Will COSLA's "best and final" offer be enough to stop school strikes next week?
Support staff in schools across Scotland are set to walk out for three days in a row over pay
Last updated 21st Sep 2023
Council leaders have made a "best and final" offer to trade unions in a bid to avert strike action by school support staff next week.
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) said it was making a "significantly improved in-year offer" which would mean those workers on the Scottish Local Government Living wage will see an in-year uplift of around £2000 or almost 10%.
School support staff including cleaners and janitors are due to walk out for three days from Tuesday next week in a dispute over pay. An extra £90 million has been found for the offer, including the £10 million extra already previously allocated by leaders.
Cosla said the offer is made on the condition that the trade unions take it to their members for full consideration and that strikes are suspended with immediate effect whilst they do so.
Its resources spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: "This really is our best and final offer, we have nowhere to go after this.
"We have gone beyond our limits in a bid to satisfy our workforce and avert next week's strikes."