New initiative, old problem: classroom assistants and the under‐valuation of women's work

Abstract

Centred on classroom assistants in Scotland, this article examines the process by which an occupation dominated by female workers becomes under-valued. The qualitative data reveals the cognitive errors made by the key actors-government, employers and unions in this process

‘Role stretch’: assessing the blurring of teaching and non‐teaching in the classroom assistant role in Scotland

“…However at the initiative's inception, the then Scottish Office neither created national terms and conditions for classroom assistants nor provided detailed job descriptions. Instead local authorities were expected to determine pay in relation to the skills perceived to be required for the job, with national guidelines only informing more detailed job descriptions at the level of local authorities and schools (for exposition see Gilbert et al, 2012). As one director said, 'We took basically the national guidelines and altered them to suit specifically for ourselves and therefore we produced our own job description, competencies and person specification for the post.'…”

“…However the Scottish Office failed to address these issues. We have considered in detail elsewhere the process of wage setting for classroom assistant jobs in Scotland and how undervaluing occurred as an outcome of this governmental inertia (Gilbert et al, 2012). As a result the role of Scottish classroom assistants remains fiercely debated, with claims of discrimination and undervaluing (see respectively Carrell, 2009;Gentleman, 2009).…”

Mobilising for equality? Understanding the impact of grass roots agency and third party representation

“…Whilst some union leaders are undoubtedly keen to address historical criticism about inadequate representation, there is a lingering suspicion that union interests are frequently at odds with those of working women. This may be unintended rather than calculated, or because unions lack the requisite expertise to bargain effectively over terms and conditions in occupations dominated by women (Gilbert et al, 2012). Nevertheless, there has been a failure of union leadership, meaning that many working women do not have an adequate collective voice to secure pay equality (Gilbert et al, 2012).…”

“…This may be unintended rather than calculated, or because unions lack the requisite expertise to bargain effectively over terms and conditions in occupations dominated by women (Gilbert et al, 2012). Nevertheless, there has been a failure of union leadership, meaning that many working women do not have an adequate collective voice to secure pay equality (Gilbert et al, 2012). It may be the case that injustice is partially attributable to unions, whatever their motives, either separately or alongside employers.…”

“…Such questions are, however, particularly pertinent when examining cases of pay equality. Extant writing suggests that unions, through a lack of familiarity, might fail to represent female dominated occupations at the bargaining table adequately (Gilbert et al, 2012). Indeed, the contribution that unions have made to pay equality is often evaluated more successfully in the academic literature than by working women themselves (Beirne and Wilson, 2016;Poling, 2005).…”