Teachers will strike for a further 16 days in the new year in an ongoing dispute over pay.
Tens of thousands of members of teachers union EIS took to picket lines across Scotland on Thursday.
The first national pay strike by teachers in 40 years was spurred by a a sub-inflationary 5% pay offer – with the union pushing for 10%.
Anger surrounding pay hasn’t subsided after yesterday’s strikes, urging EIS to plan more for January and February.
Strike days had already been planned for January 10 and 11, meaning there are now a total of 18 strikes planned.
When will strikes take place near you?
In the newly announced strikes, teachers in local authorities will take turns striking on 16 consecutive days, two areas at a time.
Teachers in the north and north-east will swap the classroom for the picket line on the following dates:
Tuesday January 10 – All primary schools
Wednesday January 11 – All secondary schools
Why are more strikes planned?
Earlier this week, the Scottish Government and Cosla went to teachers with a 5% pay offer despite the fact they had already rejected it months before.
Andrea Bradley, general secretary of EIS said this move “displayed little respect for the agreed negotiating process, and even less respect for Scotland’s hard-working teachers.”
She added: “We have been forced into the escalation of this action by the lack of willingness to negotiate properly and to pay teachers properly, by a government that says it wished to be judged on its record on education.
“It is now for the Scottish Government and Cosla to resolve this dispute, and prevent further strike action, by coming back to the negotiating table with a substantially improved pay offer for all of Scotland’s teaching professionals.”
In response to the recent announcement, North East MSP Douglas Lumsden said teachers are “at breaking point” and accused the Scottish Government of being “negligent” towards them.
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