Feb/March 2011
Branch joins with parents to campaign
to save classroom assistants and SFL auxiliaries
The branch has launched a campaign to convince Aberdeenshire
Councillors not to cut the number of learning support staff, as
part of the budget cuts.
At the same time the branch is working hard in the negotiations
to protect our members and to advocate to maintain services for
our most vulnerable children. Click
here for update Oct 2011
On
24th March 2011, Susan Kennedy and Yvette McDonald featured in
a Press and Journal article on the campaign to save classroom
support.
Click
here to download new letter and poster March 2011
Click
here to sign the online petition
Click
here to download a paper petition and return it to
the UNISON Resource Centre, UNISON House,7 Alford Place, Aberdeen,
AB10 1YD
Click
here to see press release dated 4th March 2011
"We have already expressed our concerns to councillors and
officials about their proposals to slash the numbers of learning
support staff in schools, yet the budget approved by councillors
on 10th Feb appears to include plans to halve the number of classroom
assistants over the next two years," said Kate Ramsden, Branch
Chair.
"The council has a statutory duty to make sure that children
with a range of additional support needs can get the support they
need in school - support ranging from help with their learning
to care and medical support, but already we are seeing the knock-on
effects of cuts in learning support staff through the ending of
temporary contracts.
"Our members warn us that these plans to slash many more
classroom support staff will mean that children with disabilities
and other additional needs will not get the support they need
in the classroom, and that all pupils will suffer as a result,"
warned Kate
 |
| Susan Kennedy |
Susan Kennedy, Equalities Officer and steward added, "The
council has not consulted with parents on the effect that this
massive reduction will have on their children's education, nor
have they given UNISON sight of the Equality Impact Assessment
that they are required to do by law.
"We are calling on parents, their family and friends to
write to their councillors to ask them why this decision has been
made and why they have not been consulted," said Susan.
"We believe that once parents appreciate the huge impact these
cuts will have on the education of our most vulnerable children,
and the knock on effect for other pupils, they will want to challenge
the Council on its decision to cut learning support."
What members can do to support this campaign
The Branch has written out to all our members who are classroom
assistants or SFL auxiliaries, and has sent them leaflets to hand
out to parents at school gates encouraging them to write to their
councillor to oppose the cuts. Click
here to download these leaflets which you are welcome to copy.
To find out who your councillor is, go to http://www.writetothem.com/
or http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/councillors/contact/index.asp
As employees of the Council, members are not allowed to lobby
councillors directly about your terms and conditions, so you cannot
send a letter to your councillor.
As a parent or service user, however, you can contact your MSP
and MP and ask them to raise the issue of cuts to SFLA and Classroom
Assistant numbers with the Council on your behalf.
As a UNISON member you can take part in UNISON activity to promote
the campaign, provided you do it in your own time and do
not use Council facilities.
It has come to our attention that some of you may have been
experiencing difficulties with your right to participate with
this campaign. We would like to reassure you that you have every
right as UNISON members to participate in any campaign within
the limits set out by UNISON
So, you can
- pass on details to your friends and family using your own
email facilities
- hand out leaflets off school premises in your own time but
please do not hand out leaflets to school pupils in or out of
school.
- ask other people to hand out leaflets. Provided the leaflets
are the official UNISON ones you will be engaged in legitimate
trade union activity and you cannot be disciplined for that
- sign up to the parents' Facebook campaign (below) in a personal
capacity but please don't leave comments as this could
be construed as criticising your employer and could result in
action being taken against you.
- sign
up to the e-petition
- download
a paper petition and ask friends, family and people
in the community to sign it. Make sure you do this off
school premises.
Please pass word around everyone you know in Aberdeenshire and
ask them to send the letter to Councillors objecting to the dismissal
of a vast number of Classroom Assistants and SFLAs.
Ask your colleagues who are not members of UNISON to join
so they can campaign too. Click
here to join.
What parents can do to support this
campaign
Parent Yvette MacDonald has started a campaign amongst parents,
family, friends and the public, to say NO to cuts to learning
support staff in Aberdeenshire's schools. To find out more, join
her Facebook group "We say NO to Aberdeenshire councils
SFL aux & Class Room Assistant cuts" at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_184796761561459
Sign
up to the online petition.
As parents you can also download the leaflet and letters and
give them out to your friends and family.Click
here to download these leaflets which you are welcome to copy.
Download
a paper petition and ask friends, family and people
in the community to sign it. You can ask to leave it in your local
shops and businesses. After all, public service cuts will affect
everyone in your community and will hit your local economy.
Please do write to your councillors - it can make a difference!
In Aberdeen City councillors reversed their decision on the level
of cuts to classroom support staff planned.
As a parent and service user you can also contact your MSP and
MP and ask them to raise the issue of cuts to SFLA and Classroom
Assistant numbers with the Council on your behalf.
Please pass word around everyone you know in Aberdeenshire
and ask them to send the letter to Councillors objecting to the
dismissal of a vast amount of Classroom Assistants and SFLAs.
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