An estimated 30,000 teachers and their supporters from across Scotland have marched through Glasgow demanding a 10 per cent pay rise for all teachers.

Teachers’ frustrations over pay negotiations fuelled the march from Kelvingrove Park to George Square, where speakers said they were no longer prepared to accept big falls in pay that compare unfavourably with teachers in other countries.

The march and rally - which despite concerns was scarcely disrupted by the filming of a Hollywood blockbuster in Glasgow city centre - made plain that the first major teacher-led industrial action in Scotland since the 1980s is a prospect that seems increasingly likely.

Addressing the rally in George Square, EIS president Alison Thornton said: “Nine years of pay settlements under the public-sector pay cap have resulted in the value of our take-home pay being down by nearly 25 per cent. The salaries of teachers in schools in Scotland are below the European average and those of other countries in the wider world.

“Our pupil contact hours are high, and we still work an average of 11 hours of unpaid overtime each week to deal with the demands of the job. No wonder teacher recruitment and retention is in a crisis situation.”

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said that teachers and other public-sector workers had been “under the cosh of austerity for the past decade”.

He added: “Our pay claim is for 10 per cent - given that the value of take-home pay has dropped by 24 per cent in the last decade, that claim is already a compromise on what we deserve.”

Mr Flanagan has also commented on reports that education secretary and deputy first minister John Swinney was seeking to bypass trade unions by writing to teachers directly about the current pay offer, which he described as “unacceptable interference in the democratic processes of trade unions”.

In a statement released before the march and rally, Mr Swinney said: “The Scottish government has worked with [local authorities body] Cosla to put in place the best pay deal for teachers in the UK for 2018-19.”

He added: “Through a combination of a 3 per cent increase for all staff earning up to £80,000, restructuring the main grade scale and annual progression, the majority of teachers receive a rise between 5 per cent and 11 per cent. There would be a flat rate increase of £1,600 for those earning more than £80,000 from 1 April 2018.

“There has been reference to conditions of service forming part of the negotiations - this is factually incorrect. There have also been comparisons with offers to other public sector workers. Our offer to teachers is for one year, and compares favourably with the pay award for the majority of health workers of 9 per cent over three years and the recently announced award 6.5 per cent increase for police officers covering 31 months.”

Mr Swinney said the offer to teachers was “generous and fair” and “demonstrates the value both the Scottish government and local government place on the teaching profession”.

He added: “We remain committed to continuing discussions with teaching unions in good faith.”