UNISON Scotland has received a message of unwavering solidarity from Andrea Bradley, the General Secretary of the EIS Union.
In this message, she extends heartfelt support to our dedicated UNISON members within the Education sector who have taken a courageous stand for fair pay on behalf of all local government workers.
Highlighting the invaluable contributions of education workers to the growth and development of young minds and our society as a whole, Andrea Bradley emphasises the urgent need to address the undervaluation of their work:
Solidarity from EIS
“The EIS stands in full solidarity with UNISON members within Education who have been forced to take strike action in the just fight for fair pay.
Education is a vital public service within which workers are contributing massively to young people’s learning, care and development for the benefit of our whole society.
Yet we continue to see that work being undervalued by those who hold the purse-strings. All power to your members for their courage in standing up for themselves, their colleagues and their families… and for the future of Scottish Education. All school staff deserve to be paid fairly for the essential work that they do. No ifs, no buts, no maybes. Solidarity from the EIS!”
– Andrea Bradley, EIS General Secretary
COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann responded yesterday: “I am extremely disappointed with the news from UNISON today that not only are they recommending rejection of this half a billion pay package – they are putting our communities, especially our children and young people, through the turmoil and mayhem of strikes next week with their actions.
“We have met every ask of our Trade Union colleagues throughout these negotiations and this best and final offer was made on the basis that strikes would be suspended.
“We absolutely value all our Local Government Workforce and throughout these negotiations Council Leaders have re-iterated the value we place on the Workforce and the work that they do.
“It is totally unacceptable that with such a significant offer on the table that our Trade Union colleagues are putting our communities and our young people through the turmoil of strikes.
“It must be reiterated that we are talking about a pay package worth over £445 million, specifically targeted at the lower end of our workforce. A pay package which not only compares well to other sectors but recognises the cost-of-living pressures on our workforce and which would mean the lowest paid would see an in-year uplift of over £2000 or just under 10%.
“This would mean that a pupil support assistant currently earning £22,000 would receive a £2006 pay increase and a new salary of £24.000. This is an additional £748 from the offer in April.”