Scottish Teachers Ballot Result Delivers Overwhelming Mandate For Strike Action

10th November 2022

96% vote for strike action over pay.

Teachers and associated professionals across Scotland have voted overwhelmingly for strike action over pay, in a statutory ballot organised by the EIS.

The ballot closed earlier this week and the result has now been announced, with 96% voting in favour of strike action on a turnout of 71%.

Commenting following the result, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, "This ballot result provides the EIS with an extremely strong mandate for strike action over pay. Our members have sent yet another very clear message to their employers in Scottish local authorities and to the Scottish Government that they must do better on teachers' pay.

"Our members should have received a pay increase in April but, after months of unjustifiable dither and delay from COSLA and the Scottish Government, we are still waiting for an acceptable offer to be made. Quite frankly, our members have had enough of waiting and enough of feeling the financial strain of the cost of living on top of the significant stress of their teaching jobs."

Ms Bradley continued, “A move to strike action is always a last resort, but our members have become increasingly angry over their treatment by their employers and by the Scottish Government. The last pay offer, a sub-inflation 5%, was rejected by Scotland’s teachers almost three months ago. Since then, there has been no new offer made, despite a strong desire on the part of teachers for a fair deal to be struck.”

Ms Bradley added, “In the current context - with the cost of living soaring, and prices of food and fuel, housing and heating continuing to climb ever higher – our members are neither willing nor able to accept a deep real-terms cut to their pay.

"COSLA and the Scottish Government really must now pay attention to Scotland’s teachers and they must come back with a greatly improved pay offer if strike action starting this month is to be avoided.”

A special meeting of the EIS Executive Committee will be held this afternoon to agree the next steps to be taken in the EIS pay campaign, including an initial programme of industrial action in schools. Further information will be provided later today, following the conclusion of the special Executive meeting.