The new Welsh Government must scrap the practice of term-time only pay for school support staff, UNISON will say today (Tuesday).

Speaking at the TUC Cymru Congress in Llandudno, UNISON Cymru regional secretary Jess Turner will also call on ministers to create a new body to negotiate pay for support staff.

UNISON Cymru regional secretary Jess Turner will say: “Thousands of school support staff, mainly women, are trapped in poverty because of the unfairness of term-time only pay.

“Teaching assistants, cleaners, catering staff and admin workers support children and keep schools running, but many struggle to pay bills and have to take on second jobs just to survive.

“One in six school support staff in Wales has used a food bank. Many earn less across the year than they would on a full-time minimum wage job because they’re only paid when schools are open.

“This is a real opportunity for Wales to do things differently and reward people fairly. Ministers need to set up a body that can negotiate pay for school staff and end the injustice of term-time only pay.”