SCOTLAND’S largest teaching union has condemned a pay offer that would result in a significant real-terms pay cut for Scotland’s teachers as “wholly unacceptable.”

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has hit out at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) over a pay offer made to workers across the country. 

The EIS salaries committee raised the growing anger in schools over the sub-inflationary pay offer from Cosla and the Scottish government. 

The EIS remains in dispute with the employers on teacher pay, with a pay settlement for teachers now more than six months overdue.

The current offer on the table is for 1.22 per cent – substantially less than the rate of inflation, which is currently at 4 per cent. 

The EIS claims that this could lead to a real-terms cut of 2.78 per cent, while government figures indicate pay settlements in the private sector are currently averaging as high as 8 per cent.

The union has now warned that there is a growing demand among members for industrial action, urging stakeholders to return to the table with a “substantially improved” offer as soon as possible in an effort to end the 10-month dispute.  

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “This is absolutely unacceptable and an insult to hard-pressed teachers who have been working flat out throughout the pandemic to provide a sound learning experience for all young people.

“Local and national government have had a lot to say about the high value of education and teachers throughout the pandemic, but the EIS is very clear that a substantial pay cut is scant reward for Scotland’s teachers.”

On Friday council leaders agreed a new offer, which unions are now considering. 

Cosla has been approached for comment.