CLASSROOM assistants say they will be hit in the pocket under controversial changes to the way they are paid.

At present, Cheshire's 2,000 or so classroom assistants receive salaries in a series of scales, Scale 15 being the highest (£13,000+) and Scale 4 supposedly the lowest (£10,278), based on their experience and years of service.

But under 'single status', Cheshire County Council's drive to harmonise pay between blue and white collar workers, the authority aims to change how classroom assistants are paid.

Meetings have been held at schools across Mid Cheshire to discuss the effects the new grading system will have on classroom assistants across the area.

For example, most classroom assistants currently work 32.5 hours a week, are classed as full-time and are paid for 52 weeks of the year. But under the new deal, assistants say they will be classed as part-time and will be paid for 45.6 weeks of the year if they have worked for five years or more, or 44.5 weeks for five years or less.

Classroom assistants say being classed as part-time will affect their pension rates and will cost them £2,000 a year. Meetings have already taken place and more are planned as union bosses ballot for action. If the dispute is not settled teaching assistants could even consider walking out of class.

Linda Hands, who lives in Moulton, is a classroom assistant at Hebden Green Special School in Winsford and serves as education convener for Unison, said: 'In Scotland teaching assistants went on full strike and they got a pay rise. I'm not saying we should do that, but is that what it takes?'

Education bosses insist classroom assistants will not lose any money as a result of the new pay deal, saying their salaries will be protected for three years.

Ian Callister, a spokesman for Cheshire County Council, said: 'No classroom assistants will lose money as a result of the single status process.

'Cheshire County Council has agreed special protection measures to protect the salary of classroom assistants over the next three years.

'The Government has indicated that the role of classroom assistants will change and it is likely that these changes will be accompanied by a salary review.'

But Ray McHale, of Unison's Cheshire branch, says the county council's state-ment is 'incredibly bland'.

'The county council has put its proposals to us but they are not paying enough. If we reject their offer they may try and implement it anyway,' he said.