LEADERS from Unison have defended turning down a payrise offer for non-teaching staff in schools and pressing ahead with a three-day strike.

Its members will take industrial action on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as the dispute escalates, with all schools in Inverclyde shut as a  result.

But the GMB and Unite have both suspended industrial action to ballot their members on the offer.

Unison Scotland head of local government Johanna Baxter said: “As the largest union in local government across Scotland, Unison represents council and school workers in all roles and at every salary level.

“The union’s local government committee decided to reject the revised Cosla offer because, although there had been progress on pay for some employees, it shortchanged the majority.

“Unison is committed to winning a £15 per hour minimum rate, which wasn’t addressed in Cosla’s most recent proposal.

“The failure to provide any new money for this offer means councils will have to take from other budgets to fund it. That means, as Cosla has been clear, further service cuts and job losses. UNISON will not accept a position where the union is asked to trade pay for jobs.

“No one takes the decision to strike lightly. But council workers in Scotland deserve far better.”