Teachers announce 22 days of strike action as pay dispute escalates

The EIS has announced 22 additional days of strike action in an escalation of the dispute over teachers’ pay.

This is in addition to the previously announced 16-day programme of rolling strike action, set to begin in schools across the country next week. EIS members have previously taken three days of national strike action – one in November and two in January – in the continuing campaign for a fair pay settlement for the year 2022.

The EIS Executive Committee met yesterday and agreed a programme of additional strike action that will include two days of national strike action in all schools and sectors on 28 February and 1 March, followed by a rolling programme of strikes for 20 days between 13 March and 21 April.

Over the rolling strike period, each local authority area will be impacted by three consecutive days of strike action, with one day of strike action in all schools bookended on either side by one-day strikes in primary and secondary schools.

Commenting following the meeting of EIS Executive Committee, General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “The programme of additional strike action, agreed today, is a direct response to the inaction of the Scottish Government and COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) on teacher pay.

“After a year of dither, delay and disingenuity from the Scottish Government and COSLA, Scotland’s teachers have simply had enough.

“The recent days of strike action by Scotland’s teachers have succeeded in bringing COSLA and the Scottish Government back to the negotiating table – but they have yet to put a single extra penny onto that table.

“Scotland’s teachers rejected a sub-inflationary 5% offer six months ago, and little or no progress has been made in negotiations since. The prospect of 22 additional days of strike action, on top of the 16 days of rolling action set to begin next week, should signal clearly to the Scottish Government and COSLA that they must now act with urgency.

“Our members are resolute and determined to secure a fair pay settlement, which both properly reflects their value and also takes account of the soaring cost of living.”

Talks with COSLA on Thursday produced no improved pay offer.