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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Ministers' constituencies targeted in escalation of Scottish school strikes | Ministers' constituencies targeted in escalation of Scottish school strikes |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Scotland's largest teachers' union will target the constituencies of the first minister and her deputy in an escalation of strike action. | Scotland's largest teachers' union will target the constituencies of the first minister and her deputy in an escalation of strike action. |
| It could lead to six further days of strike action in the Glasgow Southside constituency of Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney's Perthshire North patch. | It could lead to six further days of strike action in the Glasgow Southside constituency of Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney's Perthshire North patch. |
| The EIS will also target the Dunfermline constituency of Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville. | The EIS will also target the Dunfermline constituency of Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville. |
| Teachers want a 10% pay increase which ministers say is unaffordable. | Teachers want a 10% pay increase which ministers say is unaffordable. |
| Ms Somerville has said teachers should suspend their strike action while pay talks continue, and called for more "compromise" as the exam season looms. | Ms Somerville has said teachers should suspend their strike action while pay talks continue, and called for more "compromise" as the exam season looms. |
| A national teachers' strike is already scheduled to take place on 28 February and 1 March. | A national teachers' strike is already scheduled to take place on 28 February and 1 March. |
| There are also plans for 20 days of rolling strikes across all local authority areas from 13 March until 21 April. | There are also plans for 20 days of rolling strikes across all local authority areas from 13 March until 21 April. |
| Announcing three additional days of action from 22 to 24 February, the EIS said it would target the constituencies of: | Announcing three additional days of action from 22 to 24 February, the EIS said it would target the constituencies of: |
| First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow Southside) | First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow Southside) |
| Deputy First Minister John Swinney (Perthshire North) | Deputy First Minister John Swinney (Perthshire North) |
| Cabinet Secretary for Education Shirley-Anne Somerville (Dunfermline) | Cabinet Secretary for Education Shirley-Anne Somerville (Dunfermline) |
| Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland (action targeted in East Dunbartonshire) | Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland (action targeted in East Dunbartonshire) |
| A further three days of action from 7 March will target the four MSPs' constituencies and the ward of Dumfries and Galloway councillor Katie Hagmann. | |
| She is resources spokesperson for council umbrella body Cosla but as councillor her ward is Mid Galloway and Wigtown West. | She is resources spokesperson for council umbrella body Cosla but as councillor her ward is Mid Galloway and Wigtown West. |
| The union said details of the schools involved would be published shortly. | The union said details of the schools involved would be published shortly. |
| EIS members have already taken part in three days of national strike action and 16 days of rolling action across the country. | EIS members have already taken part in three days of national strike action and 16 days of rolling action across the country. |
| Shirley-Anne Somerville has called for more compromise to end the dispute | Shirley-Anne Somerville has called for more compromise to end the dispute |
| Shirley-Anne Somerville has called for more compromise to end the dispute | Shirley-Anne Somerville has called for more compromise to end the dispute |
| General secretary Andrea Bradley said it has been a year since the teachers' pay claim was submitted. | General secretary Andrea Bradley said it has been a year since the teachers' pay claim was submitted. |
| They have rejected the current 5% offer, which includes rises of up to 6.85% for the lowest-paid staff. | They have rejected the current 5% offer, which includes rises of up to 6.85% for the lowest-paid staff. |
| Ms Bradley accused the Scottish government and Cosla of having "dithered, delayed and dragged their feet while the cost of living has continued to soar". | Ms Bradley accused the Scottish government and Cosla of having "dithered, delayed and dragged their feet while the cost of living has continued to soar". |
| "The latest offer, for a well below inflation 5%, has now been kicking around for six months and has been rejected by Scotland's teachers twice," she added. | "The latest offer, for a well below inflation 5%, has now been kicking around for six months and has been rejected by Scotland's teachers twice," she added. |
| "Our members have already taken part in three days of national strike action, and a further 16-days of rolling action across the country. | "Our members have already taken part in three days of national strike action, and a further 16-days of rolling action across the country. |
| "The response from the Scottish government and Cosla has been, essentially, nil - and this now has forced an escalation in our action." | "The response from the Scottish government and Cosla has been, essentially, nil - and this now has forced an escalation in our action." |
| On this first anniversary of the teachers' pay claim, the education secretary was at Holyrood confirming plans to stop councils saving cash by cutting teaching posts. | On this first anniversary of the teachers' pay claim, the education secretary was at Holyrood confirming plans to stop councils saving cash by cutting teaching posts. |
| While local authorities are deeply unhappy about that intervention, it should prevent a new front opening up in the dispute between teachers' unions and their employers. | While local authorities are deeply unhappy about that intervention, it should prevent a new front opening up in the dispute between teachers' unions and their employers. |
| It has not, however, softened attitudes in the EIS union over their demands for a 10 percent pay rise. Instead, they have significantly escalated industrial action. | It has not, however, softened attitudes in the EIS union over their demands for a 10 percent pay rise. Instead, they have significantly escalated industrial action. |
| Their plans to target schools in the constituencies of senior ministers will cause extra disruption for pupils and parents in these areas. | Their plans to target schools in the constituencies of senior ministers will cause extra disruption for pupils and parents in these areas. |
| The union hopes this will, in turn, pressure the Scottish government into making a substantially improved pay offer. That is far less certain. | The union hopes this will, in turn, pressure the Scottish government into making a substantially improved pay offer. That is far less certain. |
| 'Financial reality' | 'Financial reality' |
| Ms Somerville, the education secretary, said: "We have been clear that a 10% pay increase for all teachers is unaffordable within the Scottish government's fixed budget. | Ms Somerville, the education secretary, said: "We have been clear that a 10% pay increase for all teachers is unaffordable within the Scottish government's fixed budget. |
| "We've also been very clear about the need to progress opportunities for compromise so we can reach a fair and sustainable settlement for all involved. | "We've also been very clear about the need to progress opportunities for compromise so we can reach a fair and sustainable settlement for all involved. |
| "Escalation of strike action by targeting pupils, parents and carers in certain parts of the country does not change the financial reality the government is operating in." | "Escalation of strike action by targeting pupils, parents and carers in certain parts of the country does not change the financial reality the government is operating in." |
| Mr Greer said teachers and other public sector workers deserved a pay rise but he said the EIS should put pressure on the UK government. | Mr Greer said teachers and other public sector workers deserved a pay rise but he said the EIS should put pressure on the UK government. |
| He added: "The Scottish government could have delivered that if the UK government had given it a funding settlement which matched inflation. | He added: "The Scottish government could have delivered that if the UK government had given it a funding settlement which matched inflation. |
| "Instead, they have cut Scotland's budget in real terms. Holyrood can't pay out money it doesn't have." | "Instead, they have cut Scotland's budget in real terms. Holyrood can't pay out money it doesn't have." |
| Stephen Kerr, the Scottish Conservative's education spokesman called for ministers to "find a solution and finally end these strikes". | Stephen Kerr, the Scottish Conservative's education spokesman called for ministers to "find a solution and finally end these strikes". |
| "Scotland's young people have already endured so much uncertainty during the pandemic and they deserve so much better than further upheaval to their education," he added. | "Scotland's young people have already endured so much uncertainty during the pandemic and they deserve so much better than further upheaval to their education," he added. |