The GMB Union welcomed news that the Highland Council had vetoed proposals to axe 300 specialist teaching roles in schools.
The council’s budget team said on Wednesday draft proposals that envisioned cutting 270 classroom assistants and 30 Additional Needs teachers would be “deleted.”
GMB Lead Rep, Paul MacPherson, said: “The GMB welcomes the decision by Highland Council’s elected members to withdraw the proposal to cut ASN hours, and staff, in schools.
School jobs saved from Highland Council cuts after a public outcry
“The GMB also anticipates that work will be done by Council leaders to avoid any further, potential, redundancies being made in services.”
He added: “We would welcome that a quick settlement figure is now established to avoid further stress and anxiety for all Council staff.”
The final settlement is unlikely to be defined by the Scottish Government until next week leading to insecurity about where cuts could fall.
That as the council is battling to plug an anticipated funding gap of over £23 million after it saw its block grant from the Scottish Government cut by £8 million.
The authority’s budget team leader, Councillor Alister Mackinnon, said the “unpalatable” lay-offs would not be made.
This comes after a public outcry when the local authority wrote to teaching staff informing them of the possibility of redundancies leading to the proposals being made public.
