Primary and secondary schools across East Lothian have shut their doors today (January 16) amid ongoing disputes between teachers unions and the Scottish Government. And more strikes across Edinburgh are scheduled in the coming days.
It comes as teaching staff continue their fight for better pay, amid the cost of living crisis. Dispute continues, with the Scottish Government having stated that they cannot afford the desired 10 per cent increase.
Last week, schools shut across two days as primary schools closed on January 10, with secondary schools shut the day after on January 11.
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Schools across the capital are scheduled to shut again on Wednesday, January 25, with schools across the Lothians also closed for set days this month and into next.
Why are teachers striking, and who is involved?
A total of three teachers' unions have planned strike action across the month of January and into February. If a deal has not been agreed by this time, the walkouts will go ahead.
The teachers unions are:
- EIS
- NASUWT
Association of Headteachers and Deputes (AHDS) unions
The industrial action has been called due to an ongoing dispute regarding pay conditions.
What are the teachers asking for in terms of pay increase?
The EIS have organised 16 days of action starting from Monday, January 16 which will see teachers strike across Scotland.
All three unions have rejected a pay offer that would see most teachers receive a five per cent increase, lowest earners seeing an increase of 6.85 per cent.
And after this rejection, Scotland's Education Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, has claimed that the ten per cent pay increase teachers are demanding is unaffordable for the Government.
On Friday (January 13), the EIS confirmed that they have added a further 22 days of strike action, to begin at the end of February if a better deal is not offered.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: "The recent days of strike action by Scotland's teachers have succeeded in bringing the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) and the Scottish Government back to the negotiating table - but they have yet to put a single extra penny onto that table.
"Scotland's teachers rejected a sub-inflationary five per cent offer six months ago, and little or no progress has been made in negotiations since."
With these additional days of strike action on top of the 16 days starting this week, Bradley hopes it will "signal clearly to the Scottish Government and Cosla that they must now act with urgency" adding that "our members are resolute and determined to secure a fair pay settlement, which both properly reflects their value and also takes account of the soaring cost of living."
Mike Corbett, NASUWT’s national official in Scotland, also said: “Members are determined to continue with our campaign of industrial action and will stand together with teachers in other unions to send a united message to the Scottish Government and employers that they deserve a fair pay settlement.
“Teaching is a critical job and one that is uniquely and increasingly challenging. Teachers just want pay levels that reflect the years of training they have undertaken, the high level of workload involved and the skill involved in meeting the needs of all pupils.”
The Scottish school strike dates in full
Here are the full dates of all the strikes across Scotland in January and February:
- Monday 16 January – Glasgow and East Lothian
- Tuesday 17 January – Perth and Kinross and North Ayrshire
- Wednesday 18 January – Orkney and Fife
- Thursday 19 January – Moray and North Lanarkshire
- Friday 20 January – Angus and East Dunbartonshire
- Monday 23 January – East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway
- Tuesday 24 January – Stirling and East Renfrewshire
- Wednesday 25 January – South Ayrshire and Edinburgh
- Thursday 26 January – Midlothian and West Dunbartonshire
- Friday 27 January – Renfrewshire and Falkirk
- Monday 30 January – Aberdeenshire and Scottish Borders
- Tuesday 31 January – Highlands and West Lothian
- Wednesday 1 February – Clackmannanshire and Aberdeen
- Thursday 2 February – Dundee and Argyll and Bute
- Friday 3 February – South Lanarkshire and Western Isles
- Monday 6 February – Inverclyde and Shetland
More information will be available here if there are more strikes announced.
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