122 schools and services hit by strike

Published on Wednesday 22 August 2007 15:10

MORE than 120 schools and services are to be hit tomorrow as thousands of council workers stage a one-day strike over swingeing cuts and possible redundancies.

The authority today announced the city-wide closure programme, which will also hit community centres and social work services, after failing to come to an agreement with union leaders.

The walk-out will see 33 nursery schools and early years centres, primary, secondary and special schools shut for the day, and a further 39 only partially open. All children at schools which are staying open have been asked to take packed lunches.

There will be 29 community centres closed, and eight partially open, and five social work practice teams closed, and eight partially open.

Libraries, recycling facilities and public toilets are also set to be affected by the strike.

The action is planned to coincide with a crunch council meeting which will discuss the latest measures proposed to save the local authority millions of pounds over the next few months.

Unison officials vowed the 24-hour strike would go ahead unless they received an assurance over threatened job losses.

John Ross, service conditions convener at Unison, said: “There has been no discussion between us and the new council administration at all on these proposals.

“We have had to find out about them for ourselves and we are more than disappointed at the lack of consultation. The strike is 100 per cent going ahead at the moment as the council has treated its staff with complete contempt.”

Walkouts are planned at major Edinburgh Festival venues including the Usher Hall, the City Art Centre and the Assembly Rooms.

It is thought the strike may also affect the full council meeting itself because of the number of staff who will be needed for the event.

And the Edinburgh Military Tattoo said it had been forced to cancel a free showcase in Princes Street Gardens tomorrow because of the industrial action.

If tomorrow’s council meeting agrees on cuts, union leaders are expected to draw up a programme of further action, likely to include further strikes and overtime bans.

The council released the following list of services affected by the Unison strike action shortly after 1.15pm.

The statement read: “Schools and centres not included on this list should be open as normal. Parents and carers are advised to contact the school or centre in the first instance. Children who usually have school lunches are encouraged to take a packed lunch.”

For further information, call the council helpline on 0131 529 7311.

List of schools and services affected by the strike

Early Years Closures:

Calderglen Nursery School

Craigmillar Children and Families Centre

Gilmerton Children and Families Centre

Grassmarket Nursery

Granton Children and Families Centre

Greendykes Children and Family Centre

Hailesland Children and Families Centre

Liberton Nursery School

Parkway Children and Families Centre

Sighthill Children and Families Centre

Stenhouse Children and Families Centre

Viewforth Children and Families Centre

West Pilton Children and Families Centre

Westfield Court Nursery

Partial Openings:

Cowgate Under 5s – morning only

Kirkliston nursery – reduced numbers

High School Yards – morning only

Pilrig Children and Families Centre

St Leonard’s Nursery – morning only

The Spinney Lane – reduced numbers

Viewforth Children and Families Centre – partial opening, reduced numbers

Victoria Children and Families Centre

Primary School Closures:

Balgreen

Canal View

Craiglockhart

Dalmeny

Dalry

Duddingston

East Craigs – school closed, nursery open

Gilmerton

Leith Walk – school closed, nursery open

Preston Street

Queensferry – school closed, nursery open

Roseburn – school closed, nursery open

Royal Mile

St John’s

St Ninian’s – school closed, nursery open

Towerbank – school closed, nursery open

Partial Openings:

Bonnington – nursery closed

Brunstane – nursery closed

Buckstone – morning nursery closed

Craigroyston – nursery partially closed

Carrick Knowe – nursery closed

Clermiston – nursery closed

Drumbrae – nursery closed

Flora Stevenson – nursery partially closed

Fort – nursery closed

Granton – nursery closed

James Gillespies – nursery closed

Juniper Green – nursery closed

Liberton – nursery closed

Lorne – nursery closed

Murrayburn – speech and language unit closed

Parson’s Green – nursery closed

Pentland – partial closure of nursery

Stenhouse – speech and language unit, nursery closed

Stockbridge – nursery closed

Westburn – nursery closed

Secondary Closures:

Wester Hailes Education Centre

Partial Openings:

Castlebrae – open for S4, S5 & S6

Craigroyston – open for S4, S5, S6 only

Holyrood – open for S5 & S6

Leith Academy – open for S4, S5, S6 only

Portobello – open for S4, S5 & S6 only

Trinity Academy – open for S5 and S6 only

Tynecastle – open for S5 and S6 only

Special Schools Closures:

Panmure

Panmure Girls

Partial Openings:

Braidburn

Rowanfield

St Crispins

Wellington – closed to day pupils

Social Work Practice Teams Closures:

Leith

Murrayburn Gate

Oxgangs Path

West Pilton

Victoria Street

Partial Openings:

Captain’s Road – partially open

Craigentinny – partially open

Craigmillar – partially open

Muirhouse – restricted service available

Springwell House – restricted service, closed to public

SEWO – restricted service

Westfield House – restricted service, closed to public

Pennywell Gardens/Woods – restricted service

Community Centres Closures:

Bingham

Broomhouse

Burdiehouse/Southhouse

Carrickvale

Castleview

Clovenstone

Craigroyston

Craigentinny Castle

Castlebrae

Gracemount CE Base

Gorgie War Memorial

Goodtrees

Jack Kane Centre

Longstone

Magdalene

Nelson Hall

Northfield and Willowbrae

Pentland

Pentland Community Care Project

Platform

Rannoch

Royston/Wardieburn

Sighthill

Springwell House

St Anns

South Queensferry and Rosebery Hall

Towerbank

Wester Hailes CE

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

Partial openings:

Broughton CE Base – staff offices only

Gilmerton – caf open

Leith – only open 9am to 5pm

Pennywell House – staff offices only

Prentice Centre CE Base – staff offices only

South Bridge – Canongate Youth Project open

Southside – Fringe venue remaining open

St Brides – Fringe venue may remain open