All Angus schools and nurseries are expected to remain open during next week’s strike by support staff.
However, the decision may be made to close some if other employees refuse to cross picket lines.
Angus Council’s position leaves uncertainty for parents in the area, while Dundee parents have been told all city schools will close.
Members of the Unite union in Angus – including administrative, janitorial, catering and cleaning staff and classroom assistants – are striking over pay from Wednesday September 7 to Friday September 9.
Changes at short notice
Angus Council said issues may arise next week which result in decisions to close settings.
A statement released on Thursday says: “We’ve been working closely with Tayside Contracts to assess the potential impact on services and we anticipate that all schools and early years settings should be able to open as planned on the days of the industrial action and that a school meal service will be available.”
However, it said that a small number of schools are more likely than others to be affected by the industrial action – those where Unite members are employed.
And it said other employees outside Unite may choose to support striking colleagues by refusing to cross picket lines or withdrawing labour.
It said: “Should this be the case at any location there may be short notice changes to services.”
Why are staff striking?
Unite members are striking for better wages and the latest offer – a £1,925 pay uplift, in part a one-off cost of living payment – was rejected on Tuesday.
The deal proposed by councils body Cosla was branded a ‘waste of precious time’ by the union, disproportionately hitting the lowest paid.
Cosla, however, said the offer stretched finances like never before and was “as good as it gets”.
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