Closure threat over Fife schools as workers confirm dates for strike action

Trade union, Unite, said its members - who include non-teaching staff such as cleaners, janitors and support workers - will walk out on September 26, 27 and 28 in support of a pay claim. Fife Council said it was monitoring the impact and could not rule out slime school closures which would hit families across the region.

It is the largest ever vote for strike action by school staff across Scotland and could mean mass closures throughout the country. The union balloted school staff working for every council in Scotland over the five per cent pay offer from employer body the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). Workers were due a pay rise in April and have also been offered an additional increase dependent on salary from January 2024 for all local government workers.

While there was an overwhelming vote in favour of strike action in every council, trade union laws require a 50 per cent turnout. In Fife, 58 per cent of members voted, with 90 per cent in favour of strike action

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary said: “COSLA and the Scottish Government have been given warning after warning that strike action will be inevitable unless there is an improved pay offer. The entire blame for this situation is down to COSLA’s ineptitude, and the Scottish Government’s dithering.”

She added: “Our hard working members deserve far more than five per cent. They will have their union’s total support in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions in local government.”

Graham McNab, Unite industrial officer, added: “The coordinated strike action will result in hundreds of schools being closed for three consecutive days across Scotland. We have warned the Scottish Government and COSLA for months but they have collectively buried their heads in the sand.

Sharon McKenzie, Fife Council's head of HR, said: "​​We are assessing the potential impact this action could have,e ​and will work ​to minimise the effect. However, at this point we cannot rule out closures of school buildings to pupils during any industrial action."