London Schools' Support Staff Strike Over Pay Gap

0:00On May 1st, support staff at more than 30 London schools are set to strike this Friday over a pay dispute. These workers in Merton and Grenish boroughs earn the lower outer London waiting, while teachers in the same schools get the higher inner London. Rate a gap that can top 1,000 pounds a year for some. The GMB Union is pushing hard for equal treatment, saying members feel undervalued after years of this imbalance. They want councils to tap their general funds for fair pay, but that needs approval from the Education Secretary. Councils are pushing back, urging the Union to call off the action to protect kids, families, and other staff. Merton says it's teaming up with schools to cut disruptions, while Grenish notes 11 schools there could be hit and stresses the classroom is. Best for children. This pay split traces back to 1990, when the inner London Education Authority ended. Teachers kept their premium, but support staff didn't. Five other boroughs faced the same issue, but only these two voted to strike.

1:01Talks continue with no new offers on the table yet, as everyone hopes for a quick fix to keep learning on track.