Scotland's largest teaching union backs pay deal to end months of strikes over wage increase

Scotland’s largest teaching union has voted to back a pay deal aimed at ending months of classroom walkouts.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has accepted the latest offer put forward by the Scottish Government and local authority body COSLA.

Under the agreement, educators will receive a 7% rise for last year, a 5% rise this year and a 2% increase from January 2024.

Members voted overwhelmingly by 90% to accept the offer on an 82% turnout following a protracted row over the offer that led to almost every school in Scotland being shut down over several days as part of industrial action.

The EIS initially pushed for a 10% increase, but that was branded “unaffordable” by education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.

The Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA) voted to accept the deal on Thursday.

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said members had taken a “pragmatic” decision in accepting the offer, though admitted it did not meet the “restorative” pay settlement initially sought by striking teachers.

She added: “It is the best deal that can realistically be achieved in the current political and financial climate without further prolonged industrial action.

“It compares favourably with recent pay settlements across the public sector, and does provide pay certainty for Scotland’s teachers for the next 16 months until the next pay settlement is scheduled to be delivered in August 2024.

“It is deeply regrettable that it took a sustained industrial dispute, and the first programme of national strike action on pay by teachers in forty years, for the Scottish Government and COSLA to finally come up with an acceptable pay offer for Scotland’s hard-working teaching professionals.

“Scotland’s pupils, parents and teachers deserve better, and the Scottish Government and Scotland’s local authorities must commit to ensuring that education is properly funded, and that teachers are fairly paid, in all future years in order that Scottish Education can provide as it should for our young people and for the good of our whole society.”

NASUWT members are also involved in the dispute and its general secretary, Patrick Roach, had condemned the latest offer from Scottish Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville as “only a paltry improvement” on the previous proposal.

That union is also balloting its members on the deal.

The EIS members’ approval of the deal came after a breakthrough in negotiations last week, which saw the union pause strikes set to be staged in the constituencies of senior politicians, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

It had also planned a 20-day campaign of rolling strikes in every part of Scotland.

The pay dispute between councils and the teaching unions had become bitterly contested, with the first walk out taking place last November.

That union is also balloting its members on the deal.

It had also planned a 20-day campaign of rolling strikes in every part of Scotland.

The pay dispute between councils and the teaching unions had become bitterly contested, with the first walk out taking place last November.

Deputy first minister John Swinney said: “I know that the ongoing industrial action was disruptive and a source of worry for families.

“Accordingly, it is good news that this dispute has been resolved.”

What is the new offer?

The latest pay deal covers a 28-month period from April 1, 2022, to July 31, 2024, and effects all teachers earning up to £80,000.

It includes:

A 7% increase back-dated to April 1, 2022
A 5% increase in effect from April 1, 2023
A 2% increase in effect from January 1, 2024
An agreement that the pay year will be aligned with the school year starting from August 2024.