Scots teachers have to work 50-hour week, claims union

TEACHERS are working more hours than before the McCrone review of the profession more than a decade ago, according to the first submission to be given to a new review of teaching.

The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association (SSTA) has revealed it believes the profession is worse off now due to job cuts and failings by councils to meeting working agreements. It will hand over its formal submission next week.

Ann Ballinger, general secretary of the SSTA, said: "Before McCrone, teachers worked an average 40 hours a week; that's moved to 50 hours a week.

"The hourly rate last went up significantly in 2005-6 and since then any rise has been less than the rate of inflation.

"So the hourly rate is worth less than in 2006 while hours they are working have increased."

The McCormac review was announced earlier this year as part of an agreement between council umbrella group Cosla and the Scottish Government.

Linked to the government's budget last November, its remit is to examine whether the existing McCrone arrangement delivers the intended benefits for teachers and pupils.

Key points are if it is best-placed to deliver the new school curriculum introduced last year and attracts the best people.

Led by Professor Gerry McCormac of Stirling University, it will also examine the cost and size of the current profession in the "context" of the cuts in budgets.

The SSTA argues "teachers are now more significantly underpaid in terms of their hourly rate" than prior to the McCrone national agreement.

With the reduction of promoted posts because of the faculty system, which reduced the number of department heads, the SSTA argues councils have saved money. Mrs Ballinger said: "We accept we are not going to get a huge salary increase any time soon, but we want the McCormac review to recognise that ground has been lost and this has to be made up to attract entrants into the profession.

"Teaching is one of the poorest-paid graduate professions there is and that has to be reflected."

A survey by the union last year revealed few teachers only worked the 35 hours they were contracted to.

Many were working more than 50 hours a week.

And with many councils cutting classroom assistants and other support, teachers are forced to spend more time on administrative tasks.

The McCrone review of 2001 was widely seen as having revolutionised the profession, fending growing strike action, increasing pay and reducing hours.

At the time education secretary Michael Russell said the time was right for a fundamental review of the McCrone report.

He added: "A lot has changed in the past decade, most notably the introduction of Curriculum for Excellence… we need to ensure we continue to attract the right kind of people."

However, critics said McCrone has worked.

Des McNulty, Labour education spokesman, said: "McCrone did represent a significant step forward in teachers' pay and conditions and a significant uplift in the profession.

"However, what's happened in the last three years under the SNP, is that some of what was gained has been eroded, teacher numbers have fallen and opportunities such as professional development have been cut."