The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Teachers threaten to take industrial action for fair pay increase
EDUCATION: Union vows to return salaries to pre-austerity levels
A union has threatened industrial action in schools unless teachers’ pay is substantially improved this year.
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) warned that a below inflation pay rise would be “unacceptable” ahead of negotiations with the Scottish Government and councils.
The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) will decide the 2018-19 pay settlement for Scotland’s teachers, with the EIS calling for pay to be “restored to pre-austerity levels”.
Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has committed to lifting the 1% public sector pay cap and providing for a 3% pay rise for NHS staff, police, teachers and others earning up to £30,000 and 2% for those earning more than £30,000.
However the union, which represents more than 80% of Scotland’s teachers, said the 2% offer was not good enough.
General secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The EIS will enter into this year’s SNCT discussions in good faith, and we will hope that a fair agreement can be reached quickly through negotiation.
“We are very clear, however, that the Finance Secretary’s 2% offer will not be acceptable to Scotland’s teachers.
“We go into these discussions with a very clear objective – to achieve a meaningful pay award that will start the process of returning teachers’ pay to pre-austerity levels.
“We hope to achieve this through negotiation, but stand fully prepared to take all options – including industrial action – to ensure that teachers receive the fair pay increase that they deserve.”
Mr Flanagan said austerity and cuts to teachers’ pay were “political decisions” that had “serious consequences” for Scottish education.
He added: “The clear message that teachers wish their employers and the Scottish Government to hear is that ‘enough is enough’ and that the era of real-terms pay cuts must end.”
A spokesman said: “The Scottish Government is working with employers and unions, through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, to improve pay and conditions.
“We have already taken action to reduce workload and have agreed a backdated 1% pay rise from April and a further 1% uplift from January until the end of March 2018 – backed by an additional £24 million in the draft budget.”