Union calls in lawyers over school pay freeze

A TEACHING union is taking legal advice after a private school in the Capital announced it is to freeze teachers' pay for the next two years.

Scotland's largest teaching union, the EIS, plans to consult solicitors over the contracts of teaching staff at St Margaret's School in Newington to see if the freeze breaches national pay agreements.

The school, on East Suffolk Road, froze the pay of all teaching and non-teaching staff last year and has now announced it will continue for another two years.

The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers agreed a three-year pay deal back in 2007 to give teachers a rise each year until 31 March, 2011 and the EIS will be determining whether St Margaret's has linked its salary agreements to the SNCT.

Worried teachers at the school have already been in touch with the union. One told the Evening News: "This proposed two-year pay freeze is counter to national pay agreements and will, as a result, lead to its faithful staff falling two years behind nationally agreed pay scales and in turn have a detrimental effect upon final pensions."

Dave McGinty, area officer for the EIS union, said he will meet with members next week and "couldn't rule anything in or out" – including balloting for strike action – at this stage.

He said: "I don't know the specific details of the contracts at St Margaret's, which is why I will want to meet with the members and see what they want to do and refer the contract agreements to our solicitors to see if there's a legal route to pursue."

He added: "It's very disappointing. This is a unique situation. However, in the middle of a recession, money is tight, income streams are drying up and these are the realities in Britain as it tries to come out of the recession.

"I can't rule anything in or out and we will keep all our options open, including seeking advice from our solicitors as to the legalities involved."

Jandy Stevenson, school governor of St Margaret's, said: "School fees paid in respect of each child form our income. We are a small school and the difficulties in the economy affect our parents just as much as anybody else and put pressure on the income we can generate.

"It is these factors which have led to the unfortunate requirement to continue the pay freeze.

"We have had no approach from the union and so we cannot comment on the suggestion that there may be a ballot for strike action but we should be very pleased to discuss matters with them so that we work together to avoid any adverse impact on the pupils in the lead-up to the exams."