Press Release – For Immediate Release

6 December 2022

SSTA STRIKE ACTION TO GO AHEAD

SSTA members are to go ahead with strikes in secondary schools across Scotland on Wednesday 7 December and Thursday 8 December. Most secondary schools will be closed with some partially open to senior pupils although these schools may have difficulties as some of these pupils may be left unsupervised whilst in the school building.

Seamus Searson SSTA General Secretary said

“The employers (COSLA) and the Scottish Government has failed to contact the SSTA since 22 November to avert the strikes taking place this week. The proposed SSTA strikes are having an impact by causing confusion in many local authorities in trying to keep schools open. SSTA members are taking part in the strike this week to send a hard message to the employer and Scottish Government that teachers demand to be respected and receive a professional salary that will act to retain teachers in Scottish schools”.

“Hopefully, the employers and the Scottish Government will understand that all teacher unions in Scotland are united in seeking a fair and reasonable pay settlement and there needs to be a willingness to solve the pay dispute. The latest offer was quickly rejected by the teacher unions and was deliberately divisive and inadequate. This apparent show of contempt to teachers by this offer has hardened the resolve of members and forced the SSTA to take the strongest form of action”.

“For many SSTA members this will be the first strike they will have taken part in, and this action will have caused a great deal of anxiety not only for themselves but for the pupils they teach. The SSTA can only apologise to the pupils and their parents who are stuck in the middle of a dispute that should have been resolved in months ago (April 2022). Teachers do not want to be taking strike action as they would rather be in school teaching”.

“The SSTA as always is willing to meet at any time with the employers and Scottish government to find a resolution to this dispute but there must be willingness to engage on the part of the other side”.

[Ends]

Notes For Editors

A summary of the strike dates by Local Authority are noted below.