Members of Scotland’s largest teachers’ union sent a clear message last week when they voted to reject a pay offer and said they would strike if necessary.
Following on from the vote, the Education Institute of Scotland (EIS) declared an official dispute with employers and is opening up a formal strike ballot.
It’s too early to tell how any potential teacher strike would impact specific schools in the north and north-east, but the roughly 60,000 EIS members make up 80% of Scotland’s teachers.
The most recent offer from employers consisted of a 5% pay increase. But union members said that this amounts to a 7% cut in real terms, thanks to the effects of inflation and the cost of living crisis.
When EIS leadership put the question to members, the response was clear. Almost 80% of members responded to the survey. Of those, 94% rejected the pay offer.
In addition, 91% of the members who took part (more than 43,000 teachers) said that they would support strike action if it came to it.
Read on and take our poll to let us know what you think.
‘Scotland’s teachers have had enough’
EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said members’ opinions were clear.
“The message from our consultative ballot last week was crystal clear – Scotland’s teachers have had enough and are prepared to take strike action over pay.
“The EIS is listening to its members, and will now move forward with a statutory ballot to enable strike action in schools later this autumn.”
She added that there is still time to prevent a teacher strike in Scotland, but union members will only halt the strike ballot for a much better offer.
“Scotland’s local authorities and the Scottish Government must significantly up their offer to Scotland’s teachers if strike action is to be avoided,” she said.
NASUWT, another major teachers’ union, also rejected the pay offer and will also ask members to vote on industrial action.
What do you think about the possibility of a teacher strike in Scotland? Take part in our poll below.
Read more from the Schools and Family team
Government report identifies ‘serious’ gaps in rural childcare
Aberdeen students worried changes to course offerings will hurt careers
Improvements to school clothing grant needed say Aberdeen university researchers
Conversation