polytechnics that have morphed into universities. Apprenticeships are just as important, if not more so, and should be promoted.' Article continues below Boredtaxidriver62 states: 'And there it is, a 3 year party at the taxpayer's expense.' Are you concerned about the state of Welsh universities? What do you think the solution is? Have your say in our comments section.
