A TEACHING union is to stage a series of one-day strikes in an escalation of a dispute over pay.
NASUWT has said it is stepping up industrial action with a rolling programme of strike action targeting small clusters of schools across Scotland.
The union had already put in place industrial action short of a strike, with members refusing to exceed their working hours or undertake administrative tasks.
NASUWT said the escalation was “driven by the significant financial detriment teachers have suffered as a result of six years of pay freezes and pay cuts”.
The union said teachers had not received any pay award since April 2016 and the pay award for 2017/18 was more than six months overdue. Teachers at St Andrew’s Secondary School, Eastbank Academy and All Saints Secondary School in Glasgow will be the first to strike on November 23.
The following week action is due to move to Kirkintilloch High School, Lenzie Academy and Bearsden Academy in East Dunbartonshire.
Further strike action for next term in other schools, including primary schools in other local authorities, is expected to be announced over the coming weeks, with plans being drawn up for an escalation of the action short of a strike.
General secretary Chris Keates said: “Teachers regret having to escalate action and the disruption this will cause to pupils and parents.
“But more and more teachers are now saying that enough is enough and are reaching the end of their tether over workload, pay and other conditions.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman branded NASUWT’s decision “deeply disappointing,” adding that the action was not in the interests of pupils and parents. Industrial action is not in the interests of anyone, least of all pupils and parents.
“What’s more, teacher pay negotiations are currently underway with local councils, as the employer, and the Scottish Government are fully involved. To strike while these talks are continuing is not appropriate.”
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