School strikes have commenced in John Swinney’s constituency today, as a result of an ongoing payment dispute. The strikes are targeting Perth and Kinross over the next two weeks after Unison members in non-teaching positions rejected a pay offer from local authority body Cosla. The rejected deal would have seen a pay increase of 67p an hour or 3.6 per cent, whichever was higher, for staff members. While this offer was accepted by two other major unions and council leaders, Unison refused and proceeded with industrial action.
In response to the strike, all primary schools, nurseries, intensive support settings, and two secondary schools in Perth and Kinross will be closed on Monday. The local council has indicated that some schools may be able to reopen later in the week, but due to the mid-term October break, risk assessments could not be carried out in time for immediate openings today. Perth and Kinross Council is hopeful that some schools can resume activities this week, but they acknowledge that the situation may change on a day-to-day basis for individual schools throughout the strike period.
First Minister John Swinney has condemned the targeting of his constituency in the strike, deeming it as “unacceptable” and asserting that there are no additional funds from the Scottish Government to provide a better deal for local authorities. Unison’s local government committee chairwoman in Scotland, Colette Hunter, criticised Swinney for his handling of the situation, accusing him of making “inflammatory accusations against hard-working council staff.” Hunter urged the First Minister to intervene and resolve the dispute to prevent further school closures.
The strike comes amidst a backdrop of differing pay increases across various sectors in Scotland. Hunter highlighted that while teachers received a 4.6 per cent pay rise, NHS staff saw a 5.5 per cent increase, and some councillors a 13.8 per cent rise, council staff are feeling left behind. Unison is pushing for a fair resolution and has called on the Scottish Government to find a solution to the ongoing issue.
The situation in Perth and Kinross remains uncertain as the strike progresses, with the council striving to manage the impact on schools and students. As discussions continue between Unison, local authorities, and the Scottish Government, the hope is for a swift resolution to the payment dispute to avoid further disruptions to education in the region.