NATION ON ITS KNEES

> Scotland will be at a standstill this winter as teachers vote to strike  >>They join thousands of workers across country to protest over low pay

THE Tory UK Government was last night blamed for sparking a winter of strikes with its "stupid economic decisions".

Deputy First Minister John Swinney made the claim after teachers became the latest workforce to join a growing wave of industrial action yesterday.

The schools strike will begin on November 24 after 96 per cent of members in the EIS union backed walkouts.

That came a day after nurses in the RCN voted to walk out alongside their NHS colleagues in the GMB union.

Postal workers, railway workers and civil servants, including benefits officials and border control, are also planning industrial action after rejecting below-inflation wage offers.

The Scottish and UK Governments have been urged to get round the table with unions to prevent "strike chaos".

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: "The SNP and the Tories need to get a grip before Scotland grinds to a halt.

"From hospitals to schools to our railways, their disastrous incompetence will leave us with strike chaos and a broken Scotland.

"It is shameful that the same workers we praised during the pandemic are now being forced to fight for their pay and conditions during a cost of living crisis.