Dear Colleague
Tomorrow marks the first day of the escalation of our industrial action campaign, with targeted strike action taking place in four of the five key constituency areas:
- Glasgow Southside (First Minister)
- Perthshire North (Deputy First Minister)
- Dunfermline (Cabinet Secretary for Education); and
- Clydebank and Milngavie (Scottish Greens Education Spokesperson).
We move to this action with the aim of eliciting a better offer, faster, from the key decision-makers in Scottish Government, who so far, have lacked the political will - not the resource - to settle the current pay dispute fairly.
They have had over a year now to do so and have failed time after time to take the opportunities presented them to bring forward a settlement.
EIS members in these areas, in spearheading this phase of our strike action, have the full support and solidarity of the Union.
Full strike pay will compensate for the loss of salary.
Just as important will be the solidarity shown by members across the Union throughout the next three days. We encourage you to send messages of solidarity directly to school branches and across social media; and where possible, to visit picket lines and local rallies en route to work or at lunchtime.
Remember - unity is strength. It is by taking action together, maintaining our solidarity with one another so that we can be strike-strong as a union when needed, that we will win a fair settlement from this dispute for all of Scotland's teachers.
Some seek to divide us because it suits their agenda to do so. But as workers who have a just pay claim and teachers who have a rightful cause, we must stand strongly together against any 'divide and conquer' tactics.
Some seek to weaken our resolve - blaming teachers and unions for the strikes because it shields them from true blame. But we must be live to these efforts and push back together against them. Smoke and mirrors won't deliver the fair pay that you as teachers deserve.
We must stand together with eyes open, minds focused and hearts strong in the rightness of our cause.
Solidarity to the colleagues who will be taking forward the strike action on behalf of the whole of the Union tomorrow!
Solidarity to all!
Andrea Bradley,
General Secretary
