The four SNA branches of IMPACT have commenced a ballot for industrial action on the issue of the fragmentation of SNA posts in schools. The ballot will close at 12 noon on Wednesday 25th March 2015.
In a covering letter to members, IMPACT assistant general secretary Dessie Robinson said that there is growing evidence that the work of SNAs is being casualised, leading to a loss in working hours and income for many.
“This is a clear breach of the Haddington Road agreement, and the union has expressed this view to the Department of Education and Skills” he said. Dessie explained that the department continues to avoid getting into a discussion about the problem, and has instead pointed the finger of blame at the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which oversees the annual allocation of the SNA service.
Dessie said the experience of SNAs was in stark contrast to other areas of the public service, where job protections have been maintained. “SNAs must wait every year to find out if they will have fulltime work in the year ahead, or if they will have their work reduced to just a few hours a week. Can the Department of Education and Skills say, in all honesty, that SNAs are afforded the same protections of job and income security as agreed under Haddington Road?”
“As long as the department and the NCSE believe they are dealing with a casual and part-time workforce they will not invest in the professional development of the vital service that SNAs provide. Without investment, children with special educational needs will be disadvantaged in participating fully in their school environment. That is why we are asking members to take the necessary action to protect the future of the profession” he said.
Fragmentation
Responding to last year’s Budget announcement that 365 new SNA posts were being created, IMPACT deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan said he hoped that the increase in numbers would help guard against a growing trend for the fragmentation of existing posts. “While these new posts are a great addition to the service, individual SNAs have really suffered in the last couple of years as their posts are broken down into, in some cases, just a few hours a week. That’s not a good development for children who rely on the service, and it has made it impossible for many SNAs to make any kind of living from their work. I hope that the additional posts announced today can contribute to reversing this type of harmful work pattern” he said.
Members have started to receive their ballot papers in the post, and are encouraged to return them before the closing date. The ballot motion seeks “A firm commitment from the Department of Education and Skills that no SNA will have their working hours or income reduced once there is work available in the school, as determined by the NCSE allocation, prior to any new member of staff being recruited for that school.”
