John Swinney calls for industrial action in schools to be called off

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Perthshire North MSP John Swinney has called for the planned industrial action in schools to be called off.He described it as "unacceptable" that teachers have not been consulted on the latest pay offer which would have represented a 11.5 per cent increase over two years.Schools and school nurseries in John Swinney's constituency are facing closures four weeks in a row.All Perth and Kinross schools were closed from February 15 to 17 for half-term holiday and an in-service day.Schools in Perthshire North will again close from Wednesday, February 22 to February 24 as part of targeted industrial action by the teaching union the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS).

Perthshire North schools will also be targeted with industrial action from March 7 to 9.Schools in the Perthshire South and Kinross-shire constituency will not close for the targeted industrial action.However a further national strike from February 28 to March 1 will close all Perth and Kinross schools and nurseries.The EIS rejected a pay offer which would have seen a backdated six per cent increase for 2022/23 followed by a 5.5 per cent increase from April 2023 for 2023/24.

The union's Salaries convener Des Morris said the revised pay offer was sent to the EIS "after details of it had been leaked to the BBC and other media outlets".As well as the deputy first minister's constituency the targeted industrial action will affect the constituencies of: first minister Nicola Sturgeon, education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, COSLA Resources spokesperson councillor Katie Hagmann and the Scottish Green Party's education spokesperson Ross Greer.Deputy First Minister Mr Swinney said: "I very much regret the further disruption that is being experienced by young