Local government leaders in Scotland have described the teaching unions’ rejection of their latest pay offer as ‘very disappointing’.
The Educational Institute of Scotland said it will continue its current programme of strikes until a ‘more credible offer’ is put forward.
The Scottish government said the new offer would mean teachers earning up to £80,000 would see their pay go up by 6% from April 2022, and then another 5.5% from the start of the 2023 financial year.
But EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley accused the Scottish government and local government employers’ group COSLA of using ‘smoke and mirrors’ to make the offer seem more attractive.
COSLA’s resources spokesperson Katie Hagmann said: ‘The decision by the unions to turn down the offer of good faith, without even asking their members, means that teachers will not see a penny of this pay increase in 22/23.
‘Once eventually agreed, any additional pay will be subject to higher tax in 23/24, meaning less money in the pockets of teachers.
‘This was not what council leaders wanted nor is it in the best interest of our teaching workforce.’
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: ‘Teachers have already lost more than 1% of their salaries through being forced into strike action so, essentially, teachers already more than paid for this revised offer themselves.
‘This is just yet more smoke and mirrors from the Scottish government and COSLA in attempting to make this offer appear more generous than it actually is.’
