Scottish secondary teachers back strike action and reject 5% pay deal
70% of The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association members say they would back strike action without an improved deal
A 5% pay offer put forward by local authority body COSLA has been rejected by secondary school teachers.
80% of The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association's members rejected the deal.
The union also say 70% of their members would back strike action without an improved offer.
Cosla have been locked in industrial disputes with education staff and cleansing workers in recent months as workers face the impact of the cost of living crisis.
Seamus Searson, general secretary of the union, said: "SSTA members have given everything in the last number of years to keep education going and to ensure that all young people did not lose out during these difficult times.
"Teachers are walking away from the job because of the excessive workload and a poor pay offer only adds insult to injury."
The union boss urged the Scottish Government to step in following the dispute between council staff and Cosla which was resolved last month after the intervention of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, with unions praising her role in bringing negotiations to an end.
He added: "The Scottish Government must step up to the plate and be prepared to put in place a pay offer that will retain teachers and recognise their tremendous efforts over the last few years,
"Teachers are already struggling to keep schools running with morale very low and Cosla's disparaging pay offer only adds to their feeling of being grossly undervalued."
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: "We are committed to supporting a fair pay offer for teachers through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, the body that negotiates teachers' pay and conditions of service.
"Industrial action would not be in anyone's interest, least of all learners and parents."