steve Posted October 19, 2005 Posted October 19, 2005 http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/vacancies/vacancyDetails.asp?id=18923
GrumbleDook Posted October 19, 2005 Posted October 19, 2005 So a teaching assistant is more important than a technician? What does the technicians job equate to in the Becta Tech Comp matrix? (http://www.becta.org.uk/techcomp/comp/index.cfm)
steve Posted October 19, 2005 Author Posted October 19, 2005 Well surely if it says teaching, even if an assistant, it must be worth more Its a strange arrangement that one. Teaching Assistant 50% of the time of a 37 hour week? Or half the timetabled periods? No doubt it would end up Teaching Assistant all the timetable, then any teching when you could.
pshuttle Posted January 25, 2006 Posted January 25, 2006 Well they must not have got anyone suitable (surprise - surprise!) as they are advertising for the same post again at the moment. Pete
eduabncs Posted January 25, 2006 Posted January 25, 2006 I nearly fell off my chair when I saw this IT Technician post being advertised by one of our Primary schools! Nearly 18K as the starting salary...in a primary school! 8O
webman Posted January 25, 2006 Posted January 25, 2006 They didn't even pay me half of that when I started at this medium sized secondary with 700 kids! 8O Unbelievable!
john Posted January 25, 2006 Posted January 25, 2006 18K!!! I wish it was up here as I would take it instantly! Much better than my current setup
SpuffMonkey Posted January 26, 2006 Posted January 26, 2006 Our school recently advertised for site staff (ie humping boxes and putting out chairs) at 3k more than my techies get paid - hmmph!
wesleyw Posted January 26, 2006 Posted January 26, 2006 Caretakers and Site Managers get paid on a high starting salary because they have to do some very disagreeable jobs, my Salary is pretty good, but if compared to industry you always think "should I move"? Wes
webman Posted January 26, 2006 Posted January 26, 2006 There is no standardisation between ICT Technician and Network Manager salaries anywhere in the country, and it looks as if employers think they can get away with paying them the least possible.
alan-d Posted January 26, 2006 Posted January 26, 2006 Maybe we should set up an 'edugeek' Union and go on strike
wesleyw Posted January 26, 2006 Posted January 26, 2006 Really all depends on whether a school believes they can get the expertise on as low a salary as they dare, my school thought the best way to attract a good Network Manager was to pay a decent salary (I'd have to agree lol ) I followed up when we hired the Technician with what I believe is a decent wage its about the wage another school I know is paying their Network Manager at present. Wes
pshuttle Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 Maybe we should set up an 'edugeek' Union and go on strike That is something I have suggested we look at a few times. Maybe not a strike but a sort of union etc. Nobody has ever replied to the posts when I suggest getting together to discuss things. Everyone whinges but nobody seems to want to do anything about it. Unless we make it clear that it is unacceptable for schools/institutions to pay the wages offered, then they will continue to do so. Pete
russdev Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 Maybe we should set up an 'edugeek' Union and go on strike That is something I have suggested we look at a few times. Maybe not a strike but a sort of union etc. Nobody has ever replied to the posts when I suggest getting together to discuss things. Everyone whinges but nobody seems to want to do anything about it. Unless we make it clear that it is unacceptable for schools/institutions to pay the wages offered, then they will continue to do so. Pete when of things we have aimed with with the survey is to privde evidence when approaching people etc.. think idea is good idea but edugeek as union brings in whole host of problems mainly union then becoime very political and site would/could not remain indepedent due to nature of union proccess... also at moment unions can appear on lea pay board each year that would mean would have to have somone from each area as union rep that was and again brings host of issues... As alternative and think a more releastic approach once we have compiled the survery results etc and released report how about we get feedback from you the members i arrange meetings with unision, gmb and any other union to discuss results feedback and get your feelings heard by people that matters... maybe even before as intial dialog to start talking to them and apporcah them with your concerns... Also I am in talks with groups like bcs and get feedback to them... as i think trying to set a union is going to be hard to get off ground.... What is your views on this if could to talk to unions what would you ask for, what ideas have you got to solve issues, again if talking to bcs what do you want them to do.... As said I am more than happy to approach these orgs on edugeek behalf and get some kind of dialog... Russell
broc Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 How far has 'single status' got in any of your Local Authorities? This should in theory be a way of 'normalising' salary by role/responsibility. The idea is the Authority establish the going rate for a job and all council depts/schools are expected to stick to it. Unfortunately some Local Councils are seeing it as a good way to reduce cost. In a nearby authority almost all support staff in schools on scales 1-3 are facing a pay cut. Scales 4 upwards will find out within the next 12 months. I think they narrowly avoided strike action by agreeing 4 years protection with scope for re-evaluation, no doubt for more productivity/responsibility. So net result is you end up back where you were but have to work harder! Going back to the ICT technician/teaching asssistant topic, if BSF outsources the ICT technician responsibility of this position who will the post holder end up working for, and under what pay and conditions? The school/LEA, or the private outsourcing partner?
broc Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 How far has 'single status' got in any of your Local Authorities? This should in theory be a way of 'normalising' salary by role/responsibility. The idea is the Authority establish the going rate for a job and all council depts/schools are expected to stick to it. Unfortunately some Local Councils are seeing it as a good way to reduce cost. In a nearby authority almost all support staff in schools on scales 1-3 are facing a pay cut. Scales 4 upwards will find out within the next 12 months. I think they narrowly avoided strike action by agreeing 4 years protection with scope for re-evaluation, no doubt for more productivity/responsibility. So net result is you end up back where you were but have to work harder! Going back to the ICT technician/teaching asssistant topic, if BSF outsources the ICT technician responsibility of this position who will the post holder end up working for, and under what pay and conditions? The school/LEA, or the private outsourcing partner?
russdev Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 How far has 'single status' got in any of your Local Authorities? This should in theory be a way of 'normalising' salary by role/responsibility. The idea is the Authority establish the going rate for a job and all council depts/schools are expected to stick to it. Unfortunately some Local Councils are seeing it as a good way to reduce cost. In a nearby authority almost all support staff in schools on scales 1-3 are facing a pay cut. Scales 4 upwards will find out within the next 12 months. I think they narrowly avoided strike action by agreeing 4 years protection with scope for re-evaluation, no doubt for more productivity/responsibility. So net result is you end up back where you were but have to work harder! Going back to the ICT technician/teaching asssistant topic, if BSF outsources the ICT technician responsibility of this position who will the post holder end up working for, and under what pay and conditions? The school/LEA, or the private outsourcing partner? do you mean what some leas are doing calle dhayes evulation where they move over from old pay scale to a new one one if so then we finished that few years ago.... russ
beeswax Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 from what I've read/heard if the post is outsourced, so is the pay and pension. beeswax
broc Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 Single status stems from a time when the councils paid male and female workers different rates of pay for doing similar skilled work. A number of court cases were brought by unions and some (in particular female cleaners & kitchen staff) were awarded significant sums of money. The government decided that to avoid future cases they would implement a 'single status' agreement which avoids the risk of unfair pay litigation. This happened in 1997, and councils were given a number of years to sort it out. The deadline is April 2006 for pay and grading review and April 2007 for implementation. Unfortunately many councils seem to be using the review as a means of managing down cost. In a nearby authority this has meant employees on scales 1-3 (Max £15k pa) have been facing cuts of up to 30%. This applies to school support and admin staff, council gardeners, binmen, cleaners, catering staff, clerical staff in local government offices, the lot. My employer is due to go public on their review by the end of February 2006. So, we have single status, BSF, and the ongoing attacks on the Local Government Pension scheme all intended to make us highly paid, well motivated, cared-for employees - Not! Quite honestly though, I love my job. I would hate to go back to working for my previous employer, with all of the travelling, staying away from home etc. I took a substantial pay cut (60%) to work here, I would not go back, but it would be nice to be paid a fair rate of pay..........
TechMonkey Posted January 31, 2006 Posted January 31, 2006 I've lost track of single status here but I have a feeling it has been put on a back burner/shelved for a bit. A few posts have been put on it, Caretakers and other technicians (Art/Science/DT) but I seem not to have been Not sure of the results but I think generally it has been put off because money was going to have to increase for so many people, even by little amounts, that schools couldn't cover it. That and those that were being told they would lose some money or have to do some more work seemed to be those that were most vocal! To be honest I think it all stems from the general stance that support staff in schools are still mums doing part time work to keep themselves busy and people that have retired or need an easier life so gone into the public sector. A whole mind shift needs to happen about pay for not just us IT but the whole support role. We are lucky in that the Head is very pro-active with pay, even to the point that where pay reviews have been on hold because of Single Status he has just carried out one on the whole support staff because it has taken so long. But my position took a long time to fill (though lucky for me really), a science Tech position had to be advertised 3 times to fill and I don't think it's going to get any easier.
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