The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) has announced further strike action for early next year, with union leaders insisting that the move sends a “clear message that the teacher unions are not for turning” in their dispute over pay.
Members of the SSTA will walk out on Wednesday 11 January, the same day that members of Scotland’s largest teaching union, the EIS, are due to strike in secondary schools.
The coordinated action comes after a strike by the EIS and primary school leaders’ body AHDS last month - the first national strike over teacher pay since 1984-85 - and after teachers in the SSTA and NASUWT Scotland unions both went on strike on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
The EIS had already announced national strike days on Tuesday 10 January (for teachers in primary and primary special schools, and in early years settings), and on 11 January for those working in secondary schools and secondary special schools. EIS strike action is also due to take place over 16 consecutive days in January and February, with teachers in two local authorities walking out each day.
As the 11 January date for the latest SSTA action was announced today, its leaders challenged ministers to act on teacher pay. The union also said further strike days were being considered by its executive committee and could be “announced in the coming days”.
SSTA president Catherine Nicol said: “If the Scottish government values its teachers, it must be prepared to act and negotiate sensibly.
“We must have a pay offer that we can take to our members. If not, the SSTA is prepared to take strike action to obtain a fair deal and further our cause.”
Teachers have already rejected a pay deal which saw most teachers offered 5 per cent, with probationers offered 6.85 per cent increase.
Union demands for a 10 per cent increase have been dismissed as “unaffordable” by education secretary Shirley Anne-Somerville.
Ms Nicol said SSTA members who took part in this week’s strikes had been “willing to come out in freezing conditions”, which “showed the strength of feeling there is against acceptance of the current pay offer”. They had “sent a clear message” to both the government and local authorities body Cosla to “pay teachers properly”.
SSTA general secretary Seamus Searson added: “The strikes this week have been an outstanding success, with most secondary schools [having] either been closed or severely disrupted by the action of SSTA members.
“I take my hat off to SSTA members; they have shown their resolve and determination to get a deal done.”
Mr Searson added: “This pay increase should have been in teacher wage packets in April this year but we still await payment.”
Ms Somerville, however, said: “Strike action is in no one’s interest, least of all learners, parents and carers.”
She said the Scottish government remained “committed to a fair, sustainable settlement for Scotland’s teachers and will continue to engage teaching unions and Cosla constructively”.
She added: “It is very disappointing that the teaching unions have rejected the latest offer - the fourth which has been put to unions - which mirrors the deal accepted by other local government workers.
“The request for a 10 per cent increase for all teachers - even the highest paid - is not affordable within the Scottish government’s fixed budget.
“While councils are responsible for managing the impact of industrial action, I expect schools to remain open wherever possible, so that disruption can be minimised. Any closures would follow risk assessments made in individual areas.”
