A CAMPAIGN to secure more pay for school support staff has been launched in County Durham.

Members of Unison launched the campaign on behalf of nursery nurses, classroom assistants, teaching auxiliaries and learning support assistants, at County Hall, Durham.

They plan to lobby county councillors to resume negotiations that ended with a pay claim being rejected in November 2001.

Campaigners say the role of classroom-based support staff in schools and nurseries has changed immeasurably during the past 15 years but their pay scale has not increased.

They say support staff play an essential role alongside teachers in delivering lessons, helping children fulfil their potential, and raising school standards.

Union members say that most Durham schools value their support staff highly, regard them as underpaid, and would pay them more if given extra funding.

Howard Pink, Unison regional officer, said: "We know that schools are willing to see classroom support staff get a fairer deal at long last, but they need extra funding for this.

"The education department has expressed a lot of sympathy for our claim, but failed to deliver when it came to setting aside the cash to pay for it.

"Unison members are sick and tired of this - they feel undervalued and forgotten about, but they are not prepared to just give up.

"So now it is time for them to get active and put some real pressure on the county council, to let the councillors know exactly what they do and how they feel.

"They deserve proper recognition for their essential role."

A council spokesman said: "Like schools and headteachers, the LEA values the work that support staff do, and we feel they should be amply rewarded for the excellent work they do.

"The situation is part of a national workforce reform and needs a national solution.

"We are waiting for a Government announcement on what extra funding will be available."