Strikes suspended as teaching union urge members to accept pay offer

Scotland's largest teaching union has recommended its members accept the latest pay deal offered by councils and the Scottish Government.

The EIS has suspended all planned strike action and will ballot its members on the new deal.

Following intense discussions, the new offer would see teacher pay rise by £5,200 in April, and would bring to an end more than 12 months of dispute between teachers and their employers, which have seen a number of days lost to strike action.

Deal is currently "the best that can be achieved" - EIS

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley feels the improved pay off has come as a result of "determination and collective action" from teachers and member across Scotland.

She said: "The view of our negotiators is that this deal represents the best that can be achieved in the current political and financial climate without a much more prolonged campaign of industrial action.

"It is through the determination and collective action of teachers and associated professionals across Scotland, led by EIS members, that we have improved this pay offer from an initial 2% for the current year to 7% for the current financial year, with additional increases of 5% and then 2% within the following financial year.

"This will result in the majority of teachers seeing a 12.3% increase on their current rate of pay by April of this year and by 14% by January 2024."

Decision will 'end disruption in the run up to exams' - Scottish Government

Scotland's Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Sommerville has welcomed the suspension of teacher strike action.

In a statement released this evening, she said: "I welcome the EIS's decision to suspend industrial action while they consider this offer.

"This will end the disruption to learning for our children and young people, particularly in the run up to exams.

"We have worked closely with the unions to compromise and have arrived at a deal which is fair, affordable, and sustainable for everyone involved.

"The Scottish Government is supporting this deal with over £320 million of funding this year and next.

"I would urge teaching union members to accept this historic pay offer which would see teacher pay increase by 33% since January 2018.

"This is the best and final offer possible and recognises the invaluable contribution teachers make to the lives of our children and young people."

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