Nicola Sturgeon hits out at Tory 'hypocrisy' over teachers' strikes

Nicola Sturgeon has criticised the “hypocrisy” of the Conservatives in a spat over the rolling teachers’ strikes across Scotland.

At First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Ms Sturgeon was asked what steps the Scottish government was taking to end the walkouts.

She stated that Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville was working closely with the trade unions and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) to reach a “fair and affordable” deal.

Ms Sturgeon noted: “That dialogue has been constructive. There does still remain a gap between the union asks and, to be blunt, what is affordable within our finite resources and therefore we look for further compromise.”

The first minister claimed there was a “shared commitment” to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, which brings together unions, the government and local authority leaders, met twice last week to try to find a way through the dispute, with Ms Sturgeon saying more talks are planned for Friday.

Tory education spokesman Stephen Kerr highlighted that last November’s walkout was the first teachers’ strike in 40 years.

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He claimed the current rolling strikes were causing “chaos for hundreds of thousands of parents and carers and pupils”, across Scotland.

He then hit out at Ms Somerville, stating: “The cabinet secretary shows no energy, no urgency to get involved and to resolve the teachers’ strike.”

He added: “The first minister used to say that education was her top priority. Will she step in and end the strike?”

Ms Sturgeon then hit back, accusing the Tories of “hypocrisy”.

She said: “As teachers’ strikes loom in England, the hypocrisy of the Tories is absolutely staggering.

“Shirley-Anne Somerville will continue to do everything possible to reach an agreement with COSLA and our teaching unions to deliver a fair pay increase for teachers.”

The first minister claimed over the past few years, teachers have already had a 21% pay rise.

She added: “So we will continue to seek a fair settlement.

“But the hypocrisy really is staggering because Stephen Kerr talks about the efforts Shirley-Anne Somerville is making – and she is making strenuous efforts.

“The Tory education secretary in England just in the last few days said this, ‘that we didn’t negotiate pay with teaching unions because that is not what we are here to do’.

“So in Scotland they demand that the education secretary resolves it. In England, of course, the Tories simply wash their hands and dig their heels in because they don’t value public sector workers. They want to take away the right to strike of public sector workers.

“This government does value all of our public sector workers.”

Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union began 16 days of industrial action on Monday with teachers set to demonstrate across the country.

The protests, which will be held in two of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas each day until 6 February, took place in Moray and North Lanarkshire on Thursday.

Unions have rejected a pay offer which would see most teachers receive a 5% wage rise, although the lowest earners would get an increase of 6.85%.

Andrea Bradley, general secretary of EIS, previously said there had been “plenty of talk” from the Scottish government and COSLA, but “little action in terms of improvement to their offer”.

She added: “Our strike action will continue until a new, suitably improved and fair offer is put on to the table.”

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