We wish to advise members following a formal postal ballot, Paul Cochrane (Inverclyde) has been elected as SSTA Vice-President for 2025-2027.   Paul is a Science teacher, is the SSTA District Secretary for Inverclyde and Convenor of the SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee. Paul said in his election statement Paul Cochrane “Only the SSTA delivers the specialist secondary representation that teachers deserve. I have been fortunate to have been trusted to support members’ views as a school representative and on…

Reduction in Teacher Contact Time (90 minutes) - Deadline Approaches and COSLA needs to Act The Scottish Government committed to a reduction in teacher class contact time from 22.5 hours to 21 hours. This commitment was made in recognition of the workload pressures that Scotland’s teachers faced. The SSTA and other teacher unions will declare a formal trade dispute if no proposal is received by Monday 3 February. Teachers see the 90-minute reduction in class contact time as an important step by the…

Reduction in Teacher Contact Time (90 minutes) - Deadline Approaches  The Scottish Government committed to a reduction in teacher class contact time from 22.5 hours to 21 hours. This commitment was made in recognition of the workload pressures that Scotland’s teachers faced.Little progress has been made to date and the SSTA and other teacher unions will declare a formal trade dispute if no proposal by Monday 3 February. However, the Scottish Government published a joint agreement with COSLA on 11 December 2024…

The SSTA December 2024 Newsletter is now available for members to download.The newsletter contains articles on:  SSTA National Elections 2025 Teachers’ Pension Scheme - useful guide Salary Scales - 1 August 2024 Class Contact Time Reduction Relationships & Action Behaviour Action Plan Named Person Advice Note 35 Hour Working Week - FAQ Guide to Menal Health Support Webinar 2025 Subscription Fees Benefits of Union Recognition

Retirement of Fiona Dalziel  The Association would like to congratulate Fiona Dalziel (Assistant General Secretary) on her retirement at the end of September. Fiona was appointed as a Professional Officer in 2007 and during her time with the Association Fiona held the position of Deputy General Secretary and, in 2014, Acting General Secretary. Fiona was our lead casework officer and represented members at all levels throughout Scotland. She had the ability to remain calm and focussed at all times and…

NATIONAL CASEWORK OFFICER We are looking for a full-time National Casework Officer who can communicate effectively, interact well with other people and who can work as part of a team. The successful candidate will also have familiarity with the operation and ethos of a trade union, SNCT Conditions of Service and should have a sound knowledge of the Scottish education system. . The post is based in Edinburgh and attracts a current salary of £62,022 per annum. A defined contribution…

The SNCT Teachers’ Side met this morning and unanimously accepted the pay offer of 4.27% for all SNCT grades from 1 August 2024. This position was stated at a meeting of the SNCT Extended Joint Chairs (SSTA, EIS, the employers, and Scottish Government) that followed.  The teacher side expected that the payment would be made as soon a s possible as the payment date had passed. The SNCT pay circular is to be finalised with the teacher side ensuring that…

The SSTA welcome over seventy delegates and guests to The Stirling Court Hotel as it celebrates fifty years of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Keynote speeches include Risk Assessment and Supporting Mental Health of Colleagues. Grant McAllister SSTA Health and Safety Convenor said. “When the Health and Safety at Work Act was introduced, its purpose was to prevent physical harm, illness, and injury. Trade unions supported members to make sure employers protected their workers for dangerous practices and procedures for…

The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee reluctantly agreed to recommend acceptance of the 4.27% offer to members as the Committee felt this was the best deal that could be achieved at this time. The ballot returned with 91% of SSTA members voting to accept the pay offer for 2024-2025. Paul Cochrane SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Convenor said. “The SSTA members have supported the Committee’s recommendation and voted overwhelmingly to accept the pay offer. The Committee will inform the…

Email invitations to take part in the Consultative Ballot on the 2 September pay offer have been sent out to members who are employed by a Local Authority at 1.15pm this afternoon.   The Consultative Ballot will close at 12.00pm on Tuesday 10 September 2024. If you have already responded to the consultative ballot, thank you for taking the time to do so. The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee reluctantly agreed to recommend acceptance of the 4.27% offer to members. The…