The EIS, Scotland’s largest teaching union, has rejected the latest pay offer from the Scottish government and councils outright, saying it is “only a marginal improvement” and that strike action will continue “until a more credible offer is put on the negotiating table”.
Last night, Scottish council leaders signed off a deal that offered teachers a 6 per cent rise for 2022-23, followed by a 5.5 per cent rise for 2023-24.
However, the EIS has this afternoon - after a dramatic day on which first minister Nicola Sturgeon resigned - announced that its salaries committee unanimously rejected the revised offer.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said that the new offer was “only 1 per cent less of a pay cut than that previously offered” and that - because of pay lost through strike days - Scottish teachers had essentially “already more than paid for this revised offer themselves”.
She said: ”This is just yet more smoke and mirrors from the Scottish government and [local authorities’ body] Cosla in attempting to make this offer appear more generous than it actually is.”
Ms Bradley also hit out at the way the negotiations had been handled, saying the “year two-component of 5.5 per cent” had not been “negotiated via the appropriate forum, the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), at all”.
She added: “Indeed, teaching unions haven’t even submitted our pay claim for 2023-24 yet, as a consequence of the current dispute.
“In attempting to tag on next year’s pay settlement, without any negotiation at all, the Scottish government and Cosla are attempting to tie the hands not just of teacher trade unions but all public sector unions - and this is unacceptable to the EIS.”
Ms Bradley described the conduct of the Scottish government and Cosla as “unacceptable”.
She said: “From dragging the process out interminably, to seeking to create divisions both between different grades of teachers and different groups of workers, to seeking to bypass the agreed negotiating processes and sharing information on pay offers with the media before sharing them with the trade unions representing teachers - these have not been good-faith actions.
“Their emphasis throughout has been on spin rather than genuine attempts to reach an agreed pay settlement through proper negotiation.”
Strike action to continue
Ms Bradley said strike action would now continue as scheduled and that the EIS would remain willing to engage in further discussions with both the Scottish government and Cosla, “through the appropriate forum within the SNCT, to attempt to reach a resolution to this dispute”.
Speaking after the EIS salaries committee rejected the revised pay offer, education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “It is deeply disappointing that the EIS has rejected this offer outright, without consulting members - and in doing so, continuing with damaging industrial action, which is particularly concerning in the run-up to the SQA exam diet.
“It is a fair offer - the fifth that has been made to unions - and would have meant a salary rise of 11.5 per cent for most teachers in April, with a cumulative rise of almost 30 per cent since January 2018.
“We looked for compromise - as we were asked to do - and dug deep under very challenging financial circumstances to arrive at a deal that is affordable and sustainable.”
She added: “I urge the unions to continue discussions with the Scottish government and Cosla so this dispute can be resolved as soon as possible.
“I appeal, again, for unions to suspend planned strike action while talks are ongoing to avoid further disruption to our children and young people’s education.”
Cosla resources spokesperson Katie Hagmann said: “This is very disappointing. The decision by the unions to turn down the offer of good faith, without even asking their members, means that teachers will not see a penny of this pay increase in 2022-23.
“Once eventually agreed, any additional pay will be subject to higher tax in 2023-24, meaning less money in the pockets of teachers. This was not what council leaders wanted, nor is it in the best interest of our teaching workforce.”
Little has changed in pay offer
Teachers have been campaigning for a pay rise of 10 per cent this year.
Before last night’s offer, the best deal had been a single-year deal worth 5 per cent for most teachers, but 6.85 per cent for probationers.
This offer was little changed from an offer made last August.
The latest wave of teacher strike action in Scotland came to an end on Tuesday of last week (7 February), with more strikes due to begin on Wednesday of next week (22 February).
This next planned action will be targeted at “key decision makers” and will involve teacher walkouts in five areas, including the constituencies of Nicola Sturgeon and Shirley-Anne Somerville.
More national strikes are also planned for 28 February and 1 March, with 20 further days of rolling strikes across all local authority areas from 13 March to 21 April.
Last night, in a statement, Ms Somerville said the latest offer amounted to 11.5 per cent over two years and was “fair, affordable and sustainable for everyone involved”.
She said the deal was supported by £156 million of additional funding and that “difficult decisions will have to be made to free up the required resources”.
