Teachers on strike - your views online

Teachers staged a one-day walkout on Thursday in a dispute over pay. Readers’ opinions on the strike were split.
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Kirsty Innes: 100 per cent support this action. No-one deserves a real-terms pay cut in these times, but especially not those people who go above and beyond to ensure every child has a right to education and the best start in life possible.

Lauren Mackay: When it comes for the staff at Oxgangs Primary I will say they go above and beyond and even though my children have left this school they still support my daughter with a work placement. These are teachers that 100 per cent deserve fair pay.

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Lauren Hyde: I gave them all a cheery beep of the horn as I drove past. I hope they realise a lot of folk support them.

Striking teachers calling for a pay rise at a rally outside the Scottish ParliamentStriking teachers calling for a pay rise at a rally outside the Scottish Parliament
Striking teachers calling for a pay rise at a rally outside the Scottish Parliament

Theresa Spence: I saw the demonstration at the Scottish Parliament. Good for them.

Jamie Gaunson: They’re already on a decent wage as it is. I’m all for those striking but surely when you start on the good wage they do you don’t consider yourself hard done by.

Alex Ferguson: I can’t understand why anyone in Scotland would support teachers in an education system that’s failing. Surely they must shoulder some of the responsibility for their failings and perhaps consider a wage reduction so money can be saved and spent on their incompetent practices. We are told over and over again that education is a failure. Teachers are obviously failing the students so cut their salaries.

Tilly Lou: Way to blame teachers for a broken system.

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Norman Fraser: Teachers were among the most vocal supporters of the lockdowns to the extent that they wanted the schools to remain closed even when the government announced that they would like to reopen them. They helped to create this dire economic and social situation and yet they are asking for more money while everyone else has to pay for their selfish self-preservation and failure to campaign to keep schools open. They let down our children. No sympathy for them. They made their beds and they should lie in it

Collette Halley: They deserve a great rise. Teachers have a difficult job and have been patient for a long time.

Brian Shepherd: Always the teachers pleading poverty. I was a janitor in a hard area – they came in at 8.50am, and were out the door by 4pm, they moaned when they were asked to produce diaries of their daily curriculum, and they get 12 weeks and more paid holidays a year. I opened the school at 6am for cleaners, deliveries, breakfast club etc, was their till 10pm on most community nights. Constantly patrolled the breaks and lunch times, grounds and school areas and cleaned and dealt with all that came our way, as the usual cry from the teachers was it’s not my job. Then we were privatised, and where were the teachers striking to support us? I’ll tell you – nowhere to be seen.

Ian Simpson: Get the SNP to open the purse strings – they can give away £5 million on impulse to the climate crusade.

Office parties

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MPs can now claim the cost of their office Christmas parties on parliamentary expenses. We asked readers if that was reasonable.

Steven Hunter: MPs should be paid a fair wage for the job they do. However, I don’t think they should be able to claim any expenses, certainly not for Christmas parties. Imagine what the government could do with the money they would save.

Angela Bain: It's simply a perk of the job. Anyone who says they wouldn't take it is a liar.

John Graham: MPs get paid enough – they shouldn’t get any expenses. They don’t know what real work is.

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Mark Wilson: And some people wonder why so many professions are having to take industrial action for better pay and conditions.

Audrey Waugh: Why should MPs get money spent on parties when the workers of this island get nothing and couldn't afford to go to the expense of going to party with taxis, party clothes etc. Every penny is being spent on kids, heating and food.

Roddy Watson: I’ve got my in-laws coming down – can I claim expenses?

Lillian Wells: I’m sure you would find a way if you were an MP.

Nan Mcewan: They should name those who claim – but they'll not be ashamed of themselves.

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