Scotland's teachers overwhelmingly vote to strike
96% of EIS Union members have voted to walk out in a row over pay
Last updated 10th Nov 2022
Teachers in Scotland have voted to take strike action in a dispute over pay.
Teaching union the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) on Thursday announced the results of its statutory ballot on the issue, with 96% voting in favour of strike action on a turnout of 71%.
The union balloted members after they rejected a "wholly inadequate" 5% pay offer.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: "This ballot result provides the EIS with an extremely strong mandate for strike action over pay.
"Our members have sent yet another very clear message to their employers in Scottish local authorities and to the Scottish Government that they must do better on teachers' pay."
'A last resort' for teaching staff
Commenting following the result, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said: “This ballot result provides the EIS with an extremely strong mandate for strike action over pay.
"Our members should have received a pay increase in April but, after months of unjustifiable dither and delay from COSLA and the Scottish Government, we are still waiting for an acceptable offer to be made.
"Quite frankly, our members have had enough of waiting and enough of feeling the financial strain of the cost of living on top of the significant stress of their teaching jobs.”
Ms Bradley continued, “A move to strike action is always a last resort, but our members have become increasingly angry over their treatment by their employers and by the Scottish Government.
"The last pay offer, a sub-inflation 5%, was rejected by Scotland’s teachers almost three months ago. Since then, there has been no new offer made, despite a strong desire on the part of teachers for a fair deal to be struck.”
Ms Bradley added, “In the current context – with the cost of living soaring, and prices of food and fuel, housing and heating continuing to climb ever higher – our members are neither willing nor able to accept a deep real-terms cut to their pay.
"COSLA and the Scottish Government really must now pay attention to Scotland’s teachers and they must come back with a greatly improved pay offer if strike action starting this month is to be avoided.”
A special meeting of the EIS Executive Committee will be held this afternoon (Thursday) to agree the next steps to be taken and when strike action could be held in schools.
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