Scotland's largest teaching union confirms a further 16 days of strikes

An additional 16 days worth of strikes has been confirmed by Scotland's largest teaching union.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) have confirmed their plans as a dispute over a pay offer for teachers continues.

It comes after teachers swapped classrooms for picket lines yesterday, which led to the closure of every state school on mainland Scotland.

Union "forced" to escalate action

Speaking from a meeting of the national EIS Council, where the new programme of strike dates was agreed, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, "Scotland’s teachers responded magnificently to yesterday’s day of strike action, turning out in their tens of thousands on picket lines, at demos and at campaign rallies across Scotland.

"Members have been greatly angered by the actions of the Scottish Government and COSLA who – after three months of delay – came back earlier this week with the same 5% pay offer that our members had already rejected overwhelmingly.

"Yesterday’s strike action was a clear message: Scotland’s teachers are not going to be fooled by spin from COSLA and the Scottish Government, and we are determined to make a strong stand until we receive a substantially improved fair pay settlement for all teachers.

"We have been forced into the escalation of this action by the lack of willingness to negotiate properly and to pay teachers properly, by a government that says it wished to be judged on its record on education.

"The judgement of Scotland’s teachers on the matter of pay is clear, with the first programme of national strike action that we have engaged in for four decades.

"It is now for the Scottish Government and COSLA to resolve this dispute, and prevent further strike action, by coming back to the negotiating table with a substantially improved pay offer for all of Scotland’s teaching professionals."

Strikes are in no one's interest - Scottish Government

The Scottish Government have reiterated how the EIS demands are "simply unaffordable"

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: "Strikes are in no one's interest and we continue to engage with the unions to find a resolution.

“It is very disappointing that the EIS has rejected the latest offer, which is fair and progressive and mirrors the deal accepted by other Local Government workers.

"The latest offer - the fourth which has gone to unions - would have meant a 21.8% cumulative increase in teacher pay since 2018. The starting salary for a fully qualified teacher would be £35,600. That’s £7,650 more than their counterparts in England.

"It is simply unaffordable to have a 10% increase which unions are asking for within the fixed budget which the Scottish Government is working in.

“I recognise the strength of feeling within the unions but they also need to recognise that the Scottish Government budget is fixed and is already committed. any new money for teacher pay would have to come from elsewhere in education.”

Teacher pay offer "fair and affordable" - COSLA

Councillor Katie Hagmann, COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson says they're disappointed strikes are going ahead.

She said: "In an effort to prevent strikes happening, on Tuesday afternoon we as Employers made a revised fourth offer to our trade union colleagues, that did include additional money.

"It was a fair and affordable offer which recognises the cost-of-living crisis as the priority by focusing on higher increases for staff on lower pay points.

"This means 6.85% for probationers, as well as between 5.71% and 5.1% for those on the lower to middle parts of the pay scale who will also receive their annual increment.

"The offer we have made is in line with the offers made to all other parts of the public sector, including the wider local government workforce.

"Teachers are a core part of that workforce, and are supported in their roles by other council employees who help keep schools open and clean.

"It was an offer that ensured no additional pressure is placed on teachers themselves, as well as any other parts of our hardworking workforce and the essential services they deliver, and importantly it protects the best interests of children and young people.

"Teachers in Scotland are already paid well above their counterparts in England and Wales, as made clear by UK Government figures, and indeed many of their colleagues in Local Government.

"The response of our Trade Union partners is disappointing given the financial challenges facing everybody, but we remain open to having open and honest conversations about how we can reach a viable and realistic settlement that protects the best interests of teacher, children and young people and our wider communities.”

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