Schools in Swinney’s constituency to close due to strike

Schools in the constituency of First Minister John Swinney will be closed this week due to ongoing strike action.

Trade union Unison called the action targeting Mr Swinney’s seat over the next two weeks after members working in non-teaching roles in schools rejected a pay offer from local authority body Cosla.

The deal would have increased pay by 67p an hour or 3.6%, whichever was higher, and was accepted by the two other main unions – and council leaders voted to impose the increase on staff.

In a statement published on its website, Perth and Kinross Council said all primary schools, nurseries, intensive support settings and two secondary schools will be closed on Monday.

The council was unable to carry out risk assessments of primary schools and nurseries due to the October holidays, meaning facilities could not open immediately.

The council said schools could open later this week, but the situation would likely remain “fluid” for the duration of the action, and “may change for individual schools on a day-to-day basis”.

The First Minister has previously described the targeting of his seat as “unacceptable” and there was “no justification” for it.

He added there is no more money for the Scottish Government to hand local authorities to fund a better deal.

While Colette Hunter, Unison’s local government committee chairwoman in Scotland, previously accused Mr Swinney of making “inflammatory accusations against hard-working council staff” and that, as First Minister, he “has the power and the means to resolve this dispute and avoid school closures”.

She said: “This year, teachers got a pay rise of 4.6%, NHS staff received 5.5%, MSPs received 6.7% and some councillors got a pay rise of 13.8%.

“Council staff are being left behind again – they have every justification in pressurising the Scottish Government to find a solution.”