Unison at RVH calls for free school meals for all schoolchildren

THE trade union Unison has launched a new campaign to make school meals free for all children.

Spearheaded by Unison’s RVH and Muckamore Branch, the campaign aims to tackle childhood poverty by securing free and nutrional school meals for both primary and secondary schools pupils.

The initiative is part of the union’s wider ‘No Going Back to Normal’ campaign, which looks to build a more equal post Covid-19 society.

Unison RVH and Muckamore Branch Secretary, Conor McCarthy, said the Coronavirus pandemic has exposed “awful” levels of child poverty.

“There were reports in the news that when teachers were checking in with kids about their homework some of the children were reporting back that they were hungry,” he said.

“It was highlighting the fact that there wasn’t enough food in the house and issues around poverty. 

“The need for a nutritional hot meal in school is absolutely vital in terms of addressing childhood poverty and food poverty, but it’s also an essential part of ensuring the academic achievement of a child. When they have a nutritional meal in school they learn better, so it has that benefit in terms of educational outcomes.

The need for a nutritional hot meal in school is absolutely vital in terms of addressing childhood poverty and food poverty, but it’s also an essential part of ensuring the academic achievement of a child. When they have a nutritional meal in school they learn better, so it has that benefit in terms of educational outcomes.

“There are also health benefits in terms of challenging childhood obesity. A lot of people can’t afford fresh fruit and nutritional packed lunches, so kids inevitably eat junk foods. We’re also trying to encourage healthy eating.”

He added:  “As a union and society we’re sick, sore and tired of people telling us – whether they’re from the Department of Health or the Education Board – about the benefits of nutritional food while at the same time kids are being denied it.”

The campaign has seen hundreds of local parents submit powerful testimony to Unison about the impact of food and childhood poverty.

Mr McCarthy said the lack of access to free school meals has raised “serious concerns” about children being exposed to debt.

“We have testimonies from women whose children have been crying about going into school because they know they’re going to be asked for money they owe for school dinners,” he explained.

“Classroom staff are being put under pressure to ask children for money in school. Children should never have to share the anxiety of a parent who is struggling.”

He continued: “ This is about the working poor. This is about people who are just above the threshold who don’t qualify for free school meals. It is a huge amount of money that comes out of their pay packet. These are people who aren’t on great wages but because they're above the threshold they don’t qualify.

This is about the working poor. This is about people who are just above the threshold who don’t qualify for free school meals. It is a huge amount of money that comes out of their pay packet. These are people who aren’t on great wages but because they above the threshold they don’t qualify.

“We are also very determined that this campaign does not turn into one about ‘people on benefits get everything’ – that’s nowhere near the truth and it’s not what we’re saying. 

“It’s about the working poor, including people working in our health service, having to pay for school meals. 

“If we truly have a free education system then let it be free from the point when you get up in the morning to when you come from school.”

He added: “If we can feed prisoners and hospital patients – and rightly so – then there is no reason why that can’t be extended to schoolchildren.

“We feel this is now time to make this a societal demand.”

"Surely we can have every schoolchild from primary to secondary school having a free a nutritional school meal."