Member's statement: UNISON's Good Work Campaign
Member's statement by Mr Mark Durkan on .
- MLA
- Mr Mark Durkan
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 24 February 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- UNISON's Good Work Campaign
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5404095
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I rise to add the SDLP's support for the UNISON Good Work campaign not just as a public representative who recognises the huge value of our classroom assistants but as a parent who has seen my son, as well as so many other children, benefit beyond words from their wonderful support and genuine care. Every day, we see the transformative impact of that support on my son's life, never mind his ability to engage with his education. For my family and thousands like us across the North, those workers are not merely support staff; they are a lifeline. They are the difference between a child struggling in the shadows and thriving in the classroom and beyond. Despite being the backbone of the Department of Education, those workers are being pushed to the brink. At a public meeting last week, I heard from many assistants who feel undervalued and overlooked. It is a disgrace that those whom we trust with our children every day and trust with our children's futures are often the lowest-paid members of the school team. While the recent movement on the pay and grading review was a necessary step, it did not go far enough to fix the systemic issues.
We see a retention crisis because some staff simply cannot afford to stay. A proposed move away from the one-to-one model of support has caused great concern among classroom assistants, yes, but will cause great panic among the wider public as it becomes better known. I stand with UNISON in demanding fair pay and a wage that reflects the high level of skill and responsibility that is required; contractual security, with an end to the term-time-only model that leaves families struggling badly over the summer; and respect, through a seat at the table when the future delivery of special educational needs is being discussed and planned. If we continue to undervalue those workers — the backbone of our education system, as I have said — we effectively undervalue all our children, not only the ones who rely on that support themselves. On behalf of every child who relies on that vital support, the Executive must ensure that those professionals are finally given the recognition, dignity and support that they deserve.
373 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.93).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.93 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.93 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.04 |
| Education structures, integration and community division | 0.03 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:01 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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