TEACHERS are still set to take strike action as planned next week despite "constructive" talks with the Scottish Government on Friday.
The EIS union said the only offer which remained on the table was that which has already been rejected and only an improved offer would end the dispute.
Education Secretary Shirley Anne-Somerville has meanwhile insisted the talks were “constructive and helpful” and there is "potential scope for compromise”.
All scheduled strike action for primary and secondary schools will go ahead as planned on Tuesday and Wednesday, the EIS said.
More talks are now due to take place on Monday, when the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), which brings together unions along with local authorities and the Scottish Government, will meet.
Des Morris, EIS salaries convener and chair of the teachers’ side of the SNCT, said: “Trade unions remain committed to reaching a fair, negotiated pay settlement for Scotland’s teaching professionals.
"In the absence of any new offer, the planned strike action for Tuesday and Wednesday of next week will proceed as scheduled. A planned SNCT meeting has now been brought forward to Monday of next week – at the union side’s request – in the hope of advancing discussions towards a new and improved offer to teachers.”
Somerville has urged members of the EIS, NASUWT and SSTA unions – who are all involved in the dispute over pay – to “reconsider their plans for industrial action while talks are ongoing”.
The deal currently on the table would see most staff in classrooms receive a 5% pay rise, although the lowest-earning teachers would get a 6.85% increase.
She insisted: “Strikes in our schools are in no one’s interest, including for pupils, parents and carers who have already had to deal with significant disruption over the past three years.”
Somerville added she was “grateful for the constructive and helpful talks” with the teaching unions and the local authority body COSLA on Friday.
Katie Hagmann, resources spokesperson for COSLA, said that while there had been “constructive discussions” on Friday these were “not negotiations”.
But she stated: “It was extremely helpful to reiterate how much we value the role of teachers as part of the local government workforce.
“It was also important to outline that our aim is to ensure we can continue to effectively deliver vital education services in our communities and that means reaching a fair and affordable pay deal that not only protects the teaching and wider local government workforce, but also our children and young people’s educational experience.”
