SSTA Rejects Dundee Management Structures in Secondary Schools

The SSTA conducted a Consultative Ballot of its members in Dundee in response to the Councils proposed Faculty Management Structure in Secondary Schools. More than 60% of SSTA members responded in less than a week. 95% of those members responding do not support the change to a faculty structure for middle management of Secondary schools.89% of members do not have a clear understanding of how ‘Dundee’s vision to raise attainment’ will be met through faculties.95% of members do not believe…

Motions Passed at Congress 2019

The 75th Annual Congress was held on 17th and 18th May 2019 at Crieff Hydro Hotel. You can find the text of the motions passed at Congress below. MOTION A Congress believes that Restorative Practice is increasing teacher workload and is often ineffective in improving pupil behaviour. Congress calls upon the Scottish Government to review the implementation of Restorative Practice at Local Authority level and in schools.  MOTION B Congress notes that the 2018 SSTA survey showed that 70% of…
SS speech

Report of the General Secretary - 75th Annual Congress

Friday 17th May 2019 We are in the 75th year of the SSTA and the issues of 1944 are the same issues in 2019. Examples of these have been taken from our 50th anniversary and are contained within the Congress Agenda you have today. We will include stories of the last 25 years in next year’s addition. Concerns over pay, workload and pupil behaviour appear throughout our history and will probably do so for a good number of years to…

2018 Pay Agreement Update - 28 March 2019

The SNCT Extended Joint Chairs met on Tuesday 26 March in anticipation of the major unions in Scotland (SSTA and EIS) prepared to accept the pay proposals contained in the DFM letter (8 March). Further discussion on the other elements included in the letter took place. The other elements of the agreement include: for all parties (unions, COSLA and Scottish Government) to work to together to reduce the workload of teachers and to undertake joint activity to assist in reducing…

2018 Pay Claim - Members Update

On Thursday 7 March the SNCT Teachers’ Side Negotiators (SSTA and EIS) met Government Officials in an attempt to find a resolution to the 2018 Pay Claim. Following long discussions a revised pay arrangement for teachers was prepared. The Deputy First Minister, on behalf of the Government, intervened in the dispute and made a revised proposal on 8 March. The detail of the DFM proposal can be found here . The letter highlights a commitment to address teacher workload and…

SSTA Guidance to Schools to Manage Workload 

Working Time Agreements (WTA); must be adhered to and any changes can only be made to reduce teacher workload. All changes must be negotiated with the recognised trade union representatives. Staff, Department and Working Group Meetings; the school should ensure that all meetings of staff must be allocated on the school calendar, have an agenda circulated in good time, action points recorded and are time constrained. Meetings should not go beyond the allocated time. Formal assessments; schools should ensure sufficient…

SNCT Extended Joint Chairs and Teacher Workload

SNCT Extended Joint Chairs – 4 March 2019  The SNCT Extended Joint Chairs (SSTA, EIS, Government and COSLA) meeting took place on Monday 4 March. At the meeting the employers made no improvement to the current offer that the Teachers’ Panel had rejected on the 26 February. There was a brief discussion on workload related initiatives but teachers’ side negotiators made clear that this would be secondary  in a settlement without an improvement to the pay element of the offer.…

SNCT Extended Joint Chairs – 26 February 2019

The SNCT Extended Joint Chairs (SSTA, EIS, Government and COSLA) meeting took place on Tuesday 26 February. The SNCT Teachers’ Side formally rejected the revised pay offer of 25 January.The Teachers’ Side highlighted its willingness to participate in negotiations towards a settlement of the 2018-2019 pay claim. Both COSLA and Scottish Government were positive in response to this and expressed their commitment to a negotiated settlement.  The Government was also keen to include teacher workload and other issues as part…

2018 Pay Claim - What Next?

I would like to thank all members for their efforts in making a tremendous 76% return in the consultative ballot. The 64% vote to accept has indicated the direction for the Association. It was clear from the comments made by members in the ballot that there was a reluctance to accept and that morale in schools is very low. The issues of teacher workload, pupil behaviour and lack of support were highlighted throughout the ballot process. The SSTA will be…