Trade union Unison has suspended school strikes while its members vote on a new pay offer for support staff. The offer includes an additional £17.2m ($23.3m) of funding from the Scottish government, which would mean all staff would be backdated to April 2021 and represent a rise of approximately £2,000 for the lowest paid staff with a 5.5% rise for others. The offer also includes raising the wages of the lowest paid to £15 per hour by April 2026, subject to conditions.
Staff in schools and nurseries, including catering staff and janitors, have been involved in industrial action since September. While the Unite and GMB trade unions voted to accept the deal, Unison had argued that it could offer a better deal for its members. Members of Unison are being recommended to accept the deal with the promise of additional funding and a clearer commitment to a living wage among deciding factors. Backdating the full offer to April this year is a significant improvement for four in 10 local government workers.
Unison staff in Dundee City, Stirling, Clackmannanshire, Angus and Perth and Kinross are set to walk out on 15 November. The union previously argued against “imposing” a rejected pay offer, which would have further intensified the ongoing dispute. Both the GMB and Unite have emphasized their members’ desire to receive their additional payments in a timely manner, saying they should be in their accounts by Christmas.
The pay strikes are the second of their kind in just over a year in Scotland and have resulted in widespread school closures. Some officials and union staff may regret delaying the offer, pointing out that the required funds could have been found earlier.
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