Teaching union accuses Scotland's councils of procrastination over pay
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said there is growing anger at council body Cosla's “attempt to use the plight of teachers as a political pawn”.
Scotland's largest teaching union has accused councils of “procrastination” over pay negotiations.
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said there is growing anger at council body Cosla's “attempt to use the plight of teachers as a political pawn”.
The union claimed the issue is being “abused'' in a dispute between councils and the Scottish Government over the local government financial settlement.
EIS is campaigning for a 10% pay increase for teachers through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), which brings together teaching organisations, councils and the Scottish Government.
In a letter to members of Cosla's leadership group, the union's general secretary Larry Flanagan said there should be no more delay over teachers' pay.
He said: “I am writing to you to express the frustration of Scottish teachers at Cosla's continuing procrastination in terms of this year's pay negotiations and, also, to express our growing anger at Cosla's attempt to use the plight of teachers as a political pawn in its own dispute with Scottish Government regarding the local government financial settlement.
“The EIS is very clear that we have distinct bargaining machinery in the tripartite arrangement of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT).
“Cosla needs to respect the integrity of the SNCT negotiating machinery and support a pay settlement for teachers that will address the problems of recruitment and retention, highlighted in our submission.
“The EIS now calls on Cosla, as the employers' group, to recognise the legitimacy of the teachers' side pay claim and the challenges which Scottish education continues to face.
“The EIS is committed to achieving a negotiated settlement through the SNCT - we hope that Cosla will demonstrate that it shares this commitment.''
A Cosla spokesman said: “Everyone associated with the SNCT negotiating process is working extremely hard to find a solution to a very difficult pay round.
“We have already confirmed with both Scottish Government and the teachers unions that we will meet them in early September to resume talks and hopefully before long we can find a mutually agreeable solution."