School support staff stop work likely to disrupt lessons Education Minister Peter Collier angered teachers and support staff when the funding cuts were announced which would cost up to 500 jobs. STOP WORK: The United Voice has decided to take action at 12.30pm today, which may impact on children in some schools. STATE school staff are set to protest today at the Government's planned education funding cuts which could cost hundreds of jobs. The Department of Education has reassured parents and the community that state schools will remain open today despite possible disruption caused by the planned stop work action by some school support staff. The Barnett Government announced last week a new student-centred funding model for 2015, along with cuts to 500 jobs and reductions in programs that tackle behaviour, literacy and numeracy. There is also a hiring freeze on teachers for 2014 and the prospect of school amalgamations and closures. Director general Sharyn O'Neill said it was disappointing that key union United Voice had decided to take action at 12.30pm, during school hours, which may impact on children in some schools . The Sunday Times revealed at the weekend, that principals and senior staff are threatening to strike over cuts to the education budget, which they warn could cost large senior public high schools up to $1 million next year. As the teachers' union said the cuts could drive some of the state's most experienced school leaders out of the system, WA's education chief said "it is not sustainable to operate as we always have under the current outdated system." State School Teachers' Union president Anne Gisborne said industrial action would be considered at a meeting called for principals and deputy principals on Wednesday. Ms Gisborne said she feared experienced school leaders would walk out on the public system because their "professional integrity" would be compromised as a result of the cuts. We will certainly be looking at a range of strategies. We will be engaging in some discussions with the other unions," she said. One principal, who did not want to be named, said the cuts would cost large senior high schools between $400,000 and $1 million. "This is the biggest hurt to public education in the many decades I've been involved in education," he said. There is all sorts of talk about downing tools. We will be running a very strong campaign. I am very seriously willing to (strike over this). For a lot of people, this will be the first time they have ever downed tools. People are saying that they have never been willing to down tools for pay rises and so on, but for this, they would be willing to. "There is a lot of anger, frustration, almost depression around this because we're being asked to do more at the same time, but with a huge amount less." - See more at: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/wa-principals-threatening-to-strike-over-cuts-to-the-education-budget/story-fnhocxo3-1226703412534#sthash.ueNOTlP2.dpuf There is a lot of anger, frustration, almost depression around this because we're being asked to do more at the same time, but with a huge amount less.