Falkirk Council: Strikes by school staff to take place next month

Falkirk Council’s schools and early years centres will be affected by the industrial action on September 13 and 14, GMB Scotland confirmed. They are among non-teaching staff from ten local authorities across the country who voted in favour of the action after rejecting a pay offer.

The union, which represents more than 21,000 workers across Scotland’s 32 councils, today served notice on the ten local authorities telling them staff in schools and early years working across catering, cleaning, pupil support, administration and janitorial services will strike next month.

The union’s members rejected the councils’ offer of 5.5 per cent in April branding it unacceptable when inflation has surged inflicting a cost-of-living crisis.

GMB Scotland senior organiser for public services, Keir Greenaway warned talks next Friday, August 25, will be the final opportunity for Cosla to avert disruptive strikes.

He said: “The latest figures show that, despite rising wages, pay is still being outstripped by inflation. The pay offer to council workers does not come close to matching the surging cost of living and one that is worth less with every month that passes.

“Scotland stands on the shoulders of our local authority workers and the value of their work must be reflected in their salaries.

“Cosla has refused to seriously engage with our members during what has been a protracted, frustrating process. If they had, parents and pupils would not now be facing disruption. Cosla and Scottish ministers need to engage now or risk turning a crisis into a calamity.”