Union rejects pay deal for teachers in Scotland

Scotland’s largest teaching union, The Educational Institute for Scotland (EIS), has rejected a pay offer from the Scottish Government of 11.5% rise over two years, saying it remained “insufficient” with inflation above 10%.

This means that the strikes scheduled for February 28 and March 1 are now likely to go ahead.

The revised offer agreed by the Scottish Government and COSLA, for 2022-23 is 6% for all staff earning up to £80,000 from 1 April 2022  and £4,800 for all those earning in excess of £80,000.

For 2023-24, it's 5.5% for all staff earning up to £80,000 from 1 April 2023 and £4,400 for all those earning in excess of £80,000.

EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said: "This is another inadequate offer to Scotland's teachers, which was unanimously rejected by the EIS Salaries Committee.

"The 6% value of the offer for 2022-23 is insufficient, with CPI inflation currently sitting today at 10.5%. The 6% offer for this year is only 1% less of a pay cut than that previously offered, twice, by the Scottish Government and COSLA.

"Teachers have already lost more than 1% of their salaries through being forced into strike action so, essentially, teachers already more than paid for this revised offer themselves. This is just yet more smoke and mirrors from the Scottish Government and COSLA in attempting to make this offer appear more generous than it actually is."