Jenny Gilruth ‘determined to find a resolution’ to stop teachers from striking

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has pledged there will be “additional new investment” to help with the costs of employing more teachers as she seeks to prevent strike action that could impact schools in the “crucial period” leading up to exams.

After teachers voted in favour of action, Ms Gilruth announced she would hold an emergency meeting, bringing together trade unions, local councils and the Scottish Government.

The Education Secretary also made clear she is “determined to find a resolution” to the dispute over workload that led the EIS – Scotland’s largest teaching union – to vote in favour of industrial action.

The union’s executive committee is meeting on Thursday to discuss the next steps – with the potential for any industrial action to take place not only during the exam period of April and May, but in the run-up to the May 7 Scottish Parliament elections.

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said the result of the ballot showed that “teachers’ patience is clearly now at an end”, claiming there had been “no real sign of delivery” on promises made by the Scottish Government to recruit 3,500 more teachers in a bid to tackle “excessive” workloads and cut the time teachers have to spend in classes.

Ms Gilruth however insisted: “No-one’s interests will be served by industrial action in our schools.

“This will significantly disrupt children and young people’s learning – particularly in the crucial period leading up to exams – as well as causing disruption to parents, carers and school communities.”

She added: “By convening an emergency meeting of teaching trade unions, local government and the Scottish Government, I am ensuring minds are focused and everyone is back around the negotiating table.

“It is imperative we reach an agreed position on how to free up teachers’ time, and improve outcomes for Scotland’s children.”

Ms Gilruth continued: “The Scottish Government is willing to take important steps to prevent industrial action, including agreeing to additional new investment to support councils with additional staffing costs and finding agreement on the use of time and phased implementation to ensure the right balance is struck for teacher workload.

“My hope is that teachers will see these steps today as a demonstration of the Government’s genuine commitment to resolve the workload issues they face and deliver a new deal for Scotland’s teachers, which includes improved maternity pay and the delivery of a four-day teaching week pilot.”

These were included in proposals the Scottish Government announced in November 2025, which could potentially see the introduction of a flexible four-day teaching week, giving teachers a dedicated day to carry out other parts of their job.

The deal also includes improved maternity leave for teaching staff and the prospect of nationally agreed minimum standards on pupil learning hours – which could enable schools to adopt later start times, longer breaks, or restructured school days.