Teachers in Edinburgh and the Lothians are striking after last minute talks between the Scottish Government and unions failed to come to a pay deal.
School pupils will miss lessons this week as primary school staff walk out on Tuesday (January 10) with secondary school teachers following on Wednesday. Staff are expected to strike again on January 25.
This comes after the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), which brings together unions, local authorities and the Scottish Government, had a meeting to discuss a pay deal in a bid to avoid industrial action.
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The current deal offered a five per cent pay rise, with the lowest earning teachers would get a 6.85 per cent increase. However, unions have demanded a 10 per cent increase and rejected the offer.
Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), NASUWT, Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) and Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland (AHDS) are now taking strike action.
In a letter to parents, The City of Edinburgh Council confirmed that special schools will also shut down on Tuesday and Wednesday. Those includes on the list for Tuesday are Kaimes, St Crispin’s, Braidburn, Oaklands- Redhall Primary, Rowanfield Primary and Prospect Bank Primary.
On Wednesday, January 11, several other special schools will also be closed. Those included are Gorgie Mills Secondary, Pilrig Park Secondary and Woodlands Secondary.
The council also added: "Families of children and young people with an income-based entitlement to free school meals will receive a payment of £2.50 for the strike day. The payment will be made along with the February school holiday payment on 30 January 2023."
Discussions were previously held on Friday, which Scotland’s Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville described as “constructive and helpful”, after previously urging union members to “reconsider their plans for industrial action while talks are ongoing”.
However unions said if there was no new offer then strike action would go ahead.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “The SNCT negotiating meeting, held today following a request from teacher unions, did not result in any new pay offer from the Scottish Government and Cosla (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities).
“This means that strike action, planned for Tuesday in primary schools and for Wednesday in secondary schools, will proceed as scheduled.
“It is disappointing, though not surprising, that no new offer was presented today, despite some positive progress in discussions.
“The union side remains willing to talk, at any time, with a view to reaching a resolution to this dispute.
“While it is now too late to halt this week’s strike action in schools, we hope that fresh talks may take place later this week to advance discussions towards an improved offer.
“Only a significantly improved offer from the Scottish Government and Cosla can bring an end to this dispute.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said the meeting provided a crucial opportunity to further discuss potential areas for agreement.
“While there was a shared understanding that today’s talks were focused on examining options for compromise, rather than tabling a new offer, dialogue was constructive,” they said.
“The Scottish Government continues to urge teaching unions to reconsider their plans for industrial action while talks are ongoing.
“Strikes in our schools are in no-one’s interest – including for pupils, parents and carers who have already had to deal with significant disruption over the past three years.
“We value our teaching workforce and recognise the vital importance of an agreement on pay, but we cannot escape the unprecedented pressures facing Scotland’s budget.
“While we have been clear that a 10 per cent pay increase is unaffordable within the Scottish Government’s fixed budget, we remain absolutely committed to a fair and sustainable pay deal.”
Seumas Searson, general secretary of the SSTA, said: “Members are taking part in the strike this week to send a hard message to the employer and Scottish Government that teachers demand to be respected and receive a professional salary that will act to retain teachers in Scottish schools.
“The latest offer was quickly rejected by the teacher unions and was deliberately divisive and inadequate.
“This apparent show of contempt to teachers by this offer has hardened the resolve of members and forced the SSTA to take the strongest form of action.
“For many SSTA members this will be the first strike they will have taken part in, and this action will have caused a great deal of anxiety not only for themselves but for the pupils they teach.
“The SSTA can only apologise to the pupils and their parents who are stuck in the middle of a dispute that should have been resolved months ago.
“Teachers do not want to be taking strike action as they would rather be in school teaching.”
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