Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Teachers in Scotland to vote in strike ballot as union condemns ‘insulting’ pay offer

Teachers are to be balloted on strike action. Photo: PA
Teachers are to be balloted on strike action. Photo: PA

Teachers have been told to reject an “insulting pay offer” as Scotland’s largest teaching union opens a ballot on industrial action.

A 5% pay offer from local authority body Cosla was rejected by the Educational Institute of Scotland’s (EIS) executive committee last week.

A consultative ballot has now been launched to determine whether teachers want to take strike action over the “wholly unacceptable” offer.

Teachers will have until September 16 to vote in the online ballot.

If teachers decide to walk out of the classroom, they will be the latest in a series of public sector workers taking industrial action over pay.

Refuse workers have returned from a strike across the country, with a further walkout next week averted after a pay deal was agreed.

‘Pitiful pay offers’

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley urged members to reject the offer and vote Yes to “potential strike action in pursuit of an improved pay settlement”.

She said: “Teachers are increasingly angry that their pay is not keeping pace with the soaring cost of living, as inflation reaches unprecedented levels, and are impatient for the union to take action on their behalf.

“The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirm that the RPI rate of inflation in August was 12.3%, while the CPI rate was 10.1%

“ONS figures also indicate a 96% rise in gas prices, a 54% increase in electricity prices, and an average 20% increase in the cost of many basic foodstuffs.

“This is the context in which local authorities are offering a 5% pay settlement – far below the rising cost of living and, effectively, a deep and painful real-terms pay cut for Scotland’s hard-working teachers, some of whom are already experiencing in-work poverty.”

She said Cosla, local authorities and the Scottish Government have “dragged their feet” while offering a series of “pitiful” pay offers.

The union is demanding a 10% pay increase.

Ms Bradley added: “It is time for Cosla and the Scottish Government to stop playing political games and to work constructively to deliver a fair pay settlement for Scotland’s teachers.

“EIS members can collectively increase the pressure on employers and Government by using their vote in this important ballot, rejecting the totally inadequate pay offer and delivering an overwhelming vote in favour of strike action.”

Teachers’ union NASUWT has also confirmed it will reject the pay offer tabled by Cosla after 83% of respondents said it was “inadequate”.

Some 582 teachers responded to the snapshot survey conducted in late August.

Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, has urged Cosla to come back with a “vastly improved offer”.

He added: “If they fail to do so we remain committed to balloting members this term for industrial action.”

Conversation