The latest ‘improved’ pay offer to Scotland’s teachers has been
unanimously rejected by the EIS Salaries Committee and,
subsequently, by teachers’ representatives at today’s meeting of
the Teachers’ Panel of the SNCT (Scottish Negotiating Committee
for Teachers).
The offer from the Scottish Government and COSLA (Convention of
Scottish Local Authorities) offers the same 1.22% pay award –
already previously rejected by teaching unions – together with a
meagre additional one-off payment. This has now been unanimously
rejected by both the EIS Salaries Committee and the Teachers’
side of the SNCT.
Teaching unions tabled a salary claim for 2021-2022 almost a year
ago, calling for a pay award of between 3%-5% for Scotland’s
teachers. The pay award was due to be settled over 7 months ago
and, with inflation climbing at an alarming rate, the delay in
settling the claim is further diminishing the value of the
employers’ offer with each passing day.
Commenting, Des Morris, EIS Salaries Convener and Chair of the
Teachers’ Side of the SNCT said, “The latest revised offer from
the Scottish Government and COSLA is derisory. With inflation
currently running at around 4% we have already made very clear to
the employers’ side that we will not accept an offer of 1.22% for
our members. For COSLA and the Scottish Government to then take
weeks to come back with essentially the same offer, with some
minor cosmetic window-dressing added, is an insult to the
professionalism and hard-work of every teacher in Scotland.”
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan added, “It is simply beyond
belief that the employers have come back again with this paltry
offer to Scotland’s teaching professionals. After many months of
talking up the value of education and the value of teachers to
the nation’s recovery from the pandemic, COSLA and the Scottish
Government then turn around and offer a real-terms pay cut to
Scotland’s teachers. Months of dragging their feet has only
served to further erode the value of an already pitiful offer,
while also hardening the resolve of increasingly scunnered
teachers to see their efforts appropriately acknowledged in their
pay settlement.”
The national EIS Council, which meets next week, will now
consider the next steps to be taken in pursuit of a fair pay
settlement for Scotland’s teachers. While the preference of the
EIS is always for a negotiated settlement, a growing clamour
amongst members for a move to industrial action in pursuit of a
fair pay award is sure to be a major consideration as EIS Council
decides its next steps.
