School support staff at Cathedral Schools Trust turned out in force this week, with lively picket lines popping up at 12 schools across Bristol and North Somerset.
From early morning, teaching assistants, librarians, office teams, caretakers and caterers gathered outside school gates to make their voices heard, joined by supportive teachers who refused to cross the picket lines and parents who stopped by with messages of solidarity.
The strike follows years of being short-changed on pay after the trust repeatedly delayed annual increases until September instead of April. Staff have finally received their April-timed rise this year, but that does not make up for thousands lost over previous years, which is why UNISON members are calling for five years of back pay to put things right. Spirits were high, with homemade placards, plenty of chanting and a strong sense of unity.
After walkouts last week and again this week, workers are clear they are not backing down until the trust does the decent thing. Their message is simple: schools cannot run without support staff, and it is time their pay reflected the essential work they do.
