All nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools across Dundee will be closed to pupils for three days next week due to strike action.
Dundee City Council has confirmed all schools and nurseries in the city will be closed from Wednesday September 7 to Friday September 9.
Kingspark School and the Rockwell Learning Centre will also be closed on these days.
Schools are due to reopen Monday September 12.
How will schools support pupils and families during the strike?
Teachers will continue to work and online learning will be provided for pupils. Paper learning packs will be made available to pupils if needed.
The local authority has said families will be contacted directly by their school about home learning.
Arrangements are being made for free school meal payments to be made directly to qualifying households.
Direct support will continue for pupils who have been identified by Children and Families staff as vulnerable.
Information for families is also available on the council’s website here. Updates will also be posted on the council’s social media channels.
Who is striking?
Unite union members in Dundee and Angus schools and nurseries – which includes administrative workers, cleaners, caterers, and classroom assistants – are scheduled to to take strike action on September 7, 8 and 9.
Also going on strike are Unite members employed by Tayside Contracts, who provide catering and janitorial services to schools across Angus, Dundee and Perth and Kinross councils.
Are Angus and Perth and Kinross schools closing?
Schools and nurseries in Angus – whose staff are also scheduled to strike – are expected to remain open on the strike days and a school meal service will be available.
Perth and Kinross council are yet to confirm if schools in the area will be shut also.
School closures ‘nightmare’
Leader of Dundee City Council, John Alexander, said the school closures were unavoidable due to the lack of support and cleaning staff.
Writing on Twitter, he said: “I know this will be a nightmare for many (including me) and I wish officers could have avoided such action.
“If there isn’t the staff to open/clean/support the school, they simply can’t open.”
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