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Teacher union rejects ‘insulting’ pay offer and confirms strike to continue

The EIS held a rally over the pay dispute in Dundee earlier this year.
The EIS held a rally over the pay dispute in Dundee earlier this year.

A teaching union has confirmed Thursday’s planned strike will continue as it rejected an ‘insulting’ pay offer.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the country’s largest teaching union, condemned the Scottish Government and Cosla for presenting a revised pay offer to teachers.

The EIS was today presented with a fourth pay offer of an increase of up to 6.85%, meaning a fully qualified teacher in Scotland would now receive a salary of £35,650.

Those at the top of the scale would have received a 5% increase under the offer, taking their salary to £44,453.

But the EIS – who are campaigning for a 10% increase – rejected the offer, stating that it “offers no tangible improvement on their previously rejected offers”.

Months of delay

The EIS said in a statement that following three months of delay, and the promise of an improved offer to teachers, the offer that was presented provides no additional money and is a worse offer than those previously rejected.

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 three 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.”

Following a meeting of the EIS Salaries Committee, the offer was unanimously rejected and strike action confirmed to go ahead on Thursday.

Schools in Tayside and Fife will close on the day of strike action. A further two dates for industrial action have also been set.

Ms Bradley added: “Our members will see this offer for exactly what it is – a kick in the teeth from their employers and the Scottish Government.”

‘A fair offer’

The Scottish Government said that if this offer had been accepted, it would represent a cumulative pay increase for the majority of teachers of 21.8% overall since 2018.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is a fair offer which recognises that the cost of living crisis is the priority, with higher increases for staff on lower salaries.

“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.

“The financial situation for the Scottish Government is challenging and additional money for teacher pay means reduced public services elsewhere.

“In these challenging times it is important we focus our attention on those who are most impacted by the cost of living crisis, as well as ensuring fairness to all public sector workers.”

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