TUC general secretary PAUL NOWAK speaks to the Morning Star’s Berny Torre about the increasing frustration the trade union movement feels at a government that promised change, but has been too slow to bring it about

WHILE the perception may be that the primary goal of trade unions is to look after workers’ financial health by securing fair and better pay, the objective to protect the physical and mental health of members is paramount.
No worker should ever go to their place of work and be placed at unmanaged risk of physical or mental injury. However, our members — the vast majority of them women — as a result of too little investment in our education system, are increasingly at too high a risk of experiencing assault and injury in the course of their working day, and/or of poor physical and psychological illness longer term.
Unquestionably, our schools should be safe places for teachers and support staff to work, and for young people to learn. Sadly, the risk of injury and ill-health continues to be very real and growing in our schools.

With 12,000 fewer teachers since 2010 and dwindling resources, Scotland’s schools desperately need investment to support diverse learners rather than empty promises from politicians, writes ANDREA BRADLEY

The devastating impact of austerity has left Scotland’s education system on its knees, argues ANDREA BRADLEY, urging politicians to show courage by increasing wealth taxation to fund our schools properly

