UNIONS have now given notice to Glasgow City Council of the dates that school and early years workers will walk out if pay talks stall.

GMB Scotland has today confirmed strike action for schools and early years services in Glasgow City Council and East Renfrewshire Council.

Strikes are timed to coincide with industrial action by cleansing workers across the city.

Unison has previously said strikes by schools support staff could lead to schools closing but it is understood council bosses are still to make a decision. 

READ MORE: Strike action in Glasgow schools moves closer after union ballot

Unison has also sent notices to nine councils across Scotland that school and early years staff will be on strike on September 6, 7 and 8, after lack of progress in talks with COSLA over council pay.

The GMBS said its strikes will start at midnight on September 6 and run each day until 11.59pm on September 8.

This means three days of action on the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday by GMB members in cleaning, janitorial, catering and pupil support services.

Formal notices were served to the respective council Chief Executives for the withdrawal of more than 1200 staff in Glasgow and 150 staff in East Renfrewshire.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser for Public Services Keir Greenaway said the strikes were in response to an “ongoing failure” by politicians to confront the cost of living crisis.

He blamed protracted negotiations for the move to strike.

Mr Greenaway said: "It is ridiculous that we are six months down the line since staff rejected the initial 2% and unions are still trying to get an offer on the table that could help mitigate working poverty for tens of thousands of key workers in local government.

"Our members in schools and early years are among the lowest paid in our councils yet deliver vital services that support our kids’ education, help keep them fed, and their schools clean and safe – all too often they are forgotten workers of the Scottish education system.”

Unison has also sent notice to Glasgow City Council that school and early years staff will be on strike on September 6, 7 and 8.

Unison waste and recycling staff will have already started their strike action on August 26, 27, 28 and 29, then September 7, 8, 9, 10.

READ MORE: Glasgow schools could be hit with two strikes in two months

Unison have a mandate to call out 13,000 workers on strike.

This will be the largest strike among council workers since the Trade Union Act was introduced in 2016 and disrupt early years centres, nurseries, schools and waste and recycling centres.

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “We have now had the official notice of the intention of industrial action on September 6, 7 and 8 and a decision will be taken on whether our schools and nurseries will be able to stay open on these days.

“We will let families know as soon as possible if the decision is to close the schools so that they are able to make alternative arrangements.”

Johanna Baxter, Unison Scotland head of local government, said: “We are in urgent negotiations with the employer to try and find a solution, but so far we have only had an offer of talks – we have not had a pay offer. 

"Until we can explain to Unison members how a pay offer might impact on them, council workers have been left with no choice but to strike.”

Ms Baxter pointed to reports that inflation is to rise to more than 13% and said members are struggling to pay for food, fuel and household bills.

She added: “Until we have a decent pay offer that we can put to Unison members our strike action will continue and thousands of school and early years workers will be talking action across nine councils in Scotland.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “Household bins collections and street cleansing services are likely to experience widespread disruption over the course of the strike action.

“We know this will be a difficult period for residents and visitors and we will seek to recover from the impact of the strike as quickly as possible.

“People should check our website for updates and advice on how to respond to the impact of the strike action.

“We hope agreement can be reached at on-going, national pay negotiations being managed by COSLA on behalf of all Scottish local authorities. “