Unions have ‘unprecedented’ mandate for schools strike, MSPs told

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy There is an “absolutely unprecedented” mandate for strikes by Scottish school workers due to take place next week, MSPs have heard. is absolutely unprecedented and I think demonstrated that feeling of concern and anger amongst the local government workforce Johanna Baxter, Unison She said: “I believe the industrial action ballot results that we have seen, certainly at Unison, are reflective of that level of concern amongst the workforce both in terms of pay and the resourcing of their jobs “I think it’s untenable really for the overall pay bill to remain frozen.” She added: “The ballot result that we saw – we have a strike mandate covering over 21,000 members across 24 local authority areas and almost 2,000 schools – is absolutely unprecedented and I think demonstrated that feeling of concern and anger amongst the local government workforce.” As well as Unison, workers represented by the GMB and Unite trade unions will be taking part in the industrial action next week. Sean Baillie, an organiser at GMB Scotland, told the committee: “This year’s pay award still fails to match the offer that was given to workers in England and Wales councils to the tune of at least £500.” He called on councils to match this pay award for the current financial year Trade unions have rejected the latest pay offer from Cosla, saying it would lead to a “measly” increase of 38p per week for the lowest paid. It said the pay offer currently on the table will cost councils just under half a billion pounds and that council leaders had gone to the “absolute limits of what local government can afford”.