The union accused the council of being “more interested in its public image than the actual issues”
Wirral Council staff are striking for 10 days from today (November 18), with action set to affect key services families rely on for support. The National Education Union (NEU) has accused Wirral Council of failing to resolve a dispute that is now in its second month and caring more about its image.
In October, Wirral Council staff working in services supporting those with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) walked out on six days across three weeks. The strike is related to pay following a restructure of the service but also working conditions with staff telling the ECHO the job was “the worst it’s ever been.”
The union said it made repeated requests to meet with senior management but claim the council has only met with the NEU twice. The first on October 7 for a meeting that reportedly lasted only eight minutes while a second on October 24 reportedly lasted 19 minutes.
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As the dispute continues, staff have gone on strike today and will be striking for ten days until November 29 impacting services for two weeks. Staff previously told the ECHO they loved their jobs but felt they had no choice but to strike.
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: “As is always the case with such matters, we are committed to listening to colleagues and working with them through their unions towards achieving a resolution.”
However Bora Oktas, regional officer at the NEU, said the council had chosen to downgrade its member’s pay during the restructure and failed to address concerns about workplace pressures.
He said: “The employer is more interested in its public image than the actual issues within the SEND department and how to resolve those issues. They have only met with us twice,” adding: “In both meetings, the employer said no more than a few words and concluded the meetings without any commitment or plan. They have paid only lip service to negotiations so far.”
He said teams in the council mostly made up of male employees had not had their pay downgraded, adding: “10 members of the team who all happen to be women were told that they would be getting less money for doing the same job, which entails more than a hundred cases per member at any time.
“My members wonder whether the employer would dare to do it to a team of men – I don’t think so.”
Peter Middleman, regional secretary of the NEU, stated: “If our members are not able to do their job because of the failures of the employer, it is the children and their families who are going to suffer. I call on the local authority to come back to the table, work with us collaboratively to find a resolution.”
The ongoing strikes could impact the council’s progress in improving SEND services after it was issued a notice by the Department for Education earlier this year. If it fails to make enough progress by October 2025, it could face government intervention after years of failings in the service.
