School staff vote to strike in 24 councils in Scotland in local government pay dispute, says UNISON

School staff have voted to strike over pay at 24 councils across Scotland in ballot results announced last week.

It is the largest ever vote for strike action by school staff in Scotland and will mean mass closures across the country, the union says.

UNISON balloted school staff working for every council in Scotland over the 5% pay offer from employer body Cosla.

The workers were due a pay rise in April.

Striking teachers at the National Education Union rally in Guildhall Square, Portsmouth Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 010223-34)

They have also been offered an additional increase dependent on salary from January 2024 for all local government workers.

While there was an overwhelming vote in favour of strike action in every council, trade union laws require a 50% turnout. The 24 councils where this threshold was met – and where strikes are threatened – are Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Dumfries & Galloway, Dundee City, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Moray, North Ayrshire, Orkney Islands, Perth & Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire.

UNISON Scottish secretary Lilian Macer said: “This is UNISON’s strongest ever strike mandate in local government, which shows the level of anger felt by staff.

"The union will do everything possible to get back around the table with Cosla to resolve this dispute.

"School staff would prefer to be in school working with children, not on picket lines and closing dozens of schools."