'No guarantee' EIS will accept new pay offer as ballot decision is made today
Teachers from the SSTA accepted the offer yesterday, but members from the EIS Union will have their final say today.
Last updated 10th Mar 2023
It’s D-Day for teachers in Ayrshire and across Scotland as the country awaits to hear their decision on the latest pay offer made by the Scottish Government and COSLA.
Teachers from the Scottish Secondary Teachers association accepted the offer yesterday, but members from the Education Institute of Scotland Union (EIS) will have their final say today.
The offer amounts to a 14.6 per cent uplift in pay over a 28-month period, with a 7 per cent rise backdated to April 2022, followed by a further 5 per cent from the start of the new financial year next month.
EIS members ballot has been open since last week and will close by 10am today.
If the deal is accepted it will mean a series of local strikes due to begin next week would be cancelled.
They’ve been campaigning for a 10 per cent rise since last year, and although EIS have recommended their members accept, North Ayrshire Secretary Jacqui MacKenzie says it’s not guaranteed members will agree.
She’s telling MFR it’s important not to make any assumptions until the ballot closes.
"Offer is still a compromise"
She said: “This offer is still a compromise as far as the trade unions are concerned. It’s taken the Scottish Government far too long to come up with this offer.
“And I suppose the strength of feelings among members because they think that 7 per cent is still not enough when they asked for 10, and inflation is still above that now.
“But our salaries committee have chosen to ballot the decision with members with the recommendation that they accept, because they feel this is the best offer that can be achieved in the current political and economic climate without our members having to take further strike action.
“Since this has been such a prolonged campaign, some members do really feel aggrieved that they have had to wait this long, and the offers that have been coming are going up in tiny amounts each time.
“Although we’ve recommended, they accept there is no guarantee and we have to let the democratic process of the ballot be complete before we decide on any next steps.”
"A fair and affordable deal"
Scottish Government education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Teachers make an invaluable contribution to the lives of our children and young people.
“This historic offer, if accepted by unions, would see teacher pay increase by 33 per cent from January 2018 to January 2024.
“We have looked for compromise and we have arrived at a deal that is fair, affordable, and sustainable for everyone involved.
“The Scottish Government is supporting this deal with total funding of over £320 million across this year and next.”
COSLA’s resources spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann, added: “We have reached a position whereby we sincerely hope our trade union partners can take this revised offer to their membership for a vote.
“Scotland’s council leaders fully value all of their workforce and recognise the invaluable contribution teachers make to the lives of our children and young people.”