Members of Scotland’s biggest teaching union have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action over pay.
The EIS today revealed that 96 per cent of voters had backed strike action in the ballot, which closed on Tuesday, based on a 71 per cent turnout.
Hours after the result was announced, the EIS said it was calling its members in Scotland’s schools out on strike action on Thursday 24 November - marking the first day of national strike action on pay for almost 40 years.
The result comes a day after members of the primary school leaders’ body the AHDS voted decisively in favour of strike action over pay.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: ”This ballot result provides the EIS with an extremely strong mandate for strike action over pay. Our members have sent yet another very clear message to their employers in Scottish local authorities and to the Scottish government that they must do better on teachers’ pay.
“Our members should have received a pay increase in April but, after months of unjustifiable dither and delay from [local authorities’ body] Cosla and the Scottish government, we are still waiting for an acceptable offer to be made.”
She added: “Quite frankly, our members have had enough of waiting and enough of feeling the financial strain of the cost of living on top of the significant stress of their teaching jobs.”
Support for teacher strike
A special meeting of the EIS Executive Committee was held this afternoon to agree the next steps to be taken in the union’s pay campaign, including an initial programme of industrial action in schools starting on Thursday 24 November. Information on further strike action dates will be issued later.
Scottish teaching unions are seeking a pay offer of 10 per cent this year but, to date, the best offer from councils and the Scottish government has been 5 per cent.
Ms Bradley said: “Teachers do not take strike action lightly, but have voted to do so in light of the continuing steep real-terms decline in their pay. Politicians who have lauded the invaluable work of teachers throughout the pandemic and during the ongoing period of recovery are now offering teachers a deep real-terms pay cut.
“This will never be acceptable to Scotland’s teachers or to the EIS, and that is why Scotland’s teachers will be taking strike action two weeks from today.”
Education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The Scottish government and Scottish local government value the teaching workforce.
“We recognise the vital importance of reaching a fair and affordable resolution on pay, both for the workforce during a cost-of-living crisis, and for the pupils and parents who rely on the vital services our teaching workforce deliver.”
She added: “We are absolutely committed to working together to support a fair pay offer for teachers through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers and to avoiding unnecessary strike action and the disruption that would cause.
“Strikes in our schools 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.”
Primary school leaders’ body the AHDS also concluded its members’ ballot on Tuesday, with the result announced yesterday. Some 86 per cent of those who voted were in favour of strike action, with 14 per cent against.
School Leaders Scotland, which represents the secondary sector, closed its ballot yesterday and is expected to announce the result soon.
The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association is also conducting a ballot on strike action, which closes on Wednesday 16 November.
The NASUWT teaching union started its ballot in Scotland on 26 October. It closes on 21 November.
