A strike date has been confirmed for schools in South Lanarkshire.

UNISON has today served notice of further strike action for staff working in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools amid an ongoing pay dispute.

Staff will walk out on Wednesday, November 8 with the union revealing that they will announce further strike dates and councils walking out in due course. 
 
It comes after we reported that school staff in Glasgow, Renfrewshire, and East Renfrewshire will be taking strike action next Wednesday, November 1.
 
The move comes after UNISON members voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s latest pay offer.

Over 21,000 workers took three days of strike action in September, resulting in the closure of 75% of Scotland’s schools.
 
UNISON Scotland’s head of local government Johanna Baxter said: “Despite our repeated calls for Cosla and the Scottish government to get back round the table for meaningful discussions we have had no invitations to even exploratory talks. 

“The union is committed to reaching a resolution to this dispute as soon as possible. 

"And there is still time for Cosla and the Scottish Government to get back round the negotiating table to explore every avenue to reaching a negotiated settlement and avoid further disruption for parents and students.

"The strength of feeling amongst UNISON’s 91,000 local government members, who voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s latest pay offer, is clear. 

"They are determined to continue to fight to get an improved pay offer.” 

UNISON Scotland's chair of the local government committee Mark Ferguson said: “No one takes the decision to strike lightly.  

“I’m a parent myself, so I understand the disruption strikes cause. But if wages don’t rise, school staff will leave for other jobs beyond education that pay significantly more. That would be a disaster and would help no one.  
 
“The current offer amounts to a real-terms pay cut and adds further stress to a dedicated workforce already suffering from the cost-of-living crisis. 

“Cosla and the Scottish government need to give school staff a decent wage rise, fund any increase properly and commit to implementing a minimum underpinning rate of pay of £15 per hour for all local government workers.”