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Scotland shuts primary schools as teachers go on strike over pay dispute
Primary schools in Scotland will remain closed for pupils as teachers embark on strike after a last ditch attempt to resolve a pay dispute between them and the government on Tuesday failed.
A report in Edinburgh Live says school pupils will miss lessons this week as primary school staff staged a walk out of the meeting, with secondary school teachers expected to follow on Wednesday.
The strike comes after the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), which brings together unions, local authorities and the Scottish Government, had a meeting to discuss a pay deal in a bid to avoid industrial action, but failed to arrive at a solution.
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In a letter to parents, The City of Edinburgh Council confirmed that special schools will also shut down on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The current deal offered a five per cent pay rise, with the lowest earning teachers getting a 6.85 per cent increase. However, unions have demanded a 10 per cent increase and rejected the offer.
Discussions were previously held on Friday, which Scotland’s Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville described as “constructive and helpful”, after previously urging union members to “reconsider their plans for industrial action while talks are ongoing”.
However unions said if there was no new offer then strike action would go ahead.
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