Teachers in Scotland skipped school today for the first time in 40 years

Despite some primary schools opening in Orkney and Shetland, today, teachers walked out of schools in Scotland for the first time since the 1980s.  

The school strike, which was voted for three months ago after the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) rejected a 5% pay rise, has affected primary and secondary schools, as well as children’s nurseries across 32 councils in the country.  

EIS, Scotland’s largest teaching union which represents around 80% of teachers, also refused a last-minute pay offer from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) which proposed to provide teachers with a 5.07% increase.

EIS General Secretary, Andrea Bradley, told The Guardian ‘Their much self-lauded ‘generous and progressive’ offer is actually worth on average, an extra 71 pence per week to Scotland’s teachers compared to the previously rejected offer.

‘We really did not want to be in this position, and have engaged constructively in talks for many months, but have been forced into this strike by the inaction of the Scottish government and Cosla who have refused to make any improvement to a pay offer that was roundly rejected three months ago.’

However, deemed ‘unaffordable’ the Education Secretary, Shirly-Ann Somerville said teachers demand for a 10% pay rise was out of reach with the fixed budget the government is currently working with.

Ms Somerville stated the latest offer, which was the fourth one put forward to unions, would have resulted in a 21.8% cumulative increase in teacher pay since 2018 and a starting salary for a qualified teacher of £35,600. This is over £7K more than counterparts in England.

EIS have said throughout the day teachers have gathered in picket lines across the country, with regional pay campaigns set up in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Elgin.

As well as engaging in strike action today, additional dates have been announced by the teaching union that will take place in January and February 2023. 

Like teachers, rail staff and nurses have also announced strike action that will be taking place in the foreseeable future. 

Photo by kyo azuma