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80,000 Pupils Hit As Schools Shut By Strike Walkout By 250,000 Workers Set to Cause Widespread Disruption

Posted on: Friday, 24 March 2006, 15:00 CST

By VIVIENNE NICOLL and GORDON THOMSON

A STRIKE by up to 250,000 Scots council workers on Tuesday will shut more than 400 schools in the Glasgow area and hit almost 80,000 kids.

Every primary, nursery and special educational needs school in Glasgow will close, hitting 55,000 pupils.

In East Dunbartonshire, all schools, including secondaries, will shut, affecting 22,300 youngsters.

In other regions, council bosses are holding talks with union officials to avoid closing schools - but even if they open there will still be disruption for pupils.

The 24-hour strike is over pensions and the walkout will affect a wide range of council services.

Parents of children at Glasgow's primary, nursery and special educational needs schools will receive letters telling them to keep their youngsters at home on that day.

Secondary pupils will not be affected by the industrial action because support staff, such as janitors and cleaners, are all employed by Amey. They switched to the private sector when the city council agreed a GBP220million schools Private Public Partnership with the construction company.

Glasgow has 180 primary schools, 138 pre-five establishments, including family learning centres, and 35 special education needs schools.

The strike will hit all the city's 41,000 primary pupils, 12,000 nursery children and 2000 special needs pupils.

All parents and carers have been sent a letter by Ronnie O'Connor, the council's executive director for education, training and young people.

Hesays the action will involve janitorial, catering, cleaning, child development officers, classroom assistants, pupil support assistants, librarians, instructors, auxiliaries, technicians, escorts, drivers, crossing patrollers and administrative staff.

The letter said the closure decision was taken "to ensure the safety and well being of pupils, and because of the uncertainty of the situation".

It added: "Special educational needs pupils attending mainstream secondary schools should not attend on Tuesday due to anticipated difficulties in providing transport, escorts and auxiliaries.

"In secondary schools there may be disruption to normal catering arrangements but a lunchtime snack menu will be available."

In East Dunbartonshire, all nine secondary schools, 36 primaries, two special schools and 20 nurseries will close.

Elsewhere, council bosses in East Renfrewshire were still talking to unions and hoping to keep open the region's seven secondaries, 24 primaries and one special school, as well as three council-run nurseries and a number of schoolbased nursery classes.

They are expected to inform parents on Monday if schools have to be closed.

Renfrewshire Council said all its 12 secondaries and 52 primaries would open as normal, with packed lunches for pupils who normally qualify for a free meal.

There are three schools for pupils with special educational needs. Officials are hoping kids with "priority needs" will be allowed to use the facilities on Tuesday.

Transport drivers will be on strike, but parents are being offered the chance to bring their child to a centre on Tuesday.

North Lanarkshire Council said all its primaries and secondaries would open. The majority of nurseries and special education schools would also open, but some may be affected on a case by case basis.

South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and East Ayrshire councils said they were still talking to union officials.

Willie Hart, of the teachers' union the EIS, said teaching staff were being advised to report for work as normal on Tuesday.

A Glasgow council spokesman warned the day of action is likely to result in the closure of other public buildings in the city.

These will include galleries and museums, sports and community centres, swimming pools, and council and social work offices. It is also likely there will be no refuse collection.

Civilian support staff who work for the police will also join the strike, while cleaners and cooks based at fire stations and divisional HQs will also walk out.

YOUR COUNCIL

GLASGOW

All primary, nursery and special needs schools closed. Secondaries still due to open.

EAST AYRSHIRE

Still talking to unions.

EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE

All primary, secondary, special needs and nursery schools shut.

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE

Still in talks with unions.

NORTH LANARKSHIRE

All primaries and secondaries will open, plus most nurseries and special needs schools.

SOUTH LANARKSHIRE

Still talking to unions.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE

Still talking, hoping to keep schools and nurseries open.

RENFREWSHIRE

All primary, secondary and nursery schools open, still hoping to open special needs schools.

Source: Evening Times; Glasgow (UK)

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