Primary schools across First Minister John Swinney’s constituency have been forced to close due to ongoing strike action by members of the Unison trade union.
The closures, which began on Monday, have affected all primary schools, nurseries, intensive support settings, and two secondary schools in Perth and Kinross Council area.
The strike action comes after Unison members, including janitors and classroom assistants, rejected a pay offer from Cosla, the local authority body.
The proposed deal would have increased pay by 67p an hour or 3.6%, whichever was higher. While two other main unions accepted this offer, Unison members chose to walk out.
Impact on Schools
Perth and Kinross Council announced the closures on its website. The statement said: “Due to the October holidays, it has not been possible, as previously indicated, to complete Risk Assessments for our primaries and ELC settings.
“This means we cannot guarantee there will be enough staff to ensure pupil safety and so have taken the decision to close these settings.”
As a result, these facilities could not open immediately. The council has warned that the situation is likely to remain “fluid” throughout the duration of the action, with potential day-to-day changes for individual schools.
First Minister John Swinney has described the targeting of his constituency as “unacceptable,” stating that there is “no justification” for it.
He has also maintained that the Scottish Government has no additional funds to allocate to local authorities for an improved deal.
Union’s Perspective
Colette Hunter, Unison’s local government committee chairwoman in Scotland, has accused Mr. Swinney of making “inflammatory accusations against hard-working council staff.”
She argues that, as First Minister, he has the power and means to resolve the dispute and prevent school closures.
Hunter also highlighted disparities in recent pay rises across different sectors:
- Teachers: 4.6%
- NHS staff: 5.5%
- MSPs: 6.7%
- Some councillors: 13.8%
She contends that council staff are being left behind and have every justification in pressuring the Scottish Government to find a solution.
As the situation continues to unfold, parents and students in the affected areas face uncertainty regarding school operations in the coming days and weeks.
