Members of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) have narrowly voted to accept the latest teacher pay offer, after a “consultative survey”.
The union is to withdraw its involvement in national strike action planned for next week, on Tuesday 28 February and Wednesday 1 March, “in the expectation of an improved pay offer in the coming days”.
The union acknowledged, however, that the latest pay offer had already been rejected by the teachers’ side of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), which also comprises the Scottish government and local authorities.
The offer of 6 per cent this year - unions have been campaigning for 10 per cent - and 5.5 per cent next year (2023-24) was made on 14 February, but was swiftly rejected and described as “inadequate” by the EIS, Scotland’s largest teaching union, whose members will continue with the national strike action starting on Tuesday.
After a meeting of the SSTA salaries and conditions of service committee and its national executive this evening, the union released a statement.
It said there had been a 76 per cent response rate to the survey, but did not give details of how many voted for and against the latest pay offer.
The statement said: “The SSTA position has been to build strike action, apply pressure on the Scottish government and [local authorities’ body] Cosla and to bring the pay dispute to settlement. The SSTA has embarked on a measured campaign that has led to a series of meetings of all sides. At each stage, SSTA sought to increase opportunities for negotiation.”
It added: “The consultative survey responses contained a wide range of views and has highlighted the strong feelings of members, not only on teachers’ pay but the damaging impact teacher workload is having on members.
“The member survey returned a very marginal vote in favour of accepting the pay offer. However, the pay offer was rejected by the SNCT teachers’ side and therefore the pay offer of 14 February has fallen. Discussions within the SNCT are continuing for an improved offer to be brought forward.”
The SSTA’s national executive had, after today’s survey result, “unanimously agreed...to defer the industrial action planned on 28 February and 1 March in the expectation of an improved pay offer in the coming days”.
The union said it would “reinstate” its involvement in the industrial action “should an improved pay offer not be forthcoming”.
On Wednesday, primary school leaders’ body the AHDS said it would not take part in the national strikes planned for next week after members voted to accept the pay offer made by the Scottish government and council leaders last week. That same day, another teaching union, NASUWT Scotland, revealed that the “overwhelming majority” of its members had voted to reject the offer.
Also on Wednesday this week, the EIS started its targeted strike action aimed at “key decision makers” in the Scottish government and Cosla, including first minister Nicola Sturgeon and education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.
