Teachers at Hutchesons’ Grammar School commenced a programme of strike action over the school’s enforcement of damaging contractual changes to teachers’ pension entitlements. The strike on Friday the 19th of May, is believed to be the first ever strike action at an independent school in Scotland.

Hutchesons’ Grammar school issued ‘fire and rehire’ letters to teaching staff over the Easter holiday period, dismissing teachers from their contracts and telling them to sign new contracts, with inferior pension provision. Any teacher who declined to sign the new contract would no longer have a job at the end of the school year.

Commenting, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “Teachers at Hutchesons’ Grammar School are taking strike action for the first time in the school’s history in defence of their contractual terms and conditions.”

Ms Bradley added, “The school’s actions throughout this process have been shameful – the management of the school have demonstrated that they do not value the views and contributions of Hutchesons’ highly dedicated and highly professional teachers.”

Ms Bradley added, “Hutchesons’ is a school with a long and proud history, with many former pupils now holding prominent positions in society. The recent actions of the school, however, reflect extremely poorly on Hutchesons’, are damaging the reputation of the school and, by forcing teachers into strike action, are also now impacting on the learning experience of pupils at Hutchesons’ Grammar. The school must now think again, reverse its course, and reinstate teachers with their previous contractual terms and conditions.”