Scotland’s biggest teaching union has today opened a statutory strike ballot over pay.
Postal ballot papers are now being issued to EIS union members throughout Scotland, who will have until 8 November to vote. The ballot raises the prospect of strike action in the autumn.
The EIS, which represents around 80 per cent of teachers in Scotland, is advising members to vote in favour of striking.
Ballot papers have been issued today and the postal ballot will run until Tuesday 8 November.
The ballot question is: “Are you prepared to take part in industrial action consisting of strike action in pursuit of the 2022-23 teachers’ pay claim?”
The EIS is campaigning for a pay rise of 10 per cent, after its members overwhelmingly rejected the offer of a 5 per cent rise in an online ballot.
Teacher pay: the threat of strikes in Scotland
General secretary Andrea Bradley said: “In opening this statutory ballot for strike action today, the EIS is acting in the best interests of Scotland’s teaching professionals. We had hoped not to get to this point, but a series of much-delayed and sub-inflation-level pay offers from the employers have angered our members and forced this move towards strike action.
“Our members responded magnificently to our recent consultative ballot, turning out in huge numbers to reject the wholly inadequate 5 per cent pay offer and to indicate a strong willingness to take strike action in pursuit of a fair settlement.
“The statutory ballot that we are opening today will provide us with a clear mandate to commence a programme of strike action later this autumn, should no satisfactory offer have been received by the time the ballot closes next month.”
The EIS says that the ballot is postal only, as a result of “the UK government’s anti-trade union laws”. Ballot packs will be sent to members’ home addresses in the next few days.
Ms Bradley added: “The growing cost-of-living crisis is impacting on people across the country, and our members are not prepared to accept a sub-inflation-level pay award that represents a deep real-terms cut to their pay.
“With inflation already at more than 12 per cent, a pay offer at less than half that level is simply not going to cut it with Scotland’s teachers. Cosla [the national local authorities’ body] and the Scottish government must act now to deliver a fair pay deal for teachers, or face the reality of widespread strike action across Scotland’s schools this autumn.”
A Cosla spokesperson said: “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 per cent would have meant that teachers received a cumulative pay increase of 21.8 per cent 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 April 2022.”
A Scottish government spokesperson 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.”
The spokesperson added: “The cabinet secretary [for education, Shirley-Anne Somerville] 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.”
