In Scotland, a 16-day wave of continuous teachers’ strikes has begun, affecting every local authority over the period.
Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) will strike daily in two local authorities from January 16th to February 6th.
Union leaders have warned that there is no end in sight to the current pay dispute.
Teachers want a 10% increase, which ministers and councils say is prohibitive.
The current 5% offer includes increases of up to 6.85% for the lowest paid employees.
The EIS recently announced another 22 days of additional strikes between March 13th and April 21st.
It includes two days of nationwide strikes in all schools on February 28 and March 1, followed by a 20-day rolling strike program between March 13 and April 21.
This round of action becomes more complicated as different schools in each community are affected over three days – primary schools on the first day, all schools on the second and secondary schools on the third.
- Scottish teachers begin a wave of rolling strikes
- Scottish teachers announce another 22 days of strikes
The NASUWT and SSTA unions will also go on strike on February 28 and March 1.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has said she remains committed to a “fair and sustainable wage deal”.
Any new offer would need to be agreed by all 32 council leaders, but they are not due to meet until late January.
Strikes have recently closed almost all primary and secondary schools in Scotland for two days.
The strikes also resulted in all four unions representing teachers and principals walking out together for the first time.
Members of EIS, Scotland’s largest teachers’ union, NASUWT, the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) and the Association of Headteachers and Deputes (AHDS) were involved.
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