More strikes due at schools as teachers knock back latest pay offer
Teachers in Scotland have formally rejected a “wholly unacceptable and divisive” pay offer, paving the way for further strike action in the weeks ahead.
Trade unions said the “differentiated 5 per cent” offer from the Scottish Government and council body Cosla represented “no real improvement” on a previous offer rejected three months ago.
A letter from the teachers’ panel of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), representing all of Scotland’ s teaching unions, said it was actually worse for many.
The Scottish Government submitted a pay offer to teachers last week which was summarily dismissed by the unions.
Under that proposal, teachers earning under £40,107 would receive an increase of £1,926 per year – 6.85 per cent for those on the lowest salaries–while those on more would get 5 per cent.
Councillor Katie Hagmann, Cosla’s resources spokeswoman, said a “revised fourth offer “was made on Tuesday afternoon, which included additional money. She said: “It was a fair and affordable offer which recognises the cost-of-living crisis as the priority by focusing on higher increases for staff on lower pay points.
"The offer we have made is in line with the offers made to all other parts of the public sector, including the wider local government workforce. Teachers area core part of that workforce,and are supported in their roles by other council employeeswho help keep schools open and clean.
“It was an offer that ensured no additional pressure is placed on teachers themselves, as well as any other parts of our hardworking workforce and the essential services they deliver, and importantly it protects the best interests of children and young people.
“Teachers in Scotland are already paid well above their counterparts in England and Wales, as made clear by UK Government figures, and indeed many of their colleagues in local government.”
D es morris, chair of the teachers’ panel of the SNCT, said :“All of Scotland’s teaching unions are united in rejection of this wholly unacceptable and divisive offer from Cosla and the Scottish government. in rejecting this proposal, we have highlighted the lack of improvement on the previous offer, which was itself rejected unanimously some three months ago. In addition to offering no tangible improvement, this proposal is also worse for many experienced teachers in promoted posts compared to the previous offer.
"This proposal also, quite absurdly given employers’ responsibilities around fair work and SNCT conditions of service, suggests that even more demands of teachers could have been made, adding to their already intolerable workloads, had employers chosen to do so.
"Al soared line is that the proposal offers a differentiated pay increase.”
The NASUWT union plans to strike on December 7 and 8 – along with the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association – with action short of a strike due on December 9.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "It is simply unaffordable to have a 10 per cent increase which unions are asking for within the fixed budget which the Scottish Government is working in."