Scotland’s primary school leaders’ body - the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland (AHDS) - has said it will not take part in the national strikes planned for next week after members voted to accept the pay offer made by the government and council leaders last week.
The news that AHDS members had voted to accept the revised pay offer made on 14 February came just as another teaching union - NASUWT Scotland - revealed the “overwhelming majority” of its members had voted to reject the offer of 6 per cent this year and 5.5 per cent next year.
The deal has already been described as “inadequate” by Scotland’s largest teaching union, which rejected it outright shortly after it was set out.
Today, the EIS, Scotland’s biggest teaching union, commenced its targeted strike action aimed at “key decision makers” in the Scottish government and local authorities’ body Cosla. Deputy first minister John Swinney is one of the figures being targeted and today he told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme the action was “completely inequitable” and “indefensible”.
In response, EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “What is indefensible is the chronic under-funding of education over many years, including teachers’ pay.”
The EIS plans to take more targeted strike action next month, with national walkouts planned for next week on Tuesday 28 February and Wednesday 1 March.
However, today, the AHDS has written to councils and the Scottish government saying its members have voted to accept the offer and will therefore not be joining the walkouts.
The email sent this afternoon from AHDS general secretary Greg Dempster states: “As you know, a new pay award offer was made on 14 February. AHDS put the offer to members with a closing date for responses of today.
“Our members voted in favour of acceptance of the offer. This means that, although the Teachers’ Side of the [Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers] formally rejected the offer, AHDS is cancelling our planned action on 28 Feb and 1 March. This has been communicated to our members across Scotland.”
NASUWT Scotland meanwhile also revealed the results of its pay offer consultation today and said that the “overwhelming majority” of members had voted to reject the offer.
It said that 75 per cent of members responding to the consultation said they were prepared to take further industrial action to secure improvement to their pay and conditions.
NASUWT general secretary Patrick Roach said the union’s members expected “a real pay rise, which reflects the hugely important and challenging nature of teaching”.
Dr Roach added: “The latest pay proposals are a marginal improvement, but would still result in a real-terms pay cut for teachers this year.
“The fact that the majority of our members have told us they reject this offer reflects the depth of anger among teachers who have endured cuts to their pay, despite rising levels of workload and deterioration in their working conditions.
“We urge ministers and employers to consider all options and to urgently come forward with further proposals that will address our members’ concerns and avoid further escalation of our dispute.”
NASUWT Scotland confirmed that its members would join the action already planned for next Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association consultative survey on the pay offer closes on Friday.
