Scottish Catholic Observer

Two Catholic schools in West Dunbartonshire are closed to pupils as teachers in the council area strike over changes to staffing structures.

Members of the EIS education union are taking part in a one-day strike in protest against council plans that it said will lead to fewer depute headteachers, principal teachers and pastoral posts.

88 per cent of the union’s members voted for the strike action. From Wednesday, the teachers will also ‘work to contract,’ abiding strictly by the terms of their employment.

Amongst the schools affected are St Peter the Apostle High School in Clydebank and Our Lady and St Patrick’s High School in Dumbarton.
The council argues that the changes will bring West Dunbartonshire’s school staffing structure into line with other council areas and that there will be no reduction in teachers or teaching time as a result.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Secondary teachers in West Dunbartonshire are making a stand in opposition to cuts that will have a long-term damaging impact on education provision in all West Dunbartonshire Secondary schools.

“This management ‘restructuring’ of Secondary schools is, in reality, a financially driven cut that will have serious implications for pupils and teachers in West Dunbartonshire.”

“Teachers are taking this action today as a last resort to defend the quality of education provision in West Dunbartonshire’s Secondary schools,” he added.

A council spokeswoman said: “It is important to highlight that faculty structures exist in most councils in Scotland, and that the unions have never previously taken industrial action in opposition to them.

“Our own carefully-considered structure is more generous in terms of school management posts than many. The management restructure will result in no reduction in teachers, no reduction in teaching time and no reduction in management time.”

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