Glasgow school strikes: Teachers protest at Nicola Sturgeon's office

Southside teachers and members of the EIS the teaching union are seeking a 10 per cent pay rise.

The protestors handed over a letter to the outgoing First Minister on Thursday morning, urging her to ‘pay attention’.

Striking teachers at the rally in Glasgow (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

The letter stated: “You have less than one month left in office…we are asking that you ‘Keep Your Promise’, not only to care-experienced children, some of whom stand here as teachers today, but to Education.

“We ask that you use this period to ensure a positive legacy in your constituency, your city and country by resolving our dispute.”

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The action, which follows mass walkouts earlier this year, is part of a three-day campaign aimed at politicians in key decision-making positions, including the First Minister, Ross Greer in Clydebank and Milngavie, John Swinney in Perthshire and Shirley-Anne Somerville in Dunfermline.

EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said: "This escalation of action, targeted at politicians with the ability to end this dispute, has been necessitated by the continuing refusal of the Scottish Government and COSLA to offer Scotland's teachers a fair pay deal. We are taking this action reluctantly, and with a heavy heart, but after more than a year of waiting for an acceptable pay offer, Scotland's teachers have simply run out of patience.”

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She added: “We want to see this dispute settled, and could call off further strike action immediately, if the Scottish Government and COSLA offer an acceptable pay deal."

“Teachers have been subject to many years of real-terms pay erosion, and this has been brought to a head by the current cost of living crisis with RPI inflation hitting more than 14 percent.

"The Scottish Government was given ample warning that teachers would expect a fair pay increase this year, but has dragged the process out for more than a year with little progress towards a fair deal."

Around 80 percent of primary and secondary school teachers are part of the Educational Institute of Scotland, which submitted its claim for the rise more than a year ago.

Councillor Katie Hagmann, COSLA resources spokesperson said: “COSLA Leaders and Scottish Government are clear that it is in all of our interests, not least those of children, young people and families, to conclude the teachers’ pay negotiations as quickly as we can to bring back stability and certainty in our schools.

“Pay talks are continuing and we would appeal to our trade union colleagues to suspend their industrial action while these discussions are ongoing.”

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We are very disappointed that the latest pay offer – the fifth offered to unions – was rejected. It would have meant an 11.5 percent increase, or £5000, in April for most teachers, and a cumulative increase of almost 30% since January 2018.

“It is extremely regrettable that rather than put this offer to their members, EIS is escalating strike action, targeting particular parts of the country and bringing further disruption to pupils on the basis of where they live.  

“I would like to restate my commitment to pupils, parents and carers that our focus remains on resolving the industrial dispute, delivering a fair and sustainable settlement for teachers and ending disruption in our schools

“Pay talks are continuing and I would, again, appeal to the EIS to suspend industrial action while these discussions are ongoing.”