Teaching union overwhelmingly rejects 'unacceptable' pay offer

Members of a teaching union have overwhelmingly voted to reject a pay offer from the local authorities and the Scottish Government.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said 98% of teachers who took part in the ballot voted to reject the offer.

The pay increase, which is currently under negotiation, was due to be paid in April 2021 and pay negotiations for 2022 should have commenced before Christmas, according to EIS.

The proposed pay offer included a 1% pay increase from April 2021, a further increase of 1% effective from January 1 2022 and a one-off payment of £100 – although part-time staff would receive less.

Those earning more than £80,000 per annum would see the salary rise capped at £800.

Teachers in the NASUWT had already rejected the proposed pay deal earlier in January.

The negotiations are being dealt by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, which involves Scottish teaching unions, COSLA and the Scottish Government.

EIS Salaries Convener Des Morris said the results of the ballot sent a ‘strong and very clear message”.

“This overwhelming rejection of the current offer by EIS members is a warning to COSLA and the Scottish Government that they cannot take the goodwill of teachers for granted,” he said.

“The EIS Salaries Committee will consider the ballot result and the next steps to be taken at its meeting later this week.

“We will fully expect to receive an enhanced offer from COSLA and the Scottish Government at our next negotiating meeting, currently scheduled for next week.”

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan added: “Scotland’s teachers deserve a fair pay rise from their employers and the Scottish Government.

“With this ballot result, our members have shown, very clearly, that they consider the current offer neither fair nor acceptable.

“Throughout the continuing Covid crisis, Scotland’s teachers have worked flat out to seek to minimise the damaging impact of the pandemic on young people’s education.

“Teachers are key to the planned programme of educational recovery and deserve to be appropriately remunerated for their efforts.

“It is time for COSLA and the Scottish Government to play fair and finally commit to a reasonable and fair pay rise for Scotland’s teaching professionals.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting a fair pay offer for teachers through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, the body that negotiates teachers’ pay and conditions of service.

“It is for local government, as the employer, to make any revised offer of pay.”

A Cosla spokesman said: “Local Government values teachers, alongside all other parts of the workforce.

“We are committed to reaching an affordable conclusion to the 2021-22 pay claim and remain in active discussions with Scottish Government and the trade unions within the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT).”