[Scotland] Schools closed across country for staff walkouts over pay

Schools across Scotland closed on September 26 as a result of industrial action by essential staff who are members of the trade union Unison, STV News reports.

Two other unions - Unite and GMB - suspended planned strikes while they consulted members. Unison, however, rejected a pay offer from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

Unison chose to ballot staff while continuing with industrial action. There was reportedly some correspondence between the two parties over the weekend, but no new offer was made.

Caretakers, cleaners and support workers are among those taking part in the September 26, 27 and 28 action.

Essential school staff are among the lowest-paid local authority workers and have been caught up in a pay dispute with COSLA over a pay increase.

A new offer represents a minimum wage increase of £2,006 for those on the Scottish Government’s living wage and a minimum increase of £1,929 for workers who are earning above the living wage.

The living wage of £10.85 will rise to £11.89 under the new offer - equivalent to a 9.6 per cent increase - but Unison has stated that the revised pay offer remains a “real-terms pay cut” and “below the rate of inflation”.

Mark Ferguson - chair of Unison Scotland’s local government committee - said, “The offer is still below the rate of inflation, meaning that local government workers are being asked to take a real-terms pay cut during a cost of living crisis.”

The 24 councils where Unison strikes are threatened are Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Moray, North Ayrshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire.

Unison has no mandate to strike in eight council areas, leaving schools there unaffected. These areas are Argyll and Bute, East Lothian, East Ayrshire, Falkirk, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, Scottish Borders and West Lothian.

In the other 24 council areas, a series of different arrangements have been put in place. South Lanarkshire, Fife, Inverclyde, Orkney and the Western Isles councils have reportedly said their schools will be closed.

Highland Council said 27 of its schools are expected to remain open while Glasgow City Council said high schools would be open for S4-S6 pupils only, on September 26, with a reassessment planned that day to consider whether any further schools and nurseries could open for the subsequent two days.

A spokesperson for COSLA said, “This is a very strong offer that equates to 10% or £2,006 for the lowest paid at the request of the trade unions.

“Throughout these negotiations we have met every request of our trade union colleagues.”

Source: STV News

(Quotes via original reporting)

Schools across Scotland closed on September 26 as a result of industrial action by essential staff who are members of the trade union Unison, STV News reports.

Two other unions - Unite and GMB - suspended planned strikes while they consulted members. Unison, however, rejected a pay offer from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

Unison chose to ballot staff while continuing with industrial action. There was reportedly some correspondence between the two parties over the weekend, but no new offer was made.

Caretakers, cleaners and support workers are among those taking part in the September 26, 27 and 28 action.

Essential school staff are among the lowest-paid local authority workers and have been caught up in a pay dispute with COSLA over a pay increase.

A new offer represents a minimum wage increase of £2,006 for those on the Scottish Government’s living wage and a minimum increase of £1,929 for workers who are earning above the living wage.

The living wage of £10.85 will rise to £11.89 under the new offer - equivalent to a 9.6 per cent increase - but Unison has stated that the revised pay offer remains a “real-terms pay cut” and “below the rate of inflation”.

Mark Ferguson - chair of Unison Scotland’s local government committee - said, “The offer is still below the rate of inflation, meaning that local government workers are being asked to take a real-terms pay cut during a cost of living crisis.”

The 24 councils where Unison strikes are threatened are Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Moray, North Ayrshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire.

Unison has no mandate to strike in eight council areas, leaving schools there unaffected. These areas are Argyll and Bute, East Lothian, East Ayrshire, Falkirk, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, Scottish Borders and West Lothian.

In the other 24 council areas, a series of different arrangements have been put in place. South Lanarkshire, Fife, Inverclyde, Orkney and the Western Isles councils have reportedly said their schools will be closed.

Highland Council said 27 of its schools are expected to remain open while Glasgow City Council said high schools would be open for S4-S6 pupils only, on September 26, with a reassessment planned that day to consider whether any further schools and nurseries could open for the subsequent two days.

A spokesperson for COSLA said, “This is a very strong offer that equates to 10% or £2,006 for the lowest paid at the request of the trade unions.

“Throughout these negotiations we have met every request of our trade union colleagues.”

Source: STV News

(Quotes via original reporting)