Rolling strikes will close 1,800 schools in ongoing pay row
Pupils face disruption after union rejects deal
SCOTLAND’s schools will be plunged into chaos by a series of strikes in an ongoing row over pay, union chiefs have warned.
Unison yesterday announced a rolling programme of strike action in schools after 89.9 per cent of its members voted to reject the latest pay offer for school support staff including cleaners, caterers and janitors.
More than 21,000 Unison members in 24 of Scotland’s 32 council areas will walk out again. This will result in disruption for 600,000 pupils from an estimated 1,868 schools around the country.
Unison decided for maximum impact to use the strategy of shutting down three to four councils per day instead of a nationwide closure.
Unison’s Scottish secretary, Lilian Macer, said: ‘No one takes industrial action lightly. It’s a very difficult decision for anyone, but as much as this is about pay, it’s also about standing up for local services.
‘Workers are taking action because they want children to be educated in well-resourced, well-staffed schools.
‘They want to start trying to reverse years of cuts and under-investment in the workforce and services.
‘No one wants to cause disruption for pupils and parents, but school staff have been left with no other option.’
The rejected offer included a minimum wage increase of £2,006 for those on the living wage of £10.42 per hour and a minimum rise of £1,929 for workers earning above that.
Unison is demanding £15 per hour for all local government workers. Its decision comes after two other unions, Unite and GMB, both suspended strike action and urged members to accept the offer.
Mark Ferguson, chairman of Unison Scotland’s local government committee, said: ‘I’m a parent myself, so I understand the disruption these strikes cause.
‘But if wages don’t rise, school staff will leave for other jobs beyond education that pay significantly more an hour. That would be a disaster and would help no one.
‘The current offer amounts to a real-terms pay cut and adds further stress to a dedicated workforce who are already suffering from the cost of living crisis.
‘Cosla and the Scottish Government need to give school staff a decent pay rise, fund any increase properly and commit to implementing a pay rate of £15 per hour for all local government workers.’
Cheryl Burnett, chairman of the National Parent Forum, said she understands why staff are striking for better pay during a cost of living crisis, but added: ‘I really hope Cosla and the unions can come to some agreement to prevent this.’
Scottish Conservative finance and local government spokesman Liz Smith said: ‘SNP ministers have been asleep at the wheel as this dispute has rumbled on for months. It is clear that education simply is not a priority for this SNP-Green government.
‘Humza Yousaf should be pulling out all the stops to avoid these further strikes going ahead and ensuring councils have the resources they need to tackle these situations.’
Katie Hagmann, Cosla’s resources spokesman, said:
‘Staff have no other option’ ‘SNP asleep at the wheel’
‘We have listened to our trade unions, met all their asks and worked with the Scottish Government to put an incredibly strong half-a-billion pound pay package on the table, which we hope the other trade union members will vote to accept.
‘Finally, offering almost 10 per cent or a £2,006 pay increase for our lowest paid workers, which the unions specifically asked for, and £1,929 or at least 5.5 per cent for everyone else is as far as local government can go without impacting services and jobs.’