School strikes: new £80m deal to avert strikes at schools including Fife

A last-minute pay offer came in a bid to stop school strike action across the country - including Fife - next week. COSLA, which acts as the employer association on behalf of all 32 Scottish councils, has been locked in a pay dispute with three national trade unions for some time. It has been reported that an extra £80m has been found to clinch a deal.

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.

It balloted school staff working for every council in Scotland over the five per cent pay offer from COSLA, but the offer was refused.

It was the largest ever vote for strike action by school staff across Scotland and could mean mass closures throughout the country.

Fife Council previously said it was monitoring the impact and could not rule out some school closures.

However, Cllr Ross was hopeful that the special COSLA meeting might have found a solution to end the strikes.

“The team met with the deputy First Minister yesterday late afternoon to discuss additional funding that could be reprioritized to enhance an offer. I’m pleased to say that leaders agreed an offer to be made to the SJC unions today,” Councillor Ross told the full council on Thursday morning.

“It remains to be seen whether unions will take that offer to their members but we’re hopeful. It is a significantly improved offer.”

He continued: “I’m not in a position to give the details of that offer at the moment but we're very hopeful that they will be asked to suspend the strike action that’s planned for next in our schools. That is good news. It’s a step in the right direction.”

COSLA was not immediately available for comment on Thursday afternoon.