Teachers have voted in favour of strike action – could Tayside and Fife schools close?

Teachers may go on strike after voting to reject a pay offer.

Some 91% of members of the EIS union voted in favour of strike action, and 94% to reject a wage increase of 5%.

So does that mean that schools in Dundee, Angus, Fife and Perth and Kinross again face the threat of closure?

This ballot was consultative, to gauge members’ views, and a further statutory ballot would have to gain a majority for a mandate for strike.

Could schools close?

Closure of some schools for three days from September 7 was called off five days prior to allow pay offer to be consider.

This action by Unite which was called off involved school support staff, including janitors, caterers and cleaners.

With a larger proportion of union members in Dundee, all city schools were to close. In  Perth just two were to close while Angus Council expected to be able to keep all schools open. Fife schools were not affected by the action.

With 8 in 10 of Scotland’s teachers members of the EIS, it’s likely a strike by this union could see the closure of more schools unless the dispute is resolved.

Graeme Keir, an English teacher and EIS Fife local association publicity officer, said: “I’m hopeful that school closures can be avoided.

“However, it is up to the Scottish Government and Cosla to make an improved pay offer so we can avoid strike action.

“Teachers have overwhelmingly rejected a real terms pay cut. When the demands on teachers have increased massively it is not going to be acceptable to cut teachers pay.”

The Scottish Government hopes a resolution will prevent a strike.

A spokesperson said: “Industrial action would not be in anyone’s interest, least of all learners and parents.

“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.”

Why do teachers want a bigger pay rise?

The EIS says a 5% raise for teachers is in real terms a 7% pay cut and members are feeling the “damaging impact” of the soaring cost of living.

A 10% pay claim submitted by the EIS and other teaching unions is, it says, extremely measured, evidence-based and unequivocally deserved.

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “The message from today’s ballot result is very clear: we are not going to accept this pay proposal, and we are prepared to take strike action in pursuit of a fair pay settlement.”

The union is preparing for a statutory ballot for strike and will issue formal notice in due course.

#PayAttention We have a phenomenal result from our consultative ballot, announced just minutes ago. 91% have voted for strike action in pursuit of a better pay offer, with 94% overall voting to reject 5%. Turnout a threshold-smashing 78% Thank you to all members who voted! ✊🏻✊🏽✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/bqQ7kEeuLf

— EIS (@EISUnion) September 16, 2022