Teaching union issues formal notices on strike ballot

Scotland’s largest teaching union has issued formal notices to the country’s 32 councils confirming a statutory strike ballot will open for teachers on October 12.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) confirmed on Wednesday that it will move ahead with plans to ballot members in pursuit of a fair pay settlement for teachers.

It follows an “overwhelming” result in a recent consultative ballot, where 94% of EIS members voted to reject a 5% pay offer and 91% said they would be willing to move to strike action.

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “The issuing of the formal ballot notices, as required by law, marks a further serious warning to Scotland’s local authorities and the Scottish Government that they must improve their pay offer to teachers or face up to the reality of strike action closing schools across Scotland this autumn.

“Teachers do not consider the prospect of taking strike action lightly, but our members are deeply angry at the continuing dragging of feet and the series of sub-inflationary pay offers that have brought us to this point.

“Teachers are highly skilled professionals who perform a vital job which is crucial to the entire country, and they fully deserve to be paid appropriately for the essential work that they do. The message from EIS members could not be clearer – pay us properly, or we will strike in schools across the length and breadth of Scotland.

“The EIS is confident that its members will again vote overwhelmingly for strike action in this statutory ballot.

“Time is now running out for an agreement to be reached. Cosla and the Scottish Government must come back with a better pay deal, which properly reflects the value of teachers, and which protects their salaries from further real-terms erosion amidst the soaring cost of living, in order to avert strike action on a scale that that will close schools across the country.”

Scottish Labour’s education spokesman Michael Marra said: “Teachers have gone above and beyond to try and repair the damage the pandemic has done to kids’ education, but the SNP has shown them nothing but contempt in return.

“No-one wants strikes, but it is the SNP Government’s responsibility to get round the table with a fair offer and prevent them.

“Shirley-Anne Somerville (Education Secretary) is missing in action as strike chaos looms.

“The SNP are selling Scottish education short and letting down pupils and teachers alike with their botched handling of these negotiations.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesman Willie Rennie said: “Having let teachers down over non-contact time, class sizes and additional support needs, now the Scottish Government are letting them down over pay too.

“Children simply cannot afford more disruption to classrooms, but the Scottish Government is leaving teachers with no other choice but to strike.

“The Scottish Government must ensure that teachers receive a proper pay rise.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Strikes are in no-one’s interest, least of all for pupils, parents and carers who have already faced significant disruption over the past three years.

“This Government has a strong record of support for teachers and are proud to have the best paid workforce of anywhere in the UK. It is disappointing that unions have rejected the latest pay offer. Accepting the offer of 5% would have meant that teachers received a cumulative pay increase of 21.8% since 2018.

“The Cabinet Secretary holds regular meetings with all teachers’ unions to discuss a range of issues, including pay. These meetings have taken place over the last two weeks.

“We are absolutely committed to supporting a fair pay offer for teachers through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, the body that negotiates teachers’ pay and conditions of service.

“It is for local authorities, as the employer, to make a revised pay offer.”

A Cosla spokesperson said: “Scottish local government values its entire workforce including teachers.

“The offer being made is one that not only can be afforded with the additional monies being provided, but critically enables councils to protect education services and those other services that support its effective running.

“Along with Scottish Government we are disappointed that the teaching unions have rejected it.

“Accepting the offer of 5% would have meant that teachers received a cumulative pay increase of 21.8% since 2018.

“For example, a teacher on point 5 of the main grade scale would have seen their annual salary increase from £36,480 at the start of 2018 to £44,454 from 1/4/2022.”