Planned strike action at Falkirk district schools next week suspended for now

GMB Scotland members including catering staff, janitors, cleaners and support workers had planned to walk out on September 13 and 14 in a dispute over pay.

However, GMB Scotland said scheduled strike action has been suspended and it is discussing joint industrial action with local government unions later this month.

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland’s senior organiser in public services, said: “We wanted to give parents, children and local authorities as much clarity around our plans as possible.

“We had served notice for two days of strike action this month but as our sister unions cannot join us on these dates these have been withdrawn and we are actively discussing joint action with our sister unions for later in the month.

“Cosla has an opportunity to avert that action if they can offer our members a fair pay rise and we can only urge them to take that opportunity.”

The ten councils due to be affected next week were Aberdeen, Clackmannanshire, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Glasgow, Orkney, Renfrewshire and South Ayrshire.

The union’s members rejected the councils’ offer of 5.5 per cent in April branding it unacceptable when inflation has surged inflicting a cost-of-living crisis.