Scotland's primary schools shut as teachers strike

Primary schools across Scotland will be closed on Tuesday as teachers walk out in a dispute over pay.

Last-ditch talks between unions and Scottish government officials held on Monday failed to prevent strike action.

Further walkouts will take place at Scottish secondary schools on Wednesday.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said it was still hoping for a resolution before more strikes go ahead next week.

The strikes involve members of the EIS, NASUWT, Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) and the Association of Headteachers and Deputes (AHDS) unions.

They have rejected a 5% pay increase, arguing for 10%. The latest offer includes rises of up to 6.85% for the lowest-paid staff.

The strikes are set to close almost every school in Scotland.

A meeting of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, which brings together unions, local authorities and the Scottish government, took place on Monday in an effort to avert the strike.

Afterwards EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “It is disappointing, though not surprising, that no new offer was presented, 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.”

She earlier told BBC Scotland: “The EIS quite deliberately left a considerable period of time between the last date of strike action on the 24th of November and those taking place this week in order to give time for serious consideration of an improved offer.”

On Friday, the Scottish government had said there was “potential scope for compromise” following a meeting with the unions.

However, local government body Cosla said there was no additional funding available for an improved pay deal.

This was reiterated by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in an interview with BBC Scotland on Monday.

She said she valued the “teaching workforce” who did an “incredible job” but added that the Scottish government had limited resources and was trying to operate fairly.

“So the offer on the table to teachers is the same as has already been accepted by other local government workers, so the janitors and the dinner ladies who work in schools,” she said.

“Again, like the health service, we have a limited budget, we have a finite budget and no tools that the UK government would have to increase the resources we have available this year.

“So within those finite resources we will continue to operate in a way that delivers maximum, as big increases as we can for public sector workers, but fairness across the board as well.”

If no agreement is reached, teachers in Scotland plan to strike on a further 16 days, beginning next week.

The consecutive days of action – split across every council in the country – will take place throughout January and February.

Teachers in two local authorities will strike on each of the 16 days.

The industrial action follows the biggest Scottish teachers’ strike in decades in November.

Most state-school teachers in England and Wales were given a 5% pay rise in 2022. In Northern Ireland many teachers have been offered 3.2% for 2021/22 and 2022/23.

But unions argue that inflation above 10% means these increases amount to pay cuts.

Teaching unions in England and Wales are balloting members over pay.

And teachers from five unions in Northern Ireland are continuing to take action short of a strike – affecting meeting attendance and administrative tasks.

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