Scots teachers to reject pay deal

26 Aug 99
Teachers' unions in Scotland are set to reject a pay offer worth nearly 15% over three years.

27 August 1999

The executive of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), which represents four out of five teachers, was meeting on August 27 to discuss the offer by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. It has already been rejected by the union's salaries committee.

Under the proposals, worth £200m, Scotland's 50,000 teachers will receive average increases of 14.7% by April 2001. But unions are angry about what they see as an increase in working hours – partly to cover new homework clubs and summer schools.

EIS general secretary Ronnie Smith said teachers will be required to work 1,365 hours per year instead of 1,152 hours at present. 'We view it as an 18% increase in working time in return for getting 14.7% over three years,' he said. 'We see it as a real cut in pay.'

Cosla, which wants teachers to set aside 50 hours a year for activities linked to tackling social exclusion, says they are already required to work 1,365 hours annually. 'This deal recognises the already-valuable contribution many teachers make to the social inclusion agenda, and seeks to reward them,' said Cosla education convener Danny McCafferty.

Further anger has been caused by plans to abolish the principal teacher post in favour of a new professional leader scale. Leaders of other teachers' associations said the package was insufficient.

But Smith stressed industrial action was not an immediate option. Instead, the union was likely to press for a one-year deal worth 8%.

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