Strike update – schools and nurseries

Education officials in Orkney met on Monday (29 August) to discuss the potential impact on schools and nurseries if the planned national strike action over pay goes ahead on three days next week – 6, 7 and 8 September.

Further detailed information is required before confirmation can be given as to which settings may be closed, however, it is likely that there will be significant disruption. Parents and carers are advised to seek alternative childcare provision for those dates.

The Council’s Corporate Director of Education, Leisure and Housing, James Wylie, said: “This is a fast-moving situation with school catering staff, cleaners, caretakers, teaching assistants and early years practitioners involved in the national industrial action.

“Before we can give absolute clarity on which settings will be closed, we are double checking all our information with individual establishments and reviewing the information coming forward from the teaching unions. As soon as we have a clear picture that ensures, first and foremost, the health and wellbeing of all our pupils and staff we will release the list of schools and nurseries affected if the strike action goes ahead.

“Our advice remains to plan for closure and therefore have a contingency plan in place for childcare over these three days.”

The unions – Unison and GMB – have said their members will strike on these three days after talks with CoSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities), the umbrella body for Local Government, failed to reach an agreement in relation to a national pay award for Local Government staff for 2022-23.