Teachers accuse government of ‘ lack of empathy’ over Covid fears
Teachers have said they feel ignored and dismissed by the S cottish government after l o cal authorities f ai l ed t o accept work from home status for those teaching in schools subject to level three or four Covid- 19 restrictions.
Several teachers said they felt “gaslighted” and “frustrated” about the Scottish government’s handling of the issue of keeping clinically vulnerable teachers safe.
Under guidance issued by t he S c ot t i s h g over nment, t eachers previously i n t he shielding categor y should work from home if they can do some of their work outside of the classroom, but several teachers said that their local authorities had either pushed back on t heir r equests or ignored them entirely.
It comes in the week Holyr o o d vot e d i n f avour of a mot i o n c a l l i n g f o r s a f e r schools and follows reports that Scotland’s biggest teaching union, the EIS, is consulting on potential strike action on the grounds of school safety.
All of the teachers we spoke to requested anonymity due to fearing for their jobs due to ‘ gagging clauses’ in their c o n t r a c t s b a n n i n g t h e m from openly criticising their employers, in this case, local
councils. One teacher, in Renfrewshire, who has a serious respiratory condition which would mean Covid- 19 would be life- threatening, said she was “not confident” the Scottish government are listening.
They said when they asked if they could work from home, the answer from Renfrewshire Council was a “flat no”.
The teacher, an SNP member, said: “They wouldn’t discuss it and wouldn’t allow it. They keep saying ‘ you are a front line worker and you must be at work’.
They added: “I am really angry and really disappointed and frustrated as well. The Scottish government seem in denial about the risks in schools.
“I’m an SNP member and I think they have done really well with aspects of the pandemic, but this blatant lack of acknowledgement of what is happening in schools makes me struggle with that as does
the total lack of empathy.”
Another teacher in a high prevalence area added that “in 28 years of teaching, I’ve never felt less valued”.
They said: “The expectations that teachers will put not just their own lives, but those of their families at risk to keep schools open at any cost feels like a cruel political tactic.”
Nicola Sturgeon, speaking at her daily Covid- 19 briefing, rejected the accusations that the Scottish government was not listening to teacher fears.
She said: “If it is possible and safe and where people feel assured that it is safe, we’re not saying shielding people should not, as an iron rule, go to work, but there has to be conversations with employers to satisfy and ensure that if there are further steps that need to be taken to make workplaces safe, and that includes schools obviously, then those should be made.
"The safety of people is paramount in these discussions.
"We will continue to listen and continue to take seriously the concerns teachers, parents, young people themselves or anybody else who works in schools have.
"But, based on ever ything we know, our j udgment i s that the harm that is done by not having young people in school as normally as possible, that harm is bigger than any risk that we think there is around transmission of Covid in schools.”
A Renfre wshire Council spokesperson said: “We are not aware of any such case.”
The teachers concerns were raised as it emerged that Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly preparing to announce a limit on the pay of millions of council staff, civil ser vants, teachers, police and other public ser vants when he unveils his spending review next week.
Frontline NHS doctors and nurses are expected t o be exempt from any cap in recognition of their work during the coronavirus crisis.
But unions reacted angrily to the prospect of a wage freeze after such a tumultuous year, with one saying i ndustrial action could not be ruled out.
The Treasury said it did not comment on speculation, but said public sector pay restraint was mentioned by Mr Sunak in July when the spending review was launched.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, said: "Civil servants along with millions of other public sector workers have kept the country running throughout this pandemic, and the last thing they deserve is another pay freeze.
"Our members have been providing universal credit, collecting tax, securing our borders and prisons in this unprecedented pandemic and have already suffered ten years of pay restraint.
"Private companies have been allowed to secure lucrative Covid contracts to the tune of £ 17bn, yet ministers are not prepared to reward their own staff for all the incredible work they have done this year? If Rishi Sunak fails to pay public sector workers properly, there will be widespread anger and industrial action cannot be ruled out."
TUC general secretary Frances O'grady said: "A pay freeze would be a bitter pill for care workers, refuse collectors, emergency workers and all the key workers in the public sector who have helped keep the country going through this pandemic.
"Freezing t heir pay i s no way t o r e ward ke y workers for their service. Unions will fight for the proper pay rise they have earned. Worki ng p e opl e must not b e ar t he burden o f t he c r i s i s ."