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Scottish teachers’ unions reject ‘derisory’ 3% pay offer

SCOTTISH teachers reiterated their call for a 10 per cent pay rise last night after rejecting the latest offer from councils and the Scottish government.

Unions branded the 3 per cent increase offered to all teachers as “derisory.” Councils umbrella body Cosla and the government also promised a shake-up of the pay scale, which would give extra cash to teachers at the top and bottom ends.

The proposal was made after unions rejected a previous offer, which would have given only a 2 per cent rise to higher-paid staff.

A spokesman for Scotland’s teaching unions said of the negotiations: “It was made clear by the teachers’ side that this was a derisory offer and that it failed to redress the decade of detriment to teachers’ pay.

“It was also made clear that while changes to the [pay grading scale] would be welcomed, recruitment and retention of all teachers needed to be improved and all should receive a 10 per cent pay rise, in addition to any other changes.”

Negotiations will continue and a further meeting between the three sides will take place on October 4.

The Education Institute of Scotland, the largest teaching union north of the border, estimates that teachers’ pay has fallen in real terms by 20 to 24 per cent over the past 10 years.

Scottish Green education spokesman Ross Greer said: “The EIS is right to take a stand on teacher pay.

“Teachers have the full support of the Greens in their attempts to win a just pay package that reflects the essential work they do in an environment of overwhelming workloads, budget cuts, chronic staff shortages and an ongoing recruitment crisis.”

Conrad Landin is the Morning Star’s Scotland editor.

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