Last ditch bid to avoid next school strikes
UNIONS and councils are to meet again on Monday for talks aimed at ending the ongoing pay dispute ahead of strike act ion next week.
The EIS, SSTA and NASUWT unions are striking on Tuesday and Wednesday over pay.
Primary schools in Glasgow will be shut on Tuesday and secondaries on Wednesday during the strikes.
Education secretary, ShirleyAnne Somerville, met with Cosla and the unions earlier yesterday for talks.
She said the Government was open to ways to avert strike action but added any deal must be fair for all in light of Budget pressures.
She said: “We are open to considering options to resolve this dispute, through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers ( SNCT), and potential scope for compromise.
“I recognise that any deal must be fair and affordable for all concerned, given the unprecedented pressures facing Scotland’s Budget.”
She said the negotiating committee will meet again on Monday.
The minister added: “I hope unions will reconsider their plans for industrial action while talks are ongoing.
“Strikes in our schools are in noone’s interest – including for pupils, parents and carers who have already had to deal with significant disruption over the past three years.”
The unions have rejected an offer of an average of 5% with more money for teachers on lower pay grades.
It has been branded “insulting”. Instead, they want 10%, stating teachers’ salaries have been eroded by 20% in real terms by inflation over the last 12 years.
NASUWT members in primary schools will strike on January 10, while teachers working in secondary schools will walk out on January 11.
The strike will coincide with action by Educational Institute of Scotland ( EIS) members who will walk out on January 10 and 11, joined by Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association ( SSTA) members on the second day.
Scotland’s biggest teachers’ union said the only offer remains one that has been overwhelmingly rejected and unless there is a new, better offer, strikes will go ahead.
Des Morris, EIS salaries convener, said: “Trade unions remain committed to reaching a fair, negotiated pay settlement for Scotland’s teaching professionals. In the absence of any new offer, the planned strike action for Tuesday and Wednesday of next week will proceed as scheduled.
“A planned SNCT meeting has now been brought forward to Monday of next week – at the union side’s request – in the hope of advancing discussions towards a new and improved offer to teachers.”