EIS warns of school closures when support staff strike

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has warned that schools must close during planned strike action next month in order to keep pupils and teachers safe.

Andrea Bradley, EIS general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), spoke out after unions representing workers including school catering staff, cleaners, caretakers, teaching assistants and early years practitioners confirmed they will go on strike for three days due to a pay dispute.

Bradley said: “The EIS believes that schools should close during the support staff industrial action, on health and safety grounds. The staff who will be taking industrial action play a vital role in ensuring the health and safety of pupils and staff, so it is difficult to see how schools can open safely during this time.

“Where a headteacher or council takes the decision to open a school on a strike day, they must be able to demonstrate clearly that this can be done safely without any risk to the health and safety of pupils or staff or the security of school buildings.

“The EIS has issued information to members regarding the support staff strike, including the very clear advice not to carry out any work normally undertaken by a member of support staff engaged in industrial action.”

The EIS, Scotland's biggest teaching union, has submitted a 10 per cent pay claim for 2022-23.