Union accuses councils of pay ‘procrastination’

Scotland’s largest teaching union has accused councils of “procrastination” over pay negotiations.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said there was growing anger at council body Cosla’s “attempt to use the plight of teachers as a political pawn”.

The union claimed the issue was being “abused” in a dispute between councils and the Scottish Government over the local government financial settlement.

EIS is campaigning for a 10 percentpayincreaseforteachers. In a letter to members of Cosla’s leadership group, the union’s general secretary Larry Flanagan said there should be no more delay over teachers’ pay. 0 Larry Flanagan has voiced the teaching union’s frustration

He said: “I am writing to you to express the frustration of Scottish teachers at Cosla’s continuing procrastination in terms of this year’s pay negotiations and, also, to express our growing anger at Cosla’s attempt to use the plight of teachers as a political pawn in its own dispute with [the] Scottish Government.”