Teachers prepare for strike ballot as tensions grow over new examinations and pay freeze

Members of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA), the country’s second largest teaching union, say they are facing “intolerable stress levels” as a result of the incoming National qualifications, which will replace Standard Grades and Intermediates from 2013.

Members of the union have lodged a motion calling for a ballot on industrial action if education secretary Michael Russell does not agree to a delay to allow more time to prepare.

It comes as the union’s annual congress gets under way in Peebles today, with its president promising to work “with the devil and his cat” to protect pay and conditions for teachers.

Margaret Smith will attack an “appalling erosion” of working conditions created by the Scottish Government’s pay freeze, UK government pension reforms and proposals in the McCormac Review of teacher employment during her speech to the congress today.

She will say: “Pay has been frozen for two years during a period of continuing inflation not seen for twenty years and, adding insult to injury, we are now offered a 1 per cent increase in pay come April 2013.

“I am not alone in thinking this to be derisory and offensive.” She will claim the McCormac Review’s recommendation of “flexibility” within the working week is “effectively an end to the 35-hour week,” before attacking the lack of resources on offer to manage the changes.

“There is no money. There is money for wars and bankers’ bonuses and other such necessities, but to invest in education? Don’t be daft.”

And she will add: “We will work co-operatively and collectively with fraternal unions, with local authorities and with Scottish and UK governments to these ends.

“In fact, we will work with the devil and his cat if necessary, but we will not compromise our trade union principles.”

Yesterday, another teaching union, the NASUWT, called for a delay in implementing the Nationals. East Renfrewshire Council has already said it will delay the introduction of the new exams by a year to give its teachers more time to prepare.