The demonstration in Judd Street on Tuesday

STRIKING staff at two schools united at a rally on the steps of the Town Hall with a warning to the council they need to more to support struggling low-paid workers.

Striking staff at The Children’s Hospital School at Great Ormond Street joined Richard Cobden Primary School, Camden Town, at the demo on Tuesday.

Both schools have launched industrial action backed by the Camden National Education Union and Camden Unison.

At the hospital school the long-running dispute is about “trade union victimisation”, while at Richard Cobden the union is calling for an increase in pay.

Megan Quinn, Camden NEU secretary, said: “It seemed like an important opportunity for us to come together at Camden Town Hall. They are two very different disputes.

“But they have also got some things in common. One of those things are that both of these are in maintained settings where children are educated by really committed educators. The other is that they have been really badly let down by Camden Council as well.”

The dispute at GOSH goes back to last year when the NEU warned of what it believed is “a bullying, chaotic and unacceptable management approach” that culminated in the suspension of four union members after they spoke out.

Teaching assistants at different schools are on different salaries

The NEU wants the council to intervene and get the long-serving and popular staff reinstated.

Unison’s Liz Wheatley said: “We know solidarity matters. We know other people having your back makes a difference. That’s why we have come together.

“Our dispute is all about the money. It’s all about money our members should be getting for the job they are doing, but that Camden Council says they shouldn’t get. The money is there. The school has a headteacher and an executive headteacher.

“If they can afford that they can afford to pay teaching assistants.”

This week is the fourth round of four-day strike action by Richard Cobden staff – but still the council won’t budge on demands to increase the lowest paid teaching assistants up to a slightly higher band of pay.

Union chiefs say the Cobden campaign is the precursor to strike action at several schools across Camden with unions in talks about a borough-wide consultative ballot in the coming months.

Unison’s Liz Wheatley addresses the protest

Also joining the demo, the general secretary of the National Education Union, Daniel Kebede, said: “We need investment in education and investment in children.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “We understand this is a difficult time for all concerned and we are working closely with the schools, governing bodies, and unions as they seek to find a resolution. Our priority is to ensure pupils and staff are getting the support they need during this time and that there is minimal disruption to pupils’ learning.”