EIS teachers agree 1% pay rise offer

TEACHERS in the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union have agreed to a new pay deal, ending the threat of industrial action in Scotland’s schools.

EIS members have voted to accept a one per cent pay rise. Picture: TSPL

EIS members voted in favour of accepting the offer, which represents a one per cent increase for this year and next.

Last year, the EIS hinted at strike action after teachers rejected changes to their working conditions which were linked to the new deal.

The new deal, which was backed by 90 per cent of those taking part in the ballot, also includes improvements to the pay and conditions of supply teachers and commitments on maintaining teacher numbers.

‘Positive’

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Teachers have recognised the positive elements of this hard-won package, including important gains on short-term supply teacher pay, salary protection for former Chartered Teachers, and agreement in principle to maintain teacher numbers while tackling growing teacher workload.

“Whilst teachers acknowledge that this one per cent offer is in line with other public sector awards, and results from limits that have been created by current government pay policy, the EIS is clear that this continuing attack on the living standards of public sector workers, including teaching professionals, cannot be allowed to continue.

“After years of government-imposed pay freezes, coupled with the sub-inflationary pay element in this package, teachers have suffered significant real-term pay cuts over several years. As the economy continues to recover, and the bankers who caused the financial crisis increasingly return to their excessive pay and bonus culture, it is time for the restraint on public sector pay to end.

“Our teaching professionals, and other public sector workers, cannot continue to be endlessly squeezed to pay for a financial crisis that was not of their making.”