School strikes will go ahead in Glasgow on Monday after no new offer made to teachers

Stewart Paterson
Thu, 12 January 2023

(Image: Newsquest)

MORE school strikes will go ahead next week after teachers’ unions said no new offer has been made by the Scottish Government and Cosla.

Unions met with employers in the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers today but ended with no resolution.

The EIS, Scotland’s largest teachers’ union, said the next phase of industrial action will take place as planned.

READ MORE: Teachers blast Nicola Sturgeon amid Glasgow school strikes

It means schools in Glasgow will be shut on Monday.

It comes after primary schools were shut on Tuesday this week and secondary schools on Wednesday, as the EIS, SSTA and NASUWT unions took co-ordinated strike action.

The unions are calling for a 10% pay rise while the employers have offered 5.5% with slightly more for teachers on the lowest salaries.

Cosla said 10% is "unaffordable".

Andrea Bradley, EIS general secretary, said, “Despite their warm words over the past week, the Scottish Government and Cosla have again failed to come to the table with a new pay offer to Scotland’s teachers.

“Our members are not prepared to accept the repeatedly reheated sub-inflationary offer that has now been sitting around for six months, and that is neither fair nor affordable for teachers.

“In the absence of an improved offer, our members will continue with strike action from Monday of next week, in their struggle for fair pay.”

The EIS said its National Executive Committee will meet tomorrow and will be considering the next steps in the campaign.

Councillor Katie Hagmann, Cosla spokesperson for resources, said: “I am pleased that we continue to be in proactive discussions with our trade union and Scottish Government partners as we endeavour to find areas for agreement.

“Strikes in education are in nobody’s interest and all parties are eager to seek a resolution that not only protects the teaching and wider local government workforce, but also our children and young people’s educational experience.

“Cosla leaders are clear that given the financial pressures being faced it remains the case that the 10% ask of the trade unions remains unaffordable and therefore we still remain a distance apart in terms of a settlement.”