Teacher strikes to go ahead as union brands latest pay offer 'an insult'
The EIS has rejected the latest deal from the Scottish Government and COSLA, meaning thousands of schools will close on Thursday
Scotland’s largest teaching union has described the Scottish Government’s latest pay offer as “an insult”, and confirmed planned strike action will go ahead this Thursday.
A special meeting of the EIS Salaries Committee, held online on Tuesday afternoon, has unanimously rejected the offer, which the Scottish Government said would have increased the salaries of the lowest paid teachers by 6.85%
But the union claims the deal “provides no extra money” and would be worse for many teachers than the offers they’ve already rejected.
Deal would have seen a 6.85% increase for lowest paid teachers
Under the new proposals, teachers earning under £40,107 would have received an increase of £1,926 per year, 6.85% for those on the lowest salaries, while those earning more would get a 5% increase and those earning more than £60,000 would receive a £3,000 boost.
The EIS says the immediate rejection of the latest offer means strike action scheduled for Thursday will go ahead.
EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “This offer is nothing less than an abject insult to Scotland’s hard-working teaching professionals. Teachers overwhelmingly rejected a 5% offer more than 3 months ago and now, after months of prevarication and weeks of empty promises, COSLA and the Scottish Government come back with an offer than is worth that same 5% to the vast majority of teachers. This is not, as the Scottish Government claims, a progressive offer – it is a divisive offer, made on a differentiated basis, which is actually worse for many teachers in promoted posts.”
Ms Bradley added, “Contrary to the claims made by the Cabinet Secretary in Parliament and in Scottish Government spin today, this is not an improved, realistic, progressive or generous offer. Our members will see this offer for exactly what it is – a kick in the teeth from their employers and the Scottish Government.”
Unions had been asked to postpone strike action to consider offer
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville had earlier urged union leaders to postpone action to consider the offer, while also saying any increases in pay would have to come from other services, due to the "challenging" financial situation in which the Scottish Government finds itself.
"This is a fair offer which recognises that the cost-of-living crisis is the priority, with higher increases for staff on lower salaries," the Education Secretary said on Tuesday.
"This is now the fourth offer that has been made. In the same time, EIS have not changed their request for a 10% pay increase - even for those on the highest incomes.
"I have been clear that we have limited room for manoeuvre.”
Cosla resources spokeswoman Katie Hagmann said the new offer was "fair, affordable and recognises that the cost-of-living crisis is the priority".
"We have worked extremely hard and closely with Scottish Government to ensure such a revised offer could be brought forward and made today," she added.