Teachers strike Scotland 2023: Full list of dates EIS will strike in January and February

Teachers have voted to strike for 16 days so here’s a list of the dates to know when your school might be shut.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union started their planned industrial strike on Monday (January 16) with teachers from Scotland’s 32 local authority areas taking action until February 6. The strike is set to last for 16 days with two different areas on strike each day.

The first walkout saw all schools in both regions shut with schools in East Lothian opening exclusively to pupils sitting preliminary exams. On Tuesday (January 17) Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville called for members to suspend the strike but EIS has decided to carry on with industrial action.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The following day teachers in Orkney and Fife took to strike and formed a picket line outside their school their schools as industrial action continued. However, Somerville has admitted that recent discussions have been ‘constructive’ with compromise at the heart of the talks but a new offer is yet to be proposed.

The Scottish government is still holding talks with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). If you’re a parent, a pupil, or just a concerned citizen, here’s a list of all the dates and the regions where teachers will be going on strike in Scotland.

Full list of dates teachers will strike in Scotland 2023

  • Monday January 16: Glasgow & East Lothian
  • Tuesday January 17: Perth and Kinross & North Ayrshire
  • Wednesday January 18: Orkney & Fife
  • Thursday January 19: Moray & North Lanarkshire
  • Friday January 20: Angus & East Dunbartonshire
  • Monday January 23: East Ayrshire & Dumfries and Galloway
  • Tuesday January24: Stirling & East Renfrewshire
  • Wednesday January 25: South Ayrshire & Edinburgh
  • Thursday January 26: Midlothian & West Dunbartonshire
  • Friday January 27: Renfrewshire & Falkirk
  • Monday January 30: Aberdeenshire & Borders
  • Tuesday January 31: Highland & West Lothian
  • Wednesday February 1: Clackmannanshire & Aberdeen
  • Thursday February 2: Dundee & Argyll and Bute
  • Friday February 3: South Lanarkshire & Western Isles
  • Monday February 6: Inverclyde & Shetland

Why are teachers part of EIS striking in Scotland? 

A pay dispute between teachers and the Scottish government has been ongoing since February 2022 and EIS has decided to continue action into February with the matter still unresolved.

EIS alongside SSTA and NASUWT voted to extend the strike after rejecting a pay offer which would see most teachers receive a 5% wage increase. Lowest earners would get an increase of 6.85%.

Teachers strike Scotland 2023: Full list of dates EIS will strike in January and FebruaryTeachers strike Scotland 2023: Full list of dates EIS will strike in January and February
Teachers strike Scotland 2023: Full list of dates EIS will strike in January and February
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

General secretary of EIS Andrea Bradley said: “The recent days of strike action by Scotland’s teachers have succeeded in bringing the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) and the Scottish Government back to the negotiating table – but they have yet to put a single extra penny onto that table.

“Scotland’s teachers rejected a sub-inflationary 5% offer six months ago, and little or no progress has been made in negotiations since.” Bradley has raised the prospect of extended the strike by an additional 22 days emphasising that the Scottish government “must now act with urgency.”

She added: “Our members are resolute and determined to secure a fair pay settlement, which both properly reflects their value and also takes account of the soaring cost of living.”

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.