Education staff have accused Glasgow City Council of failing to tackle violence and safety concerns in the city's schools - with union leaders warning they will escalate their campaign unless action is taken.
UNISON has written to the council seeking a meeting to discuss the issue amid reports from support for learning staff and child development officers that they have been kicked, spat on and had furniture thrown at them while at work.
The union's "Unsafe, Undervalued, Understaffed" campaign has gathered support from across the city, with more than 1,000 workers signing a petition calling on the council to ensure schools have sufficient staffing levels and adequate training to support pupils with complex needs.
Staff say the situation has worsened in recent years and are calling for urgent steps to address it. They want the local authority to provide staff with the time and support needed to complete incident reports and debriefings, access training and fully implement existing safety procedures and reporting systems.
Last month, education workers gathered outside one the council’s headquarters to protest over the issue.
Sylvia Haughney, education convenor for UNISON Glasgow City Branch, said: "Education workers have been clear about the reality they face every day. Staff are being assaulted, threatened and left without the time, staffing or support needed to do their jobs safely. We have gathered testimony from members across the city, secured over thousand petition signatures and recently brought over 100 workers together outside the City Chambers.
“The least our members should expect is a response from the council. This campaign is not going away. If Glasgow City Council chooses not to engage with education workers, we will continue to raise these issues publicly and increase pressure until our concerns are properly addressed."
UNISON claims members have consistently reported that existing policies and systems are failing when put into practice because of chronic understaffing and a lack of time to attend training sessions.
The union argues that violence in schools cannot be separated from wider issues around staffing, resources and support for children and young people. Campaign organisers also say they will continue to increase pressure on the council until their demands are properly acknowledged and discussed.
A council spokesperson said: “We do not tolerate violence of any kind towards our employees, and the appropriate sanctions will always be taken.
“We will continue to work with our trade unions on this issue to introduce any new procedures which will help protect our staff and we are already involved in a range of initiatives across the trade unions.
“The safety of council employees is paramount, and our pupils must be aware that violence and aggression towards our school staff will not be tolerated.”
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