Fife school strikes: Teachers plan 16 more days of strikes in pay dispute

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) announced the action today as a dispute over a sub-inflationary 5% pay offer for teachers intensifies. The strikes are planned over consecutive days in January and February.

Schools across Fife were closed on Thursday by the first day of action - the first industrial action by teachers for four decades, with picket lines formed outside many of them.

Andrea Bradley, EIS general secretary said, “Scotland’s teachers responded magnificently to yesterday’s day of strike action, turning out in their tens of thousands on picket lines, at demos and at campaign rallies across Scotland.

“Members have been greatly angered by the actions of the Scottish Government and COSLA who – after three months of delay – came back earlier this week with the same 5% pay offer that our members had already rejected overwhelmingly.

“Yesterday’s strike action was a clear message: Scotland’s teachers are not going to be fooled by spin from COSLA and the Scottish Government, and we are determined to make a strong stand until we receive a substantially improved fair pay settlement for all teachers.”

Ms Bradley said members have been further angered by the behaviour of the Scottish Government and COSLA over the way that the offer was presented.

“Having dragged the process out for three months, they waited until 30 minutes before the EIS was due to meet to consider the revised proposal, to actually present their reheated 5% offer. They then released it to the press, with all their accompanying spin, before the EIS Salaries Committee had even had a chance to discuss the offer,” she said.

“In these bad-faith actions, the Scottish Government and COSLA have displayed little respect for the agreed negotiating process, and even less respect for Scotland’s hard-working teachers.”