Swinney: It is unacceptable for my area to be targeted with school strikes

John Swinney has said it is “unacceptable” for a union to “single out” his constituency for school strikes.

The Scottish First Minister said there is “no justification” that his area is being targeted by Unison.

The trade union announced earlier this week that it will launch industrial action that could close schools and early years centres across Perth and Kinross.

The union, which is the largest local government union in Scotland, has said it hopes targeting the action in Mr Swinney’s constituency will “bring home to him the importance of finding a fair settlement” in a council pay dispute.

It comes after the union voted against the latest pay offer from local government umbrella body Cosla, which would see staff receive an increase of either 67p an hour or 3.6%, whichever is higher.

Council leaders in Scotland have already voted to impose the deal despite Unison’s opposition, saying two other unions – GMB and Unite – have accepted it.

Speaking during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Murdo Fraser – a Scottish Tory MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife – told the First Minister that parents and pupils across the region are “deeply concerned” at the threat of strikes.

“This action is being deliberately targeted at the First Minister’s constituency and will impact on young people, many of whom have already had their schooling disrupted by Covid,” he said.

“Unison claim they simply want the same pay rises that other public sector workers have already been awarded, but school pupils are caught in the crossfire.

“So what is the Scottish Government doing to try and avoid this damaging action from proceeding?”

Mr Swinney replied: “Mr Fraser will not be surprised to know that I take this issue deadly seriously as a parent of a school pupil who stands to be affected by this in Perth and Kinross, as well as a representative of 64,000 people in my constituency whose families stand to be affected by this.

“Let me be absolutely clear with Parliament, I think there’s absolutely no justification for my constituents to be singled out and targeted just because I am the First Minister of Scotland.”

Mr Swinney, the MSP for Perthshire North, said the staff involved are employed by councils, not the Scottish Government.

He added: “For my constituents to be singled out for treatment just because their MSP happens to be the First Minister is absolutely unacceptable.”

He said there is no more money for the Scottish Government to hand local authorities to fund a better deal.

Unison has said its members are angry the pay deal they have been offered lags behind that of other public services – with nurses and other NHS staff being given a 5.5% wage hike.

The strike action could see schools and early years centres in Perth and Kinross closed for two weeks from October 21.

Unison added that with the action taking place immediately after the October holiday, schools could be closed to youngsters for four weeks in total.

Colette Hunter, the union’s local government committee chairwoman in Scotland, said: “John Swinney needs to stop making inflammatory accusations against hard-working council staff and reflect on what he can do to help us find a solution.

“As First Minister of Scotland he has the power and the means to resolve this dispute and avoid school closures.

“In a meeting in September, Cosla and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government were clear they wanted to find a negotiated settlement.

“Council workers have seen their pay cut by 25% over the past decade or so. This year, teachers got a pay rise of 4.6%, NHS staff received 5.5%, MSPs received 6.7% and some councillors got a pay rise of 13.8%.

“Council staff are being left behind again – they have every justification in pressurising the Scottish Government to find a solution.”