An Aberdeen councillor has called for the head of the council’s education committee to step down due to “split” opinions on the teaching strikes.
Aberdeen Labour’s motion on “the best way forward” during industrial action was discussed during a special meeting of Aberdeen City Council.
Councillor Deena Tissera said missing class due to strikes is not in the best interest of children and young people.
Group leaders were asked to sign a joint letter to the first minister to highlight the council’s concerns regarding the “adverse impact” of the strikes.
The letter would also urge the Scottish Government to provide a meaningful pay increase, and call for “realistic, recurring and sustainable” funding from the UK Government to make this possible.
Teacher’s pay dispute negotiations for year 2022/2023 has been ongoing since February 2022.
The SNP Government had been warned on Teachers Strike for months.
It is time that teachers are offered a pay increase that is worthy of their profession!#teachersstrike pic.twitter.com/KeNT8jq9v1
— Deena Tissera (@deenatissera) January 12, 2023
Ms Tissera has now called for the resignation of the council’s education committee convener, Martin Greig, as he abstained from voting on the motion.
She said Mr Greig’s decision suggests he and the committee’s vice-convener, Jessica Mennie, have “split” views over the teaching strikes.
The Hilton, Woodside and Stockethill councillor said: “Following Aberdeen Labour putting forward a statutory meeting to discuss the teachers’ strike at a full council meeting, the convener Councillor Greig, the political lead on education, refused to back the SNP’s position on the strikes.
“If we all believe education is the council’s number one priority, then it is self-evident that Councillor Mennie, the vice convener for education, and Councillor Greig are split on the teachers’ strikes and what is best for our children and young people’s education.
“This split by the administration on the best way forward in the teachers’ strike is not good for our children and young people, nor for the teachers themselves.”
Mr Greig declined to comment when contacted.
Ongoing strike action
Primary and secondary pupils both missed a day of school in the first week back after the New Year due to nationwide strike action.
Union leaders are demanding a pay rise of 10% but the Scottish Government and COSLA have said this is unaffordable.
EIS, which represents about 80% of teachers and lecturers in Scotland, has announced a further 16 strike days which will cause further disruption to children’s learning.
The upcoming strikes will be staggered with each council to make their own decision on what schools will close. Today, Moray Council confirmed all of its schools will be closed on January 19.
Aberdeen City Council teachers will strike again on February 1 if a resolution to the ongoing dispute is not found.
