North east school staff strike ballot closing today
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A ballot on whether Aberdeenshire and Moray school staff will take industrial action over pay and conditions will close this morning.
Cleaners, caterers and support staff across Scotland could walk out if they vote to strike.
This would result in school closures in Moray and the rest of the country.
The ballot is being run by local government union Unison.
It comes after members rejected a 5% pay offer from local government organisation Cosla.
Unison area manager John Frew stated there had been a good response from members in the postal ballot.
He said: "Staff are feeling a bit overworked with more to do and less recognition for that.
"Generally, pupil support assistants are feeling particularly low, and that’s for a multitude of reasons.
"Partly pay and more expectations put on them."
Unison is calling for a 12% pay rise, and an increase in mileage payments to align members with those in the NHS.
In Moray primary school and nursery office workers are facing job losses, cuts to their hours and downgrading of roles as part of a council review.
Members protested outside the local authority’s headquarters in May over the staff consultation.
Results from the consultation are expected to come before elected members in the next few weeks.
The Unison ballot closes at 10am today.
Cosla offered a 5% increase from April 2023, plus an additional increase that varied depending on an individual’s salary payable from January 2024.
Waste and recycling workers in Stirling, Perth and Kinross took four days of industrial action earlier this month.
In April just over 87% of Unison members across Scotland rejected the 5% figure.
And almost 91% of those said they would be willing to take strike action to pursue an improved offer.
