NASUWT members to start strike action at Hutchesons' Grammar over 'fire and rehire'

Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Hutchesons’ Grammar School in Glasgow will start the first of four planned days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) over attempts by the school to downgrade their pensions through a ‘fire and rehire’ process.

The independent school, which was attended by First Minister Humza Yousaf and leader of the Scottish Labour Party Anas Sarwar, has sought to impose an inferior pension scheme on teachers and threatened them with the sack if they did not agree to the changes.

The employer finally agreed to meet with unions last Friday to discuss the dispute. While some progress was made in discussing alternative options for pensions arrangements, no offer which would justify withdrawing the strike action was forthcoming. The NASUWT remains committed to further talks with the school to seek to resolve the dispute.

 Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said: “It is regrettable that it is only at the eleventh hour that the school agreed to sit down with us to discuss a resolution to this dispute. It is clear that it is only the refusal of members to accept being treated in such a shoddy manner that has brought the employer to the table.