Schools across Dumfries and Galloway will close today after last ditch talks to avert strike action failed.
Members of the EIS union will stage a walk out after rejecting a five per cent pay offer from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.
A new offer – equivalent to 6.85 per cent to teachers on the lowest salaries – was made on Tuesday.
But that was also rejected out of hand by union officials who branded the proposal “nothing less than an abject insult to Scotland’s hard-working teaching professionals”.
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “Teachers overwhelmingly rejected a five per cent offer more than three months ago and now, after months of prevarication and weeks of empty promises, COSLA and the Scottish Government come back with an offer that is worth that same five per cent to the vast majority of teachers.
“This is not, as the Scottish Government claims, a progressive offer – it is a divisive offer, made on a differentiated basis, which is actually worse for many teachers in promoted posts.”
The deal would have seen teachers earning less than £40,107 receive an increase of £1,926. Those on higher salaries would receive a five per cent increase, with staff earning more than £60,000 receiving a maximum of £3,000.
COSLA resources spokeswoman and Mid Galloway and Wigtown West councillor Katie Hagmann described the offer as “fair, affordable and recognises that the cost of living crisis is the priority”.
She said: “We have worked extremely hard and closely with Scottish Government to ensure such a revised offer could be brought forward.
“I would call on our trade union colleagues to recognise that these are extremely challenging financial times we are operating in and we all need to make decisions with a full understanding of the consequences.
“Our offer ensures that we don’t place additional pressure on any other parts of our hardworking workforce and the essential services they deliver and, importantly, it protects the best interests of children and young people.”
Following news of the rejection, a Scottish Government spokesman said it was “very disappointing that the EIS has rejected this fair and progressive offer which mirrors the deal accepted by other local government workers”.
He added: “Strikes are in no-one’s interest and this offer – the fourth offer which has gone to unions – would have meant a 21.8 per cent cumulative increase in teacher pay since 2018.
“It is simply unaffordable to have a 10 per cent increase which unions are asking for within the fixed budget which the Scottish Government is working in.”
Members of a third teaching union, NASUWT, have also voted to strike. Their members will down tools on December 7 and 8 and take action short of a strike on December 9.
