Teachers take to the picket lines in pay dispute

By Live Team

November 24 2022, 11:50 am

Members of the EIS Union striking at Harlaw Academy, Aberdeen. Picture by Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

Teachers across Scotland are on the picket lines today as part of a historic walkout over pay.

Many schools across the country are closed due to the strike organised by union EIS.

In a last-ditch effort to hold off a planned strike action by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) and the Association of Head Teachers and Deputes in Scotland (AHDS), the Scottish Government tabled a new pay offer on Wednesday.

The new offer would have seen the lowest earners receive a pay rise of 6.58%. The percentage raise decreases for higher earners, with those earning over £40,107 receiving a 5% raise.

But EIS is pushing for a 10% pay rise for its members.

Teachers on strike at Merkinch Primary School in Inverness. Image: EIS

‘Strikes will allow negotiations’

Ron Constable, secretary at Aberdeen EIS local association, said: “The pay increase that has currently been offered is in effect a decrease due to the cost-of-living crisis and we hope that the strikes will allow negotiations to have a substantial increase to pay for teaching staff.”

In Shetland, just two primary schools are open and eight of the 22 early learning settings.

Two picket lines have been organised at Brae and Anderson High in Lerwick.

Speaking from the picket line Ronnie Martin, EIS rep at Brae, said teachers have been systematically underpaid since the start of austerity, and are now receiving at least 20% less than what they should earn.

“Of course we understand there are financial difficulties, but this predates the pandemic as we have been systematically underpaid for a long time,” he said.

“This 10% is only a fraction of what we feel we deserve – we long in the long term for restorative pay that would bring us back in line where we should be.

“We are a long way off from the more than 20% down since the austerity measures started in 2008, so 10% may seem a lot in the current climate but it is really what we deserve.

Local EIS rep Matthew Moss said the latest proposal was a “simply a poor/shoddy reheating of the previously rejected 5%”.

“The revised offer simply redistributes the money from the previous offer slightly differently,” he added.

“For 80% of teachers, the revised offer is still for 5%, exactly the same as the offer we rejected three months ago.

“This offer is an attempt to divide Scotland’s teachers – it will not succeed in doing so.”

In Aberdeen, teachers were picketing outside Harlaw Academy and Aberdeen Grammar School.

Members of the EIS Union striking at Harlaw Academy, Aberdeen. Picture by Kami Thomson / DC Thomson

How many schools are closed?

Schools closed include:

29 secondary schools in the Highlands
178 primary schools in the Highlands
14 secondary schools in Aberdeen City
52 primary schools in Aberdeen City
17 secondary schools in Aberdeenshire
150 primary schools (83 nursery units) in Aberdeenshire
Eight secondary schools in Moray
46 primary schools in Moray

Strikers brought with them a cute fluffy mascot at Portlethen Academy. Image: EIS.

The Scottish Government said the latest pay offer was “progressive” and recognised the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on lower-paid teachers.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is a fair offer which recognises that the cost-of-living crisis is the priority, with higher increases for staff on lower salaries.

“This is now the fourth offer that has been made. In the same time EIS have not changed their request for a 10% – even for those on the highest incomes.

“I have been clear that we have limited room for manoeuvre. The financial situation for the Scottish Government is challenging and additional money for teacher pay means reduced public services elsewhere.”

Here we have Dolly the dog rocking our #PayAttention t-shirt and supporting teachers at Hazlehead Academy #EISStrike pic.twitter.com/VaOQLyYomO

— EIS (@EISUnion) November 24, 2022

Teachers and staff braved a typical chilly Highland morning to picket outside Charleston Academy. Image: EIS Highlands.

@GordonSchools and Gordon Primary standing strong together. @EISUnion #UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/RqomjLYkKY

— Aberdeenshire EIS (@AbdnshireEIS) November 24, 2022

Passersby outside Lochaber High School in Fort William would fail to miss strikers in their colourful PayAttention t-shirts. Image: EIS Highlands.

Commuters on the A96 between Elgin and Inverness showed their support for teachers striking at Alves Primary School.

@EISMoray @EISUnion Overwhelming support for teachers from commuters on the A96 this morning #EISStrike #PayAttent10n pic.twitter.com/Tq98DHcYLi

— Captain Grant (@grantc73) November 24, 2022

The strikes are happening across mainland Scotland and in Orkney where some schools are closed but seven remain open.