Union Urges Yes Vote On Teacher Pay Offer

The biggest teaching union in Scotland's balloting it's members on a 2-year pay and conditions offer.

The EIS is urging them to accept the proposal, which offers a 1.5% raise this year, followed by a 1% payrise next year. Also included are agreements on managing teacher workload and maintaining staff numbers next year.

Union bosses say it's the best deal they can come to, given the chancellor's public sector pay freeze announcement.

EIS Salaries Convener Tom Tracey said, "The EIS Salaries Committee has unanimously recommended that our members should vote to accept the employers’ final offer on pay and conditions. In doing so the Committee is well aware of the fact that the offer is far from the restorative pay award that Scotland’s teachers deserve. However, given the announcement by the UK Chancellor of future spending cuts and a public sector pay limit of 1% for the next four years, the Salaries Committee view is that this is the best deal which can be achieved through negotiation."

General Secretary Larry Flanagan added: "Clearly, the pay element of this offer is disappointing and falls short of EIS aspirations. The continued austerity measures of the UK government have created a situation where an offer of 2.5% over two years is the most that COSLA, as the employers’ side, was prepared to offer. 

"However, the non-pay elements of the offer, including a commitment to address supply teaching issues, an agreed set of principles and action on managing teacher workload and, crucially, a separate commitment from the Scottish Government on maintaining teacher numbers in year two of the deal, offer more positive developments which establish the basis for a potentially workable agreement. However, should members vote to reject the offer then the question of industrial action will be considered."
 
The EIS will now seek the views of its members during a three-week ballot.