First Minister John Swinney says there is “no justification” for a strike set to close schools in his Perthshire constituency for two weeks.
Primary schools and early learning and childcare (ELC) settings will likely close during the planned walkout from October 21.
The council hopes secondary schools will be able to remain open.
Mr Swinney told The Courier he remains deeply concerned and disappointed by the strike action taken by Unison, which is targeting his Perthshire North constituency.
The trade union says it wants to “bring home” the importance of finding a fair pay settlement.
John Swinney ‘deeply concerned’ over Perth school strike
Mr Swinney said: “I remain deeply concerned and deeply disappointed by this situation.
“I believe there is no justification for this industrial action that will target the parents and pupils of Perthshire North when what was asked for by the unions had been delivered – and accepted by members of two of the three unions concerned.”
Two other unions have both voted to accept the pay rise offered, but Unison says it is out of line with what has been offered to other public sector workers.
Government told to halt ‘severe decline’ in council funding
Unison’s Perth and Kinross branch secretary Stuart Hope said the SNP government must tackle the “severe decline” in local government funding.
He said previously: “Taking action like this is the last thing school and early years staff want to do.
“Employees are taking this first stand on behalf of all local government workers because they’ve seen a decade of pay cuts and they see other sectors being offered deals of greater value.
“A fair pay deal should have been in place from 1 April, but six months later it’s still not been agreed.
“Instead, the employer has imposed a wage rise rejected by a majority of the workers Unison represents. Yet again local government staff are being forced to strike to simply get fair pay.”
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