TRADE unionists, parents and opposition politicians stood shoulder to shoulder today against swingeing Glasgow education cuts.

The cuts come after Scotland’s largest local authority passed an SNP-Green budget plan last month to slash more than £100 million from services over the next three years.

Almost £30m of that figure is planned to be met through what were termed on budget day “service reforms” in the city’s education budget.

Despite budget papers not noting any cuts to staffing as part of the plan, just seven days later the department began a consultation with education unions to “delete” 172 teaching posts in the coming year, and a staggering 450 over the liftetime of the three-year budget.

A statement by the Glasgow branch of teaching union EIS said it “believes that any cut to teacher staffing will be detriment to pupils’ attainment, behaviour and wellbeing and will also have an adverse effect on the sustainability of teacher workload and their wellbeing.”

The city’s Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) initiative — funded through the Scottish government to support disengaged young people into education, training or work — is set to disappear altogether, with 11 jobs to go by the end of the month. 

One of those DYW workers facing unemployment is GMB rep Sean O’Neill.

He told the Star: “These workers are on the front lines of closing the poverty-related attainment gap.

“This direct attack on our employment is a direct attack on the life chances of our young people.

“The joint trade unions are clear that the Scottish government must act now to save our services and avert disaster.”

Glasgow Labour group leader George Redmond told the rally: “This is a direct assault on our young people, and it cannot stand.

“It’s time for SNP in the council and in government to be held to account.”