the government argument is this legislation is reasonable, it is not going to go too far, it is not going to ban strikes but it will ensure minimum service levels are enforced across great britain in certain key areas. so there are some areas where the government will decide that level like ambulances, the fire service and on the railways and then there s others where the government says we will negotiate over this and hopefully come to an agreement so we do not have to impose something, that s like education, border staff, nuclear decommissioning as well. that is the pitch from the government. the accusation they are facing is that this is unfair and that it will not work. listen to the business secretary grant shapps. it should be said other countries, european countries, modern states,
with children and young people rather than on picket lines. but sadly, it has come to this. covid led to significant disruption to schooling over the last three years. all sides in this dispute insist more missed lessons for children are in no one s interest. but with no side budging, the way out of this dispute remains unclear. and in the following weeks, state schools in scotland will face further strikes in rolling action, targeting different local authorities on different days. lorna gordon, bbc news, glasgow. i spoke to our scotland correspondent, james shaw, earlier whojoined me from the picket line of a school in glasgow. i began by asking him how widespread these protests are. it s going to be pretty widespread as far as we understand. we cannot honestly say every single primary school in scotland will be closed today but we expect almost all of them, maybe one or two of them in the islands will not,
place by this time next year. so it s more of a long term plan for the government to have the option of these minimum service requirements. to get back to the here and now, after those talks between government ministers and various unions yesterday, what is the status of those discussions and the relationship now between the signs? the strikes that are planned in england starting with an ambulant strike tomorrow, they will go ahead. there is no concrete offers on the table from ministers and because of that unions saw frustrated and say they have no reason to call off the strikes are nothing to offer their members but i do think there s been a bit of a move from the government and the question is whether this starts to amount to something. the health secretary stephen barclay has said he will take away some ideas for paid posts before the start of the next financial year, so one option we were discussing yesterday
unions say that they want 10%. they have both described, both sides have described the talks is reasonably well mannered, but there doesn t seem to be an indication of them coming together at the moment. if that doesn t happen later on this week, there will be a rolling series of strikes all the way through this month on a regional basis across the country, stretching into february, so no sign at the moment that this particular dispute is anywhere near close to coming to an end. thank you. our chief political correspondent nick eardley is in westminster. over to you. while those strikes continue in scotland, today the uk government is about to introduce to parliament some new legislation which is going to, is designed to, anyway, ensure that there is a minimum service level even when strikes are taking place, so it is focused on some key
of service when they strike. it s expected to cover sectors including health, transport, education, border security and fire and rescue. yesterday s meeting between ministers and unions representing nhs workers in england broke down without agreement, meaning more strikes in the coming days. ambulance workers in england and wales are set to walk out tomorrow, with another strike planned for later in the month.nurses in england will take part in strike action on two days next week. today sees the start of a two day teachers strike in scotland, with primary school teachers walking out this morning and secondary teachers striking tomorrow. our scotland correspondent lorna gordon reports. no one should be working poor! schools are out again. car horn sounds. ..with more disruption for children, as further strike action by teachers shuts almost all primary schools across scotland. secondary schools are targeted tomorrow. the action is over pay.