School strikes Scotland: Widespread strikes to go ahead as union rejects 'best and final' pay deal despite extra £80m

School support staff including cleaners and janitors are set to strike at schools across Scotland for three days from Tuesday next week in a dispute over pay

Schools across much of Scotland are set to close next week after a union rejected the “best and final” pay offer from council leaders.

Umbrella body Cosla said it had made a “significantly improved in-year offer” that would mean those workers on the Scottish local government living wage would see an in-year uplift of around £2,000 or almost 10 per cent.

But Unison, one of three unions involved in the negotiations, said strikes would go ahead as it had rejected the deal.

Pupils leave the bus on their way to primary school

School staff, including cleaners, janitors, classroom assistants and cooking staff, will walk out for three days from Tuesday, forcing the closure of three-quarters of primary and secondary schools.

It is understood Unison has rejected the offer, but will put it before members, suggesting they also reject it.

An extra £90 million had been found for the offer from Cosla, including the £10m extra already previously allocated by leaders.

Cosla said the offer was made on the condition the trade unions take it to their members for full consideration and that strikes are suspended with immediate effect whilst they do so.

Its resources spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “This really is our best and final offer, we have nowhere to go after this. We have gone beyond our limits in a bid to satisfy our workforce and avert next week’s strikes.”

The extra funding is believed to have been freed up by the Scottish Government following talks between Cosla and deputy first minister Shona Robison.

It meant unions were presented with a funding package understood to be worth nearly £580 million.

The three-day action is being carried out by Unison, Unite and the GMB.

Several local authorities, including Glasgow, had already confirmed school closures before Thursday.

Ms Hagmann said no new money had been identified for the latest offer, and there would be “delays to programmes and projects within communities” to meet the pay demands.

She said: “I cannot stress enough the efforts that both local and Scottish Government have gone to in relation to securing the funding to meet this ask.

“Politicians and officers have worked tirelessly in partnership to review, re-prioritise, restructure and re-profile money, ensuring the impact on our communities is minimised. However, have no doubt, tough decisions have been taken and there will be delays to programmes and projects within communities to meet these pay demands.

“No new money has been identified for this offer – it is the ultimate example of ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ in finance terms. Strikes are too damaging to our children and young people, their families and our communities across Scotland for us not to have taken this action.”

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland’s senior organiser in public services, said: “Our members have absolutely no interest in last-minute deadline dramas. All they want is a fair pay offer.

“Cosla could have made such an offer months ago but instead, despite our best efforts, chose to drag the process out for no good reason. We will now look at the detail of this latest offer. If it is a significant improvement on the last one, we will take it to our members.

“If it is not, the strikes will go ahead as planned.”

Unite has been contacted for comment.