Members of a union have voted against a pay offer and plan to implement a “rolling programme” of school strikes in Scotland, according to Unison. The union represents school support staff, including cleaners, classroom assistants, canteen workers, and janitors who had voted overwhelmingly against the deal. Last month, schools were disrupted for three days after the union rejected an offer from the council body Cosla. Unison urged more than 21,000 members to walk out in 1,868 schools resulting in thousands of pupils being asked to stay at home.
The result of the consultative ballot revealed that 89.92% of members voted against the pay offer. Unison has stated that the strike dates are to be announced in the coming days. The sector has faced years of underinvestment and the strike is not only about pay, but also about standing up for local services, said Lilian Macer, the union’s Scottish secretary. Despite disruption to parents, some have expressed support for the action, such as Gael McMahon and Anne-Marie Glasgow, who would reportedly participate in any upcoming strike action.
Though some other unions such as Unite and GMB had previously suspended their strike plans last month to consult with members, Unison pressed ahead with their planned strike action causing significant disruption to schools across Scotland. The Scottish government has freed up £80m of ring-fenced funding to enable the deal. However, Unison said members had not been provided with the full details of what the £80m deal meant for them. The union also claims that the offer remains below the rate of inflation and will trigger cuts in other areas of the service.
If negotiations do not improve the pay offer, Unison has stated that it will plan further school strikes. The union has not clarified a specific figure for an improved pay offer, but has highlighted concerns over how it would be funded. With little Scottish government money for councils, even with the current pay offer, the union fears cuts, savings, and potential job losses in the future.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More