More than 1,000 school support staff from over 30 schools across two south London boroughs walked out today, striking over a disparity in London weighting payments that leaves teaching assistants, caretakers and other essential workers underpaid for the cost of living in the capital.
Strike action across two boroughs
The industrial action, organised by the GMB union, affected schools in Merton and Greenwich. Greenwich Council confirmed that 11 schools in its borough faced disruption from the walkout, while Merton schools were also hit. The strike involved teaching assistants, caretakers, caterers, administrative staff and other support workers who argue they are being denied the same recognition for higher living costs that their teaching colleagues receive.
Five additional London boroughs – Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Ealing, Haringey and Newham – face the same pay discrepancy but were not involved in this round of strike action. The GMB has described the situation as a “longstanding underpayment” and a “historic but ongoing underpayment” that has left members feeling undervalued.
The pay disparity at the heart of the dispute
The core of the row is London weighting – the additional payment intended to compensate workers for the fact that London is currently the fourth most expensive city in the world. Teachers in the schools affected receive the higher Inner London weighting rate, while support staff working in the same buildings receive only the Outer London weighting. For some workers, this difference amounts to more than £1,000 annually. In Merton, reports suggest the gap can be as high as £1,400 per year per employee.
Helen O’Connor, GMB senior organiser, said members felt “undervalued” and should be “treated equally with teachers” who receive compensation for higher living costs. She added that talks had taken place separately with both councils, “but no offer has been made to address this historic but ongoing underpayment.”
How the gap was created: the abolition of the Inner London Education Authority
The roots of the pay gap stretch back more than three decades. It stems from national agreements put in place when the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) was abolished in 1990.
The ILEA was a unique, single-service local education authority for London, established under the London Government Act of 1963. Its abolition transferred the management of education to 13 London boroughs, a move that critics at the time said was driven by accusations that the ILEA was high-spending and tolerating low standards, although research later suggested that its schools’ results were comparable to other inner-city authorities facing similar complex social issues. The abolition had a significant impact on the receiving boroughs, effectively doubling their workforce and budget overnight.
In the fallout, teachers retained their Inner London pay rates. Support staff did not receive the same protection. While teaching salaries have since been safeguarded at a national level, councils retain discretion over the weighting applied to support staff wages. This structural difference means that, decades later, support staff in the same schools, doing vital roles, are still paid a lower London weighting than the teachers they work alongside.
The broader pay gap between the two groups is considerable. In 2025, new teachers in Inner London earned around £40,317, while entry-level teaching assistants earned about £12.65 per hour. Teachers received a 4% pay award in 2025, while school support staff were offered just 3.2%. Unions – including the GMB, Unison and Unite – are collectively calling for a pay rise of at least £3,000 or 10%, whichever is greater, and a minimum hourly rate of £15 for school support staff for the 2026‑27 period.
Many teaching assistants’ salaries fall below the Real Living Wage, particularly in London, where high housing and transport costs eat into take-home pay. The disparity contributes to recruitment and retention problems for support staff, while the issue of term‑time‑only contracts adds further financial strain. Staff on such contracts are not paid for approximately eight weeks of the year, and the GMB estimates the shortfall can reach up to £4,094 annually. The union is also campaigning for an extra day of annual leave during term time.
The London Assembly has backed the GMB’s “Weighting for Change” campaign, calling for greater parity in London weighting rates for public sector employees and lobbying the Mayor of London to address the issue. In Barnet, the GMB is pursuing an equal pay claim on behalf of around 400 women working as school support staff, alleging structural pay differences between roles predominantly filled by women and those filled by men.
Council responses and the national negotiating body
Merton Council called on the GMB to abandon the walkout, warning it would impact pupils, families and fellow school employees. Hannah Doody, the council’s chief executive, acknowledged the “legitimate concerns about pay” raised by staff. She pointed to the establishment of a national Schools Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) as the mechanism to tackle the issue. The SSSNB was created through the Employment Rights Act 2025 and is expected to bring together employer and employee representatives to negotiate minimum pay, terms and conditions for school support staff in England. It will apply to all state‑funded schools, including academies, and is not optional. The body is expected to be operational from spring 2026, with initial outcomes anticipated for the 2027‑28 period.
Doody explained that the union sought payment through the council’s general fund, which she said cannot be accessed without approval from the education secretary, arguing that using the general fund would breach nationally set financial regulations. The council stated it had engaged in mediated discussions with the GMB and had made offers that included playing a leading role in bringing a case to the SSSNB. The council said it was collaborating with affected schools to reduce disruption.
Greenwich Council stated it remains engaged in dialogue with the union, adding: “We respect the right of unions to take industrial action.” The council noted that the dispute is a national issue linked to historic pay agreements and requires a national solution, and it emphasised that keeping children in the classroom is a priority.
Advice for concerned parents
Helen O’Connor advised concerned parents to raise the matter with school leadership, their local council, elected councillors or their member of parliament. The GMB has said its “Weighting for Change” campaign will continue to press for redress and standardisation of London weighting across the public sector.
