Scottish teachers have been told to reject an “insulting pay offer” as the country’s largest teaching union opens a ballot on industrial action.
A five per cent pay offer from local authority body Cosla was rejected by the Educational Institute of Scotland’s (EIS) executive committee last week.
The union is demanding a 10 per cent pay increase and a consultative ballot has been launched to determine whether teachers want to take strike action over the “wholly unacceptable” offer.
Teachers will have until September 16 to vote in the online ballot.
If teachers decide to walk out of the classroom, they will re-ignite industrial action in the public sector just as settlement in the refuse strike is within touching distance.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley urged members to reject the offer and vote Yes to “potential strike action in pursuit of an improved pay settlement”.
She said: “Teachers are increasingly angry that their pay is not keeping pace with the soaring cost of living, as inflation reaches unprecedented levels, and are impatient for the union to take action on their behalf.
“A five per cent pay settlements far below the rising cost of living and, effectively, a deep and painful real-terms pay cut for Scotland’s hard-working teachers, some of whom are already experiencing in-work poverty.”
She said Cosla, local authorities and the Scottish Government have “dragged their feet” while offering a series of “pitiful” pay offers.
Bradley added: “It is time for Cosla and the Scottish Government to stop playing political games and to work constructively to deliver a fair pay settlement for Scotland’s teachers.
Teachers’ union NASUWT has also confirmed it will reject the pay offer tabled by Cosla after 83 per cent of respondents said it was “inadequate”.
Some 582 teachers responded to the snapshot survey conducted in late August.
Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, has urged Cosla to come back with a “vastly improved offer”.
He added: “If they fail to do so we remain committed to balloting members this term for industrial action.”
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