A PROTEST rally is to be held over the “disgraceful” and “abhorrent” decision to terminate the contracts of 2,700 teaching assistants and re-employ them on new terms.

The unison Unison has warned the move by Durham County Council could result in pay cuts of up to 23 per cent for some staff.

County Durham Trades Union Council (CDTUC) will stage the joint solidarity rally with teaching assistants at Durham Miners Hall, in Flass Street, Durham, at 7pm on Thursday evening (June 9).

It said the event would bring together unions, MPs community groups, teachers, parents and pupils to “unite in opposition to this attack on a low paid and predominantly female workforce”.

The council says teaching assistants are currently paid for working 37 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, but in fact work 32 and-a-half hours during term time only.

It fears equal pay challenges from other members of its workforce and says it is attempting to achieve fairness and parity with the move.

Councillors approved the proposal to dismiss and re-engage by 57 votes to 18, with four abstentions, at an extraordinary full council meeting last month after the authority failed to reach agreement over the changes.

The current aim is to implement revised terms and conditions by next January, although the opposition shows no sign of fading away.

Ben Sellers, secretary of CDTUC, said: “As many other people in the wider labour movement have stated, the way County Durham’s teaching assistants have been treated is nothing short of disgraceful.”

Easington MP Grahame Morris said: “I whole-heartedly oppose the decision to substantially cut the income of low paid teaching assistants and I’m frankly appalled [the council] would use such an abhorrent practice of dismissing and re-engaging, in order to impose a new contract.”

Gillian Iveson, a teaching assistant and organiser of the campaign #Value Us, said: “This is not simply a dispute about holiday pay as some would like to think. “We are full time employees being forced into part-time contracts with part-time wages.

“We work above and beyond our contract on a daily basis and this is a kick in the teeth to those of us who have dedicated years of service out of a love for the job we do and the children we care for. “