Following the close of the Consultative Ballot a meeting of the SNCT Extended Joint Chairs (SSTA, EIS, COSLA and Government) took place on Thursday 22 November and negotiations were re-opened. At the meeting, the reasons why the pay offer had been rejected by the vast majority of Scottish teachers and the merits of our pay claim were set out in very clear terms. The need for a much improved and undifferentiated offer was emphasised and the December “negotiating window” was the timescale we referenced.
The union side expressed its disappointment with the decision of the Government and COSLA to attempt to undermine the negotiations by issuing a letter directly to teachers with inaccurate information. The union side made it clear that this must not happen again. The union side also emphasised its intention to reach a negotiated settlement.
As the negotiations have resumed it has been made clear to COSLA and Scottish Government that there is an expectation that there will be an improved proposal for discussion at the next meeting. The next negotiation meeting is scheduled for 3 December.
As we are approaching a critical time in the 2018 pay campaign we need to be prepared for the potential for a postal ballot for industrial action. It is essential that we have accurate postal addresses and preferred email addresses. You can update your details with us by completing a form here