THOUSANDS of school staff across Scotland could walk out on strike later this year in the latest dispute with councils over pay.

GMB Scotland will ask more than 8,000 council staff working in schools and nurseries if they are willing to take industrial action after accusing local authorities of failing to improve on a rejected pay offer.

The union claims that the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla), which represents the views of Scotland’s 32 councils, refused to revise the offered 5.5 per cent increase, which was rejected by 94 per cent of its members and was far below inflation.