Created on: 19 May 2022
Yesterday COSLA gave its first response to the Teachers’ Side claim (lodged in February) for a 10% pay increase from April 2022 with the offer of a 2% increase with effect from April 2022 for all teachers.
This completely inadequate offer was immediately rejected by the Teachers’ Side Joint Chair, with the support of all other teaching unions at a meeting of the SNCT Extended Joint Chairs. Teachers are united in demanding a fair pay rise and one that will prevent the further erosion of the value of our pay.
We demanded that a revised and greatly improved offer be made before the next meeting of the SNCT on 21 June 2022. EIS Council in March this year resolved that we will move towards a ballot for industrial action should a fair pay settlement not be achieved.
We now must increase pressure on the Scottish Government and COSLA to ensure that they understand how teachers view a 2% offer in response to a 10% pay claim at a time when CPI is at 9%, RPI is over 11% and all predictions point towards a worsening of the cost-of-living crisis.
Our pay claim will be a key focus for us at our AGM in Dundee from 9-11 June and members will be informed in the coming weeks how they can join our campaign for fair pay and help put pressure on our employers to pay us what we deserve. Teachers’ pay needs to add up.