Labour promises pay boost for school support staff in Wales

Labour will end the practice of not paying teaching assistants, school cooks, and caretakers for the school holidays if it wins the Senedd election, the first minister will announce on Saturday.

Eluned Morgan's pledge would increase the earnings of school support staff by giving "year-round pay" to the workers, which also include cleaners, lunchtime supervisors and administrative staff.

Unlike teachers, support staff salaries are generally based on working for nine months of the year, meaning many take home less than they would in a full time minimum wage job, according to union research.

In a speech on Saturday, Morgan will also commit to increasing training opportunities for support staff.

Morgan will reveal the manifesto pledge at the Unison union's Labour Link conference in Cardiff.

According to Unison Cymru research school support staff in Wales can earn less than the minimum wage because of term-only pay, where nine months earnings are stretched to cover 12 months.

In her speech Morgan will say support staff "are the backbone of our education system", but "too many of them have been among the lowest-paid workers in public service".

"Too many are not paid year-round, too many miss out on training and professional development, too many feel undervalued despite the responsibility they carry every single day.

"That is not fair, and it is not right. Under Welsh Labour, that will change."

Labour said a new school support staff negotiating body would be established in law to bring about the changes if the party continues to lead the Welsh government after May.

The pledge is Welsh Labour's second policy announcement this year.

Earlier this month it promised to cap single bus fares at £2.

Other parties are expected to reveal more of their plans in the coming weeks, in advance of unveiling their full manifestos closer to the 7 May election.

Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar, said: "Labour and Plaid budget deals have broken the Welsh education system leaving school staff overworked and underpaid for far too long.

"International league tables have shown that Wales has the worst education system in the UK and one in five children leave Welsh schools functionally illiterate.

"We need to restore discipline and respect, stop wasting millions on more politicians, and invest in the education of the next generation, including fair pay for school staff."