Schools and early-years centres will close in John Swinney’s constituency of Perth and Kinross for two weeks from today (Monday) after employers failed to deliver a fair wage offer for thousands of workers, says UNISON.
Strike action is being taken to secure better pay for all council staff in Scotland, says the union.
UNISON has chosen to focus its walkout in the first minister’s seat to highlight the need for the Scottish government to work with council employer body Cosla to put more money into a staff pay deal.
Many primary schools are expected to close entirely, with other schools to be significantly affected over the coming fortnight, says the union.
In just over a decade council and school workers have seen the value of their pay fall by 25% and continue to be offered much less than staff employed in other public services, UNISON says.
The union says it remains committed to resolving the dispute through constructive talks with the government and Cosla, but without those the strikes will go ahead as planned.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Without proper investment in wages for council workers, staff will leave, communities suffer and services go downhill.
“No one wants to close schools in Perth and Kinross or disrupt pupils’ education. These strikes can be stopped if Cosla and ministers show they’re willing to find the money for employees to have the proper pay rise they deserve.”
UNISON Perth and Kinross branch secretary Stuart Hope said: “Everything possible has been done to get Cosla and the Scottish government to return to talks.
“The current offer is inadequate, as has been made clear all along. Council and school staff have seen their pay cut massively over the past decade while costs have escalated, leaving people ever further out of pocket.
“Council cutbacks across Scotland mean staff have to do far more with fewer resources.
“The last thing these workers want to do is go on strike, but they’ve had enough. The Scottish government must start listening, fix pay and stop the disruption that everyone would prefer to avoid.”
UNISON Scotland local government committee chair Colette Hunter said: “Council staff are angry that they’re continually forced to strike simply to get an acceptable pay rise.
“After years of seeing their pay fall, they’re again falling behind wage increases agreed in other parts of the public sector.
“The Scottish government is key to ending this dispute and must do all it can to work with Cosla and unions to find a solution.”
Notes for editors
– UNISON is the largest union in local government. It also represents staff in education, the NHS, social care, police, energy and utilities.
– Picket lines will be at the following locations from 8.30am to 9.30am: Riverside Primary School, Argyll Road, Perth PH1 3BB; Letham Primary School, Struan Rd, Perth PH1 2NL; Royal School Dunkeld, Dunkeld PH8 0AF; St Johns, 47 Gowans Terrace, Perth PH1 5BF; Perth Academy/Fairview, Murray Place PH1 1NJ; Loch Leven Campus, The Muirs, Kinross KY13 8FQ. Each one is likely to be at its busiest at 8.30am.
– Strikes will run for two weeks from today (Monday 21 October) to Friday 1 November