The ballot has begun with ballot packs being mailed out to members home address on Monday 15 December. Ballot packs will be arriving in the coming days. The ballot can only be legally conducted by post, and it is so important that members return their ballot papers as soon as possible.
For the ballot to be successful a high response is essential. If the thresholds are not met it puts the union in a weaker place in the negotiations with the employers and COSLA. At present the SSTA, the EIS and NASUWT are all conducting a ballot for industrial action, and I am convinced that a united front will bring a just reward.
I would like to encourage you to vote in the ballot and return your vote in the pre-paid envelope. I would like you to encourage all your colleagues to return their ballot papers as soon as possible.
The SSTA has been committed to reaching a suitable agreement through negotiation but to date COSLA has not been prepared to engage in meaningful negotiations. The approach of COSLA and the Scottish Government has necessitated the move towards industrial action.
The SSTA National Executive carefully considered the progress and the unsatisfactory nature of the negotiations on reducing teacher workload and has sanctioned the statutory ballot for industrial action.
It appears that only the threat of action short of strike action and strike action will force the employers to return to the negotiating table with a commitment to reduce teacher workload.
The SSTA is encouraging all members to vote YES to BOTH questions
SNCT Teachers’ Panel response to Scottish Government Class Contact proposals
The Teachers’ Panel of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) has today met to consider its collective response to the Scottish Government’s paper, received on 20th November 2025, titled “Delivering Reduced Class Contact Time: A National Deal for Scotland’s Teachers”.
The Teachers’ Panel unanimously welcomes the stated commitment from Scottish Government to improve the conditions of service of Scotland’s teachers. This would build on two decades’ worth of previous improvements negotiated through SNCT. The Teachers’ Panel is willing to work collegiately through the SNCT, with Scottish Government and COSLA, to deliver these improvements, termed by Scottish Government as a “National Deal” for teachers.
Teachers’ Panel has already this year tabled proposals to amend the SNCT Handbook to institute paid leave for fertility treatment, special leave for miscarriage, improve supply teachers’ pay and set a maximum class size of six in specialist ASN provision. The Panel will soon be tabling proposals at SNCT to improve maternity leave and pay.
The Teachers’ Panel, however, notes with concern that the Scottish Government’s proposals fail to adequately address the pressing need to resolve the SNCT dispute on reducing weekly class contact time to 21 hours, a dispute declared in February this year.
A lack of meaningful progress towards resolving this dispute has resulted in Teachers’ Panel members opening statutory ballots for industrial action over workload. Before any purposeful negotiation can take place on a proposed National Deal, including improvements to terms and conditions already tabled at SNCT by the Teachers’ Side, it is imperative that Scottish Government and COSLA commit to resolving the SNCT dispute over the manifesto commitment to reduce class contact time.
The Teachers’ Panel is clear that in the context of unfair, unhealthy and, crucially, unsustainable, levels of workload endured by the teaching profession, it will not be dissuaded, nor distracted, from seeking resolution to this dispute. Resolution requires, firstly, agreement that the fu l amount of time resulting from the reduction in weekly class contact time be allocated to teachers’ ‘preparation and correction’ time to address unsustainable workload, thereby giving them more time to plan and prepare f or learning, teaching and assessment. Insufficient time for this activity during the working week is the main driver of excessive workload for teachers.
Once agreement is reached on this fundamental aspect, the Teachers’ Panel believes that implementation planning can begin in earnest, potentially including the piloting of different models of delivery within a reasonable timescale.
In the context of the continuing rise in the numbers of pupils with additional support needs, evident from Scottish Government’s own statistics published last week that now 43% of pupils have a recognised ASN, the imperative for making progress with this commitment has never been stronger.
The Teachers’ Panel expects that implementation of the manifesto commitment will be fully funded. It will not agree to implementation which results in cuts to other Education services, such as ASN provision, nor in additional workload for teachers, including those in promoted positions such as Principal Teachers, Depute Headteachers or Headteachers.
The Teachers’ Panel is, through SNCT, committed to continually improving the terms and conditions of all Scotland’s teachers and looks forward to working with Scottish Government and COSLA to this end. However, the workload crisis, acknowledged publicly in such terms by both the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education, must first be addressed.
SSTA response to COSLA’s Press Statement raising concerns on ‘Reduction in Class Contact Time’
The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee reviewed the COSLA’s Press Statement on the ‘Reduction in Class Contact Time’ (RCCT). The committee stated that the paper avoided the use of the additional 90 minutes as planning, preparation and correction and in the control of the teacher. But focused upon financial difficulties, the negative impact upon other services, and children and young people.
The SSTA welcomes COSLA’s recognition of the importance of reducing class contact time (RCCT) and its commitment to continued engagement through the SNCT. However, we must be clear that RCCT is a national commitment made by the Scottish Government and fully endorsed through the national negotiating machinery. Teachers should not be placed in the middle of disagreements about funding or responsibility between national and local government.
Peter Brandon, SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Convenor said.
“The financial pressures facing local authorities are real, but they cannot be used to stall or dilute a commitment that is essential to the sustainability of the teaching profession and to improving support for children and young people. RCCT is not an optional policy; it is a contractual requirement in development, and one that must be properly resourced”.
“The SSTA therefore supports COSLA in pressing the Scottish Government to provide the funding necessary but equally stresses that local authorities have a duty to participate constructively in planning for implementation rather than presenting obstacles”.
Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary added.
“On COSLA’s concerns about the impact on children and young people, the evidence is already clear:
Teacher workload is at unsustainable levels.
High-quality learning and teaching requires adequate professional time.
Meeting pupils’ needs, including those with additional support needs, depends on teachers having the capacity to respond effectively.
RCCT is designed precisely to address these issues. To suggest that reducing teacher workload might harm pupils misunderstands the reality in schools. Improving teacher capacity is improving pupil experience.
“The SSTA agrees that proper assessment and planning are essential. That is why implementation must proceed through a nationally negotiated framework within the SNCT, backed by transparent funding commitments from the Scottish Government and clear operational planning from local authorities”.
To summarise:
COSLA is right to highlight that funding from the Scottish Government is required, and the SSTA supports that call.
Funding debates cannot be used to block or delay RCCT, which is a nationally agreed commitment.
RCCT is a measure that will benefit children and young people by ensuring teachers have the time necessary to deliver high-quality learning and support.
Local authorities must work with the profession to plan for delivery, not frame RCCT as a threat to services or outcomes.
“The SSTA remains committed to working with COSLA and the Scottish Government through the SNCT to ensure that RCCT is delivered in a way that is properly funded, consistent across Scotland, and genuinely improves conditions for teachers and learners alike. It is unfortunate that SSTA members have to embark on a ballot for industrial action to show the employers how important the reduction in teacher class contact time is for teachers and to the benefit of all our children and young people”
Delivering the 90 Minutes and Protecting Secondary Teachers – Ballot 15 December
The SSTA National Executive has confirmed the next step in the Delivering the 90 Minutes and Protecting Secondary Teachers campaign by launching the formal postal ballot for industrial action from 15 December 2025. The ballot will close at 12 noon on Friday 23 January. The ballot is open to all members employed by a local authority.
The ballot paper will contain two questions:
ARE YOU PREPARED TO TAKE PART IN STRIKE ACTION?
ARE YOU PREPARED TO TAKE PART IN ACTION SHORT OF STRIKE ACTION?
Members are strongly encouraged to respond “YES” to both questions. This will give the union’s negotiators the necessary mandate to press employers and the Scottish Government to progress the reduction in class contact time.
A positive vote on both questions will allow us to increase pressure by introducing measures that refuse duties which take teachers away from teaching and learning. In addition, it provides the option to move to strike action if required.
VOTE ‘YES’ TO BOTH QUESTIONS IN THE BALLOT
2025-2027 Pay Settlement – Claiming ‘Back Pay’
The pay changes will be automatic to most members who have continued to be employed by the same local authority. However, the SSTA wishes to advise members who have retired or left the profession during the period of the pay settlement are required to make a ‘back pay’ claim to their previous employing authority.
In addition, members that have moved local authority or gained a promotion, are also required to make a ‘back pay’ claim.
SSTA response to Scottish Government ‘A National Deal for Scotland’s Teachers’
The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee reviewed the Scottish Government ‘A National Deal for Scotland’s Teachers’. The committee stated that the paper avoided the use of the additional 90 minutes as planning, preparation and correction and in the control of the teacher. Therefore, the planned ballot for industrial action must continue.
The SSTA welcomes the Scottish Government’s continued recognition that reducing class contact time (RCCT) is essential to supporting teachers’ professional responsibilities and improving outcomes for young people. However, we must be clear that the delivery of the promised reduction in class contact time remains the first priority. This commitment must be honoured in full and without delay.
RCCT is not one initiative among many. It is the key mechanism to ensure teachers have the professional time required for planning, assessment, meeting learners’ needs, and contributing to whole-school improvement. These activities cannot be undertaken effectively while class contact time remains at its current level. Without RCCT, none of the wider ambitions for the education system are achievable.
Peter Brandon, SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Convenor said.
“The Government’s paper presents a range of potential approaches for implementation. While the SSTA is willing to engage constructively through the SNCT, we must emphasise that reorganisation of existing time, changes to the school week, or speculative “innovative” models cannot substitute for the fundamental requirement: increased capacity in the system. RCCT must be created through investment and staffing, not by shifting pressure elsewhere in the school day”.
“The suggestion that local pilots or tests of change should begin immediately is premature. Implementation cannot proceed in advance of a national agreement. RCCT is a contractual matter that requires clear, consistent arrangements across Scotland. Local experimentation ahead of SNCT negotiation risks confusion, inconsistency, and added workload at school level—precisely the opposite of what RCCT is intended to address”.
“We note the proposals around redefining non-contact time. The SSTA remains open to discussions, but any revised framework must ensure that professional time remains genuinely at teachers’ discretion and directly supports their core duties. It cannot become a vehicle for increased direction or an expansion of tasks”.
Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary added.
“The SSTA recognises the Government’s interest in developing a wider National Deal. Pay, workload reduction, and improved conditions are important ongoing discussions. However, the delivery of RCCT is a standalone commitment and cannot be tied to or traded against other elements. RCCT must be implemented on its own merits, as promised.
In summary:
RCCT must be implemented first and in line with the existing national commitment.
National agreement through the SNCT must precede any local pilots or changes.
RCCT must be created through additional capacity, not repackaging of existing time.
Any changes to non-contact time must protect professional autonomy and avoid increased workload.
“The SSTA remains committed to working constructively with the Scottish Government and COSLA. But the profession needs certainty, not further delay. Delivering reduced class contact time is essential to ensuring teachers can meet the needs of Scotland’s young people and must now be the immediate focus of implementation”
The SNCT Reduction in Class Contact Time working group had met on Wednesday 19 November, where no progress was made in agreeing the use of the promised 90-minute reduction in class contact time. No reference was made at that meeting to the forthcoming press release. The timing and nature of the announcement appear to undermine the established SNCT negotiating machinery and the ongoing industrial action ballots being organised by the teacher unions.
Members are reminded that the SNCT Teachers’ Side remains in dispute regarding the Government’s failure to implement its commitment to reducing class contact time. The unions’ ballots for industrial action will continue, as the latest announcement does not address either the use of the 90 minutes or any clear timescale for implementation. The SSTA ballot arrangements are currently being finalised with an independent postal ballot provider, and members will receive full details early next week.
All members are encouraged to check and update their membership details as soon as possible to ensure ballot papers are delivered to the correct home address.
Your Responses Confirmed – Action on Demands, Support & Change
On behalf of the SSTA Health, Safety and Wellbeing (HSW) Committee, I want to sincerely thank the 600 members of staff who took the time to complete our recent confidential survey on work-related stress.
As promised, we approached this survey with a commitment to calling “workload” what it is: Work-Related Stress. Your high, honest response rate, and clear feedback, framed around the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) six key factors, have given us a robust, data-driven mandate for change.
The results are exceptionally stable and confirm the severity of the work-related stress crisis. We are moving forward with a decisive action plan based on the three most pressing issues you identified, viewing them as organisational health risks.
1. Validated Top 3 Sources of Stress
The survey used the HSE Management Standards to measure stress factors on a scale of 1 (Most Stressful) to 6 (Least Stressful).
Rank
HSE Factor
Mean Rank (N=600)
The Core Problem
1
Demands
1.55
Excessive workload, unreasonable deadlines, and unsustainable volume of non-contact tasks.
2
Support
3.50
A lack of practical resources, inadequate assistance, and insufficient managerial encouragement to cope.
3
Change
3.63
Organisational change is poorly managed, rushed, or implemented without necessary consultation and resource allocation.
Key Takeaway: The data is unambiguous. 93.7% of you place Demands in the top three stressors. High demands, coupled with a lack of Support and disruptive Change, create an unacceptable environment of stress.
2. Our Immediate, Data-Driven Action Plan The HSW Committee, in collaboration with working with COSLA and Scottish Government, will focus all efforts on these three priorities. Our goal is to achieve systemic, measurable relief, not just temporary fixes.
A. Priority 1: Eliminating Demands (The ‘Don’t do’ List) We will be campaigning on the Administrative Task Audit immediately. This is not a review to ‘streamline,’ but to eliminate non-essential bureaucracy.
Task Audit: Members will log all non-statutory administrative and data-driven tasks over a four-week period to identify those that can be removed or delegated.
Communication Charter: We will work to establish a formal protocol that creates clear boundaries for electronic communication, confirming that no response is expected outside of contractual working hours.
B. Priority 2: Enhancing Support (Practical Assistance)
Protected Time: We will continue to campaign for the increase in minimum non-contact time, (90 minutes) is ring-fenced, protected time within the working week dedicated purely to planning, preparation, and collaborative support, ensuring this time cannot be usurped by meetings or administrative cover.
Targeted Training: We will campaign that management receives focused training on the HSE standards, emphasizing how to provide practical support and conduct meaningful, supportive welfare check-ins, rather than just performance monitoring.
C. Priority 3: Managing Change Effectively
New Change Protocol: We will propose a formal requirement that all new initiatives include a clear Consultation Period, a guaranteed Phase-in Strategy, and the removal of a corresponding old task to prevent additive workload.
3. Next Steps We believe that formally identifying these factors as work-related stress, rather than simply ‘workload,’ is the crucial first step toward lasting, systemic change.
The full, detailed report will be shared with representatives of COSLA and Scottish Government. We commit to providing a progress update on the implementation of the three priority actions at Congress.
A further survey will ask you to determine what aspects of demand need addressed. This survey will ask for your local authority, so these issues can be acted on directly through your district secretaries.
Thank you again for your honesty and participation. We are committed to using this data to create a safer, less stressful, and more sustainable working environment for everyone.
Grant McAllister Convenor, SSTA Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee
The SSTA National Executive is preparing for an official postal ballot on industrial action in the coming weeks — the next step in its campaign to reduce teacher workload and related stress.
Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary, said:
“Tackling excessive teacher workload is now our top priority, following the settlement of teacher pay for 2025–2027. The SSTA, alongside our sister teacher trade unions, is embarking on a campaign of industrial action to secure a long-overdue reduction in class contact time for all teachers.
The proposed cut of 90 minutes is a modest but significant step toward addressing unsustainable workloads. The Scottish Government promised to reduce class contact time four years ago; yet, despite countless meetings and discussions, we remain no closer to seeing that promise fulfilled.
Our Delivering the 90 Minutes and Protecting Secondary Teachers consultative survey revealed the strength of feeling among members. An overwhelming 92% expressed their willingness to take action short of strike action, while 72% indicated their readiness to take strike action to resolve the ongoing dispute with employers.”
SSTA President Monique Dreon-Goold added:
“SSTA members are struggling under the excessive workload demands placed upon them. School bureaucracy has spiralled out of control, pulling teachers away from their most vital role — teaching and learning in the classroom. The additional tasks expected of teachers today bear little resemblance to their workload just a decade ago.
Schools must refocus on supporting classroom teaching and remove the impossible demands that hinder rather than help. It is time to let teachers teach.
SSTA members must stand together to demand a fair and reasonable workload that protects their wellbeing and the future of the profession. The reduction of 90 minutes in class contact time is only the first step in that fight”.
The SNCT Teachers’ Side met on Tuesday, 11 November, and agreed to accept the “best and final” pay offer from COSLA. Following our member survey, the SSTA voted in favour of acceptance. A total of 1,706 members responded, with 96% voting to accept the 2025–2027 pay offer. .Please see SNCT Teachers’ Side acceptance letter to COSLA (attached below). Letter_To_COSLA_Pay_Offer_11_NOV_25_FINAL.docx
The agreed two-year deal covers the period from 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2027 and includes the following increases:
A 4% uplift from 1 August 2025 on all SNCT pay points, rising to 4.25% from 1 April 2026 (an additional 0.25%).
A 3.25% uplift from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027 on all SNCT pay points.
Peter Brandon, SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Convener, said:
“The two-year pay deal represents a marginal improvement on the previous proposal and applies to all SNCT grades. I hope employers move quickly to ensure that the backdated pay is reflected in members’ salaries as soon as possible.
I would like to thank the members of the SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service team for their dedication and their prompt response to developments throughout this long and protracted negotiation process.
I also hope that future pay rounds are concluded more efficiently and on time — though I remain to be convinced.”
The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA), which represents all teachers employed in secondary schools across Scotland, recently conducted a survey as part of its “Delivering the 90 Minutes” campaign to better understand the staffing situation in secondary education.
For several years, secondary schools have struggled to recruit sufficient subject-specialist teachers to meet curricular needs. With the Scottish Government’s commitment to reduce teachers’ class contact time by 90 minutes per week, the SSTA sought a clearer picture of the current challenges facing schools.
The survey revealed that 46% of members reported teachers being required to teach subjects outside their specialism, while a further 35% were unsure. Alarmingly, 45% of respondents indicated that these teachers were also responsible for examination classes.
Members also reported that 54% of schools are employing primary-qualified teachers, with an additional 22% unsure whether this was the case.
When asked how these primary-trained colleagues were being deployed, 84% of respondents said they were working in Additional Support Needs (ASN) and Guidance roles. However, 88% reported that primary-qualified teachers were teaching Broad General Education (BGE) classes (S1–S3), and 27% stated that they were teaching qualification-level classes (S4–S6).
Monique Dreon-Goold, SSTA President, commented:
“It is widely known that Scotland faces a serious shortage of secondary teachers. The continued failure to attract enough graduates into secondary teacher education is deeply concerning. This situation adds to the work-related stress experienced by teachers, many of whom are struggling under impossible workload demands while supporting an increasing number of pupils with additional support needs. It is no surprise that so many are leaving the profession.”
Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary, added:
“Addressing the shortage of qualified secondary teachers must be an urgent priority for the Scottish Government and COSLA. Current recruitment measures are not delivering results — new and creative strategies are needed to attract and retain teachers.”
“While the SSTA represents all teachers working in secondary schools, employers must ensure that every teacher receives appropriate support and training, and that opportunities are provided for dual qualification where possible, to maintain the quality of education for our young people.”
“Reducing teacher workload would be a strong first step. Implementing the 90-minute reduction in class contact time would demonstrate that employers acknowledge the growing pressures teachers face.”
[ENDS]
Further information from:
Seamus Searson
General Secretary
Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association
Statistics from the Delivering the 90 Minutes” Survey
Q. Do you have Primary Qualified Teachers working in your school?
Yes
54.11%
No
23.93%
Don’t Know
21.95%
Q. If Yes, Do you have Primary Qualified Teachers working in your school?
teach in S1 to S3 (BGE)?
88.05
teach qualification classes?
26.98%
work in ASN or Guidance?
84.32%
Q. Many schools are having difficulties recruiting secondary qualified teachers to fill subject-specific vacancies. How would you feel if it was proposed to increase opportunities for primary qualified teachers to be employed teaching in the early years of secondary schools as a way of addressing these shortages?
Open to that possibility if it were only in BGE classes
26.79%
Open to that possibility if it were only teaching literacy and numeracy skills within BGE
27.17%
Opposed unless those appointed had embarked on gaining registration for teaching in secondary
15.23%
Opposed unless those appointed had also gained registration for teaching in secondary
24.66%
Don’t Know
6.15%
Q. Would you be prepared to teach your specialist subject in more than one school within your authority to support the introduction of the reduction in class contact time?
Yes
19.35%
No
68.95%
Don’t Know
11.70%
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