Glasgow teachers vote for strike action over council cuts

Glasgow teachers vote for strike action over council cuts

Play all audios:

Loading...

THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCOTLAND SAID CUTS BY GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL HAD ALREADY RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN TEACHER NUMBERS IN THE CITY. EMMA O'NEILL Assistant Live News


Editor and CRAIG MEIGHAN PA SCOTLAND POLITICAL REPORTER 18:15, 04 Feb 2025 Teachers in Glasgow have resoundingly opted for strike action, with a vast majority of 95% of the Educational


Institute of Scotland (EIS) members who participated in the vote showing support. With a 57% turnout, educators are taking a stand against Glasgow City Council's budget-cutting


measures. The EIS union has observed that these reductions by the council have already led to a noteworthy drop in teacher numbers and is urging the local authority to cease and reverse


their cutbacks. The initial cuts enacted last year threaten the loss of up to 450 positions, with around 120 jobs being slashed during the previous year and around 300 trimmed this year,


according to EIS. Andrea Bradley, the EIS general secretary proclaimed: "This is an outstanding ballot result, through which our members in Glasgow have sent a very clear message to


Glasgow City Council that they must stop, and reverse, their programme of damaging education cuts. "The impact of the cuts is already being felt in schools across Glasgow, within the


region of 300 teaching posts having been removed already by the council." Bradley underscored the severe consequences for both students and teachers, stating, "This is having a


profoundly negative impact on the operation of Glasgow’s schools, a detrimental impact on the educational experiences of pupils across the city, some of whom are the most socio-economically


deprived in Scotland, and is compounding what can only be described as crisis levels of teacher workload." Article continues below _JOIN THE __DAILY RECORD'S WHATSAPP COMMUNITY


HERE__ AND GET THE LATEST NEWS SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR MESSAGES._ Ms Bradley urged the local authority to "ditch its damaging cuts and "recommit to working with teachers and teaching


unions to deliver the best possible education provision for the young people of Glasgow". This is an outstanding ballot result, through which our members in Glasgow have sent a very


clear message to Glasgow City Council that they must stop, and reverse, their programme of damaging education cuts." She continued: "In a city that faces significant problems with


deprivation, with a large number of young people struggling with poverty-related disadvantage, it is a disgrace that the council continues to push ahead with plans that will further slash


the teacher workforce, and damage the learning experience of pupils in Glasgow’s schools." Article continues below "This ballot result should encourage the council to give serious


pause for thought." A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council responded: "The EIS has notified us of the outcome of their statutory ballot and their mandate for potential strike


action." _DON'T MISS THE LATEST NEWS FROM AROUND SCOTLAND AND BEYOND - SIGN UP TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER HERE._