London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 23, 2025

Unions 'very sorry' for teacher strike disruption

Unions 'very sorry' for teacher strike disruption

Union leaders have said they are "very sorry" as thousands of pupils across Scotland face another unscheduled day off due to teacher strikes.

Members of the SSTA and NASUWT unions are taking action on Wednesday and Thursday, claiming they have no other option in their pay dispute.

They have warned there could be further strikes if they do not receive a "significantly improved" offer.

The Scottish government said the unions' demands were "not affordable".

It follows the EIS strike which saw almost all schools close on 24 November and the rejection of the latest pay proposal.

Unions were offered a rise of between 5% and 6.85% but the EIS is asking for 10%.

On Tuesday the NASUWT said it was seeking a fully funded rise of 12% for 2022/23.

Union members in 17 local authorities boycotted classes on Wednesday, with action in the other 15 council areas on Thursday - resulting in the partial closures of many schools.

Iain Glennie, assistant general secretary with the SSTA union, said he expected further strike action in January unless the proposal from employers was "significantly improved".


The SSTA and the NASUWT are the latest unions to strike after the EIS walked out on 24 November

He insisted the latest pay offer was "barely better" than the previous offer which was rejected.

Speaking on a picket line outside a school in Glasgow, Mr Glennie said: "These members don't want to be on a picket line, they are teachers, they came into this profession to teach, it is a vocation.

"They want to teach, they are being stopped from doing this. This is what we have to do in order to make our case.

"So we are very sorry for the disruption it causes, but if the Scottish government aren't going to make a material difference to the offer this is what is going to happen."

Mr Glennie said unions were willing to restart talks with both the government and the local government body Cosla - adding that no discussions had taken place since 22 November.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the pay demands were not affordable


On Wednesday, industrial action is taking place in: Argyll and Bute; Dumfries and Galloway; East Ayrshire; East Dunbartonshire; East Renfrewshire; Eilean Siar; City of Glasgow; Highland; Inverclyde; North Ayrshire; North Lanarkshire; Orkney; Renfrewshire; Shetland; South Ayrshire; South Lanarkshire; West Dunbartonshire.

The local authorities affected on Thursday are: City of Aberdeen; Angus; Aberdeenshire; Clackmannanshire; Dundee City; City of Edinburgh; East Lothian; Falkirk; Fife; Midlothian; Moray; Perth and Kinross; Scottish Borders; Stirling; West Lothian.

Disruption is expected in most areas through either partial or full closures of schools.

Although mainly limited to secondary schools, some primaries are affected. About a third of councils said they expected "significant" disruption.

With prelim exams taking place in many schools, older pupils are being prioritised and younger pupils are being given the day off.

The latest pay offer from the Scottish government was formally rejected last Wednesday.

The NASUWT said that a typical teacher in Scotland is almost £50,000 worse off as a result of their pay failing to keep pace with inflation since 2010, a loss they say will be further compounded by the current below-inflation pay offer.

The union also confirmed that following this week's strikes, members would begin a programme of ongoing action, including a refusal to cover for absent colleagues and attendance at only one meeting per week outside pupil sessions.

There was a picket line at Smithycroft Secondary School in Glasgow on Wednesday morning


Mike Corbett, NASUWT National Official Scotland, told the PA news agency that members were "angered" after being asked to take a "significant, real terms pay cut" for the second year in a row amid rampant inflation.

He warned that the dispute is likely to continue unless employers and the Scottish government make an improved offer for all teachers.

Mr Corbett said: "There was a revised offer tabled on November 22 but that revised offer, although it was an improvement for those at the lowest end of the salary scale, was exactly the same offer for all experienced classroom teachers and for some in promoted posts it was actually a worse offer.

"So that was immediately rejected by all of the teacher trade unions and I think until employers and government come back with what is an improved offer for all teachers then I fear the dispute might continue."

He added: "Our members do not want to be on strike, they do not want to be disrupting children's education in any way, but their hope is that this, the ultimate thing they can do, actually brings an end to the dispute by bringing a revised and improved offer."


'Engage constructively'


Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: "Strike action is in no-one's interest, least of all learners, parents and carers. We remain committed to a fair, sustainable settlement for Scotland's teachers and will continue to engage teaching unions and Cosla constructively.

"It is very disappointing that the teaching unions have rejected the latest offer - the fourth which has been put to unions - which mirrors the deal accepted by other local government workers.

"The request for a 10% increase for all teachers - even the highest paid - is not affordable within the Scottish government's fixed budget.

"While councils are responsible for managing the impact of industrial action, I expect schools to remain open wherever possible, so that disruption can be minimised. Any closures would follow risk assessments made in individual areas."

Meanwhile the EIS has said its members should not cover for striking colleagues in the two other unions.

It said: "The EIS position is that no member should engage in any duty which is normally carried out by members of another union who are on strike action.

"We are aware that some local authorities are attempting to exert pressure on teachers to provide cover, but the EIS believes that it is unreasonable for our members to be instructed to strike break for colleagues of another trade union carrying out official industrial action in a common dispute.

"The EIS will offer its full support to any member who is subjected to this type of intimidation by their employer."

More strikes have already been announced.

The EIS says its members in primary school members will take part in a national strike on 10 January, while those in secondary schools will walk out the following day.

Sixteen additional days of strikes in January and February have also been announced by the union.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×