School strike date named after pay offer rejected

Non-teaching staff such as learning support and janitorial workers will go on strike next month

School support staff will strike on Wednesday 1 November after Scotland's largest local government union rejected the latest pay offer from Cosla.

Unison said its members would walk out in Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

It said the action was the first in a rolling programme across different council areas and further dates will be announced in due course.

Unite and GMB union members voted to accept Cosla's revised pay offer.

The industrial dispute involves non-teaching staff including catering, cleaning, pupil support, administration and janitorial workers in schools and early years centres.

In September, more than 21,000 Unison members went on strike for three days at 1,868 schools.

Thousands of pupils were told to stay at home.

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The revised offer represents a minimum increase of £2,006 for workers on the Scottish local government living wage, and a minimum of £1,929 for those above the rate.

Unison Scotland's local government committee chair Mark Ferguson urged Cosla and the Scottish government to fund wage increases properly and commit to ensuring local government workers are paid £15 an hour.

"No one takes the decision to strike lightly," he said. "I'm a parent myself, so I understand the disruption strikes cause.

Schools were disrupted by strikes for three days last month

"But if wages don't rise, school staff will leave for other jobs beyond education that pay significantly more. That would be a disaster and would help no one.

"The current offer amounts to a real-terms pay cut and adds further stress to a dedicated workforce already suffering from the cost-of-living crisis."

Unison said further rolling strike dates in other councils areas will be announced in due course.

'Not a perfect offer'

Johanna Baxter, head of local government at Unison Scotland, said: "The strength of feeling amongst Unison school staff, who voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla's latest pay offer, is clear for all to see.

"Both in terms of ballot votes and the number of people on picket lines across Scotland.

"We've also seen a surge in Unison membership. That's a testament to the strength of local government workers' resolve to continue their fight for fair pay."

She urged Cosla and the Scottish government to get back round the negotiating table to reach a settlement.

Earlier this week, members of the GMB union and Unite voted to accept the revised offer.

Keir Greenway, GMB Scotland's senior organiser in public services, said it was "not a perfect offer but is a good one and it was right our members, who were ready to strike in support of fair pay, were given the chance to vote on it."

He added: "We have been assured no council services or jobs will be cut to fund this pay offer and will continue to ensure those assurances are kept."