Union bosses have announced 16 new strike dates as teachers' pay disputes continue.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has confirmed this afternoon that schools will see more industrial action.

We reported yesterday how teachers walked out for the first time in 40 years on the first day of national pay strike action.

It saw EIS members on the picket lines as every state school on mainland Scotland was closed.

Glasgow Times:

They have now said they will not be “fooled by a spin from COSLA and the Scottish Government” as they rejected a 5% pay offer for teachers.

The 16 new days will take place early next year across Scotland with Glasgow being hit with industrial action on Monday, January 16.

North Lanarkshire staff will go on strike on Thursday, January 19 while East Renfrewshire employees will follow on Thursday, January 24.

Renfrewshire teachers will also walk out Friday, January 27 and before South Lanarkshire staff on Friday, February 3.

EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said: “Scotland’s teachers responded magnificently to yesterday’s day of strike action, turning out in their tens of thousands on picket lines, at demos and at campaign rallies across Scotland.

“Members have been greatly angered by the actions of the Scottish Government and COSLA who – after three months of delay – came back earlier this week with the same 5% pay offer that our members had already rejected overwhelmingly.

“Yesterday’s strike action was a clear message: Scotland’s teachers are not going to be fooled by spin from COSLA and the Scottish Government, and we are determined to make a strong stand until we receive a substantially improved fair pay settlement for all teachers.”

Glasgow Times:

Ms Bradley added: “In addition to their annoyance over the rehashed 5% offer itself, our members have been further angered by the behaviour of the Scottish Government and COSLA over the way that the offer was presented.

“Having dragged the process out for three months, they waited until 30 minutes before the EIS was due to meet to consider the revised proposal, to actually present their reheated 5% offer.

“They then released it to the press, with all their accompanying spin, before the EIS Salaries Committee had even had a chance to discuss the offer.

“In these bad-faith actions, the Scottish Government and COSLA have displayed little respect for the agreed negotiating process, and even less respect for Scotland’s hard-working teachers.”

 

 

Announcing the agreed programme of 16 consecutive days of strike action for January and February, Ms Bradley said: “The EIS will move ahead with our previously announced two additional days of national strike action in January.

“We can also now confirm that Scotland’s teachers will strike on sixteen consecutive days in January and February, with teachers in two local authorities on strike on each of these sixteen days.

“We have been forced into the escalation of this action by the lack of willingness to negotiate properly and to pay teachers properly, by a government that says it wishes to be judged on its record on education.

“The judgement of Scotland’s teachers on the matter of pay is clear, with the first programme of national strike action that we have engaged in for four decades.

“It is now for the Scottish Government and COSLA to resolve this dispute, and prevent further strike action, by coming back to the negotiating table with a substantially improved pay offer for all of Scotland’s teaching professionals.”