Created on: 15 Aug 2024
We welcome the announcement that colleagues in England will receive a 5.5% pay rise marking a start to addressing the significant erosion of their pay as a result of the austerity impacts that teachers' salaries in Scotland have also suffered.
We have been clear since the submission of our pay claim in January 2024 that a step forward in the restoration of Scottish teachers' pay is essential. Our claim of 6.5% was formed with this imperative in mind.
The first pay offer received in June was rejected as it fell significantly below our expectations, and it is worth noting that it was also significantly below the 5.5% now to be awarded to teachers in England.
Scottish Teachers are due to receive their pay uplift from 1st August - a matter of days away- but this date will now be missed as a result of the very long delay in an initial pay offer being made by COSLA.
With the new school year soon to begin, both COSLA and the Scottish Government must commit to meaningful negotiations in order to avoid any further delay in a pay award being made that begins to address the unacceptable erosion of teacher salaries in Scotland, and that begins to restore salaries in line with their former worth, to properly reflect the value of teachers in improving the life chances of our young people and therefore laying the foundations of a better society for all.
Teachers in Scotland, Scottish Education and the young people who benefit from it, need and deserve the Scottish Government and employers to take a similarly positive step to the UK Government in the direction of full pay restoration for all teachers north of the border.