Strike closes all East Dunbartonshire schools

Schools will be closed for four days

All schools and nurseries in East Dunbartonshire will be closed for four days because of strike action by council workers.

Members of three unions are taking part in the action, which is expected to cause widespread disruption on 21, 22, 25 and 26 June.

The dispute is over planned changes to workers' terms and conditions.

Leisure centres, libraries, museums and community hubs will also close during the action, the council said.

• What council facilities will close?

Teachers are not involved in the strike, which is being held by members of the GMB, Unite and Unison unions.

Even though teachers are not taking part in the strike, the council said it would need to close schools for health and safety reasons.

A statement from East Dunbartonshire Council said: "In an effort to avoid strike action the council made a further offer to the trades unions this morning to allow further time for negotiation on the areas being identified as of most concern.

"To enable those further negotiations the strike would need to be suspended.

"Regrettably the trades unions declined this further offer and their strike action will go ahead as planned on Thursday 21, Friday 22, Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 June."

Unions notified the council of the strike action on 12 June. The four-day strike will be followed from 2 July with a "work to rule" action.

Simon Macfarlane, regional organiser for Unison, said: "Having voted by 93% margin to take strike action, Unison is implementing our members' decision to stand up to the devastating cuts they are facing.

"Our members don't want to take strike action but they have been left with no choice."