Education workers rally together over pay and conditions

Education workers rallied outside the building where the annual pay cycle was being decided

Education workers from Soas university, Capital City College Group (CCCG) and two schools in Camden, north London, struck together on Thursday.

The striking UCU and Unison union branches rallied together in the constituency of prime minister Keir Starmer. Many of them are facing issues of pay, spiralling workloads and job cuts. 

They met outside the UCEA bosses organisation building, where the annual pay cycle was being decided for the coming year for Soas Unison members. The proposed pay award for 2026/27 is an insulting 1.8 percent.

Antonia, the branch secretary of Soas Unison, told Socialist Worker that, “Support staff in education–we’re always the group that gets the most forgotten. We do a hell of a lot of work. But we’re not rewarded properly. We are not paid properly.

“Year on year, our pay is getting valued less and less and less. It’s worth less and less and less, while the bills and costs of living here in London just skyrocket. 

“But we know we’re all in it together. We’re in the same fight. We have to keep striking. We’ll keep coming out.”

“There’s a lot wrong in higher education, the whole funding model is broken,” she explained.

“The debt that rests on students’ shoulders is horrendous, but at the same time we have managers who make dreadful, short-term decisions.

“Worrying about buildings and the carpeting of corridors instead of using that money to fund pay rises.”

Teaching assistants (TAs) at Richard Cobden and Primrose Hill primary schools, also in Camden, have been out since Monday in their own battle over pay grades.

One TA from Primrose Hill who attended the rally told Socialist Worker, “I’m really glad I came here today.

“It’s great to hear from other people who are striking over the same problems in their workplaces. And really none of us are asking for much. We’re out for just 23p extra an hour.”

She added, “Everyone here is taking on more workloads, more stress and they are getting nothing in return.

“Schools might say thank you, but a thank you isn’t enough. As someone said earlier, a thank you doesn’t pay the bills.”

Workers at CCCG are out for four days this week in a dispute over workloads and against job cuts. The group has 12 campuses across London. 

Alison, who works at CCCG, explained that bosses want to cut more than 44 jobs.

“Going on strike is the only time we’re listened to. We have to stand up for the education sector because no one else is.”

With the cost of living set to rise again due to the war on Iran, it is more important than ever to mount a fight back over pay and conditions.

The unity shown between the strikes is an example of the kind of generalised ­fightback we need.