Perth and Kinross Council has announced some schools will reopen tomorrow whilst strikes continue.
Around 500 UNISON members took to picket lines across Perth and Kinross as schools and nurseries closed to pupils during industrial action.
The trade union has taken targeted strike action in first minister John Swinney’s Perthshire North constituency and right across Perth and Kinross in a bid to secure better pay for council staff across Scotland.
Council leader Grant Laing was “extremely disappointed” the strikes have gone ahead and has urged UNISON to suspend the industrial action “or, at the very least, reconsider providing exemptions for Fairview School and ISP, thereby mitigating the effect on our most vulnerable children”.
On Monday, October 21 all schools in Perth and Kinross should have reopened following the October holiday fortnight. Instead, parents and carers were hurriedly having – and in many cases struggling – to make alternative provision for their children as non-teaching support staff walked out for up to two weeks as part of a national pay dispute. PKC announced the details of the closures on Friday, October 18 at 4pm.
Monday’s industrial action led to the closure of all Perth and Kinross primary schools, early learning and childcare (ELC) centres, Intensive Support Provision (ISP) and Perth’s Fairview School due to a national pay dispute. All secondary schools – except St John’s Academy in Perth and the Community School of Auchterarder – were open but all secondary ISP provision was closed. Navigate secondary support teaching was and will be open throughout the industrial action.
At 3.40pm on Monday, October 21 Perth and Kinross Council announced on its Facebook page some more schools will open tomorrow.
The PKC statement said: “Industrial action taken by Unison staff in a national dispute over pay is continuing to impact schools in Perth and Kinross.
“We are pleased to say several schools can open tomorrow or on other days this week. Where available we are providing information for the rest of this week to help parents and carers with their plans.
“However, please note the situation at each school may change on a daily basis. We intend to provide updates at 1pm each day for parents and carers on social media and through our website. Our school closures page www.pkc.gov.uk/schoolclosures will also be updated every day.
“Fairview School is closed. Intensive Support Provision (ISP) is also closed unless otherwise stated. Connections is closed but Navigate will be open.
On Tuesday, October 22 all secondaries will be open but St John’s Academy (Secondary) and Community School of Auchterarder are only open to pupils in S4 to S6.
“There will be no ISP at Crieff High School.
Breadalbane is able to provide ISP to primary and secondary pupils but ELC is only open to three and four-year-olds.
Primary Schools – OPEN
Abernyte
Blair Atholl
Collace
Dunning
Forgandenny
Glendelvine
Glenlyon
Kinloch Rannoch
Portmoak
Ruthvenfield
Primary Schools PARTIALLY OPEN
Abernethy – primary open, ELC closed
Aberuthven – closed Monday and Fridays but open Tuesday to Thursday
Alyth –primary open, ELC closed
Arngask – primary open, ELC closed
Auchtergaven – primary open, ELC closed
Blackford – open to P6 and P7all week only. Open to P4 and P5 on Wednesdays.
Braco – primary open, ELC closed
Breadalbane – primary open, and is able to provide ISP to primary and secondary pupils, ELC is only open to three and four-year-olds.
Comrie – primary open, ELC closed
Craigie – primary open, ELC closed
Errol – P6 and P7 only
Fossoway – open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, ELC closed
Guildtown – primary open. ELC will remain closed all week.
Invergowrie – school open, ELC closed
Kenmore – open Wednesday only
Kinnoull – closed Tuesday, open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Logiealmond – open Thursday and Friday only
Luncarty – primary open,, ELC closed. No breakfast club
Methven – P1 and P2 only. ELC open.
Moncreiffe – school closed ELC open
Muthil – open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Pitlochry Primary – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday to P1 to P7. Tuesday open P1 to P4, Friday open to P5 – P7.
St Dominic’s – school open, ELC closed
Primary Schools CLOSED
Balbeggie
Burrelton
Cleish
Coupar Angus
Crieff
Dunbarney
Goodlyburn
Goodlyburn COPECC
Grandtully
Inchture
Inch View
Kettins
Kinross
Kirkmichael
Letham
Logierait
Longforgan
Madderty
Meigle
Milnathort
Murthly
Newhill
Oakbank
Our Lady’s
Pitcairn
Rattray
Riverside
RDM
Royal School of Dunkeld
St Madoe’s
St Ninian’s Episcopal
St Stephen’s
Stanley
Tulloch
Viewlands
Community School of Auchterarder (primary)
St John’s Academy (primary)
Wraparound care is closed everywhere except Luncarty and St Dominic’s.”
On Monday morning, UNISON branch secretary Stuart Hope said: “We had 15 different picket lines with about 30-40 at most of them so there were probably over 500 out on picket lines this morning.
“It’s basically all our members who are involved in the day-to-day running of our schools and the education of children.
“The main reason for the strike was COSLA’s decision to implement a pay offer that our members had overwhelmingly rejected by 86 per cent so they basically left us with no option but to take action.
“We had mandates to strike in 17 different areas across Scotland but with Perth and Kinross being the constituency of the first minister and the Scottish Government having the power to resolve this that’s why the strike is happening in Perth [and Kinross] these two weeks.”
Many parents have reacted angrily as they try to juggle work and care for their children when they would normally be at school.
Stuart said: “We feel for kids who have been inconvenienced by this and kids who have missed out on some education but our hands were tied. It was either take no action or take the strongest action we could and this is the strongest action we could take.
“We gave Perth and Kinross two weeks’ notice of this. There’s plenty that could have been done. We’re supporting a youth organisation who are providing meals so we’re doing what we can.
“It was very short notice PKC gave of what schools were closed but we gave them two weeks’ notice and were clear with them how many members we were taking out so we’ve done as much as we can to ensure people can organise this. We realise it’s a huge inconvenience for people but we hope they understand we are doing this for the right reason.”
Earlier on Monday morning finance secretary Shona Robison told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme “the result of this industrial action and all this disruption will not be more money, because there simply is none”.
She said: “I’m acutely aware of the impact on children and parents in Perth and Kinross
“I would certainly encourage dialogue to continue between COSLA and UNISON; a solution has to be found.”
But branch secretary Stuart Hope was unconvinced.
He said: “The very fact both Shona Robison and the first minister have been coming out with this statement that there’s no money that just simply doesn’t wash with us or our members. They need to come to the table along with COSLA to find a resolution for this”
Perth and Kinross Council leader Councillor Grant Laing was “extremely disappointed” the strikes went ahead.
He added: “Notification for these strikes only arrived on Monday, October 7, at the very start of the holidays. That’s made it impossible for our officers to plan a response and so we have had no choice but to close all primaries on Monday, as well as Fairview School and Intensive Support Provision, to ensure the safety of our pupils. We had hoped for a resolution but unfortunately this has not materialised.
“We will be monitoring the impact of this industrial action throughout the next two weeks and re-opening schools where we can. However, it is likely that a considerable number of young people could potentially miss out on two weeks of school. It’s also incredibly difficult for parents and carers who may have already used up their own holidays during the October fortnight.
“Most of those who will be going out on strike will be receiving pay rises of between 4.1 per cent and 4.9 per cent under the pay offer agreed by the other two unions, while figures this week show inflation has slowed to 1.7 per cent.
“I would again urge UNISON to consider the impact this strike is having on families and suspend strike action or, at the very least, reconsider providing exemptions for Fairview School and ISP, thereby mitigating the effect on our most vulnerable children.”
A COSLA statement published in September 2024 about the 2024/25 pay uplift said: “Our Trade Unions asked us for a pay deal that focused on the lowest paid as well as giving every employee a pay increase above the rate of inflation. We have listened and awarded a pay uplift which ensures everyone will benefit financially in 2024/25. The package of funding to finance this pay uplift was carefully constructed to ensure that jobs and services are
protected – this is as far as councils can go to ensure this is the case.”
A PKC spokesperson said: “It is possible a small number of primary schools will be able to open later in the week. However, the situation is likely to remain fluid and may change for individual schools on a day-to-day basis. We will continue to provide updates when necessary. Schools will also email parents and carers about their arrangements on Monday.”
As the LDRS went to press, no updates had been confirmed.
The spokesperson added: “Where schools are closed before and after school care (Breakfast Clubs, Kids Clubs and Wraparound Care) will also be closed.
“Remote learning will be provided when schools are closed to pupils as teachers are not taking part in the industrial action.
“Payments will be made to families whose children are eligible for Free School Meals because their families are in receipt of qualifying benefits.”