Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association

Category: Information for Members

  • Message from the General Secretary

    Message from the General Secretary

    STRIKE BALLOT PAPERS ARE COMING
     

    The SSTA strike ballot paper will be arriving at your home from Wednesday 26 October and I would like to encourage you to return your vote as soon as possible.
     
    This ballot must be conducted by post and votes not returned will be deemed to be a no vote. To meet the legal threshold more than 50% of members need to vote and more than 40% of the total membership (not just those who voted) need to have voted to take strike action.
     
    The SSTA together with other teacher unions are conducting official strike ballots to apply pressure to the employers (COSLA) and the Scottish Government to negotiate and reach a fair and just pay settlement.
     
    With inflation moving beyond 10% the employers offer of 5% must be seen as a pay cut and must be challenged. A successful ballot will show the employers that teachers are not being taken for granted any longer. Teachers pay and teacher workload are the biggest issues for Scottish teachers today and without sufficient teachers workload is only going to get worse.
     
    The SSTA is determined to achieve professional salaries for all teachers. This campaign is the next step in restoring salaries that have been seriously eroded over the last ten years and most importantly a measure to retain teachers for the future. The call for Restoration, Retention and Recruitment is as true today as it has ever been.
     
    Your vote is important, so please make it count and get your vote in the post.

    SSTA is encouraging all members to vote YES in the ballot

    5% is NOT Enough
  • SSTA Ballot for Strike Action

    SSTA Ballot for Strike Action

    The SSTA National Executive sanctioned the statutory ballot for strike action following an overwhelming number of SSTA members calling for strike action in a consultative ballot. The SSTA’s statutory ballot for strike action commences on Wednesday 26 October and closes on Wednesday 16 November.

    Seamus Searson SSTA General Secretary said

    “Unfortunately, the threat of strike action seems to be the only thing COSLA and Scottish Government take seriously. This ‘market stall’ brinkmanship mentality is insulting to teachers, parents and young people. It really shows how much teachers are undervalued by their employers. All the hard work teachers had done during the pandemic, keeping the education system open, has all been forgotten”.

    “Teachers don’t want to go on strike, but they will to achieve a fair and just settlement. Grown-up negotiations are long overdue on a pay settlement that should have been in place on the 1 April this year”.
     
    Catherine Nicol, SSTA President said
     
    “COSLA and the Government appear to be awaiting strike action before they enter further discussions. No offer has been made since 19 August. Teachers are determined to get a fair deal and are prepared to strike. Closing schools is the only way that COSLA and the Scottish Government will be forced to negotiate”.
     
    “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 or make an improved offer. The approach of COSLA’s approach has necessitated the move towards strike action”.


    The SSTA is encouraging all members to vote YES in the ballot

    5% is not Enough!
  • Consultative Ballot on 5% Pay Offer for 2022-2023

    Consultative Ballot on 5% Pay Offer for 2022-2023

    The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee is conducting a Consultative Ballot of members on the 5% pay offer and members preparedness for strike action.

    The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee is asking members to reject the 5% pay offer and support the call for strike action to support the SSTA in applying pressure in future negotiations with the employers (COSLA) and Scottish Government.

    The Consultative Ballot will commence on Friday 16 September and will close at noon on Wednesday 28 September 2022. Emails are being sent out to members ‘preferred’ email addresses.

    In the consultative ballot:

    1. members will be asked their local authority, current post and position on pay scale
    2. members will be asked whether they accept or reject the pay offer
    3. members will have the opportunity to state the reason for their decision
    4. an additional question only for those members who reject the offer whether they are prepared to take strike action to get an improved offer?

    Please note: This ballot is an internal SSTA ballot and any movement to official strike action will only take place following a statutory postal ballot conducted by an approved external organisation. Only members employed by a local authority will be invited to participate in the consultative ballot.

    If you do not receive an email invitation for the ballot by noon on Friday 16 September, please check the spam/junk folders as sometime the email can be diverted there.

    If you require another email invitation to be sent to you, please email info@ssta.org.uk with a note of your full name, school, DoB and, if known, your SSTA membership number. We will then arrange for an email invitation to be sent to you.

  • The SSTA Rejects the 5% Pay Offer and Moves Closer Towards Strike Action

    The SSTA Rejects the 5% Pay Offer and Moves Closer Towards Strike Action

     
    The SSTA conducted a members opinion survey through school representatives, on the 5% pay offer from the employers (COSLA). The SSTA represents more than 6,500 members in Scottish secondary schools.
     
    80% of members rejected the pay offer with 70% of members reluctantly prepared to take strike action in pursuit of a realistic pay deal.
     
    Seamus Searson the SSTA General Secretary said
     
    “SSTA members have given everything in the last number of years to keep education going and to ensure that all young people did not lose out during these difficult times. Teachers are walking away from the job because of the excessive workload and a poor pay offer only adds insult to injury”.
     
    “The Scottish Government must step up to the plate and be prepared to put in place a pay offer that will retain teachers and recognise their tremendous efforts over the last few years. Teachers are already struggling to keep schools running with morale very low and COSLA’s disparaging pay offer only adds to their feeling of being grossly undervalued”.
     
    Paul Cochrane, SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Convenor said
     
    “Pay negotiating has repeatedly delayed to the detriment of teacher health and wellbeing.  The SSTA members have comprehensively indicated that they are prepared to take strike action”. 
     
    “The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee has rejected the latest offer and is now moving to a consultative ballot of all members as the next step in our pay campaign. Enough is Enough!”
     
    The SSTA consultative ballot will be issued to members by email on Friday 16 September.
     
    A typical selection of responses from SSTA members
     
    “Offer is quite frankly disrespectful and COSLA’s behaviour in these negotiations very disappointing”.
     
    “Insulting. It is not acceptable. It is way below inflation and is a pay cut. Following Covid teachers’ morale is low and there has been very little done to improve this.”
     
    “We are under paid and under-valued. We worked through lockdowns supporting pupils. On return to school we taught pupils in school and continued to support those at home with home learning. No extra thanks has been given for this extra work”.
     
    “Massive changes in role of teachers in past 10 years and this has not been addressed by pay or time. Staff unwilling to accept what is effectively a pay cut when inflation is expected to reach 18%”.
     
    “The last pay deal was well below what was asked for and was not acceptable to a lot of members and this one is not acceptable. Members are willing to take strike action”.
     
    “With inflation being 10.1%, a 5% increase is like taking a pay cut. I expected more after the last few years with what teachers have done – we have worked ourselves to the bone to provide for pupils and we don’t get any thanks”.
     
     “I think this offer is a kick in the teeth. We are expected to do more than ever. We are responsible for more than ever. Why as teachers are we now struggling to pay our bills and choosing between eating or heating our homes”.
     
     “As we were forced to accept a low offer last year, this should not happen again”
     
    “I am a secondary teacher and currently have just taken a part time job in addition to undertaking annual SQA marking just to make ends meet, a situation that is only likely to get worse. This situation is unsustainable”.
     
    “Time for salaries to be reflected to where they should be. Our salaries have not kept in line with inflation for quite a number of years and so have fallen in real terms”
     
    “Removing local authority control from education, and instead running education directly from the Scottish Government, would also help as it would reduce the number of cooks in the broth when it comes to pay negotiations”.
     
    “Striking is a last resort and is not taken lightly, but it is the only course of action that COSLA will pay heed to”.
     
    “Some staff are torn between striking for better pay and the impact this will have on pupils but teachers need a fair pay for the work that we do”.

  • Message to Members – 26 August 2022

    Message to Members – 26 August 2022

    An Improved Pay Offer BUT STILL Not Enough

    The SNCT Extended Joint Chairs (COSLA, Scottish Government, SSTA and EIS) met on 18 August and COSLA made a pay offer of 3.5%. The Teachers’ Side (SSTA and EIS) made clear that this offer was totally unacceptable and must be improved. COSLA then made a further offer of 5% the following day.
     
    The SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee met on 24 August to consider the 5% pay offer and took the view to accept the latest offer would equate to a pay cut with inflation running beyond 10%. The Committee decided to ask SSTA school representatives to conduct an opinion survey of members to gauge their response to the 5% pay offer.
     
    Paul Cochrane SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Convenor said
     
    “COSLA demonstrated how much they value teachers in by offering 3.5% when 5% funding was available.
     
    Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers supported the vulnerable, upskilled themselves at their own cost and offered on site, off site and hybrid learning experiences for young people living through the trauma of a mass infection event. The mental and physical health of many teachers was damaged – some long term and some permanently. 
     
    Teachers have earned the respect of their communities. What they don’t seem to have earned is the respect of their employers. Teachers deserve fair pay. 5% is not enough”. 
     
    The SSTA together with sister teacher unions are now preparing a consultative ballot on the pay offer and the willingness of members to participate in industrial action in September.
     

     
    The View of Members – Opinion Survey

    In preparation for the next stage of the SSTA campaign the Committee has agreed to conduct an opinion survey of members on the employers 5% pay offer from April 2022

    The Committee is recommending that school representatives hold a meeting of members in schools to discuss the proposal and report the views of members back to SSTA Head Office.
     
    School Representatives will receive an e-mail invitation for the survey by Tuesday 30 August. If you do not receive this invitation, please contact the SSTA Office at info@ssta.org.uk

    This opinion survey is to be conducted through SSTA School Representatives. The opinion survey will close on Tuesday 13 September.

    Should your school not have a School Representative members should elect a rep and inform the SSTA Office. Information on the duties of a School Representative can be found here
     

    Members Details

    We are reaching the final stage of negotiation and we need to be ready to conduct a formal ballot of members. It is essential that we have accurate postal addresses and preferred email addresses to ensure members views are recorded. Members can notify us of any changes to their details by completing a form at www.ssta.org.uk/updatedetails.


    If you have submitted an update of details in the past few days which is not reflected above, there is no need to resubmit these details.

  • SSTA Members’ Briefing 2022

    SSTA Members’ Briefing 2022

    The SSTA has arranged a series of in-person members briefing in September.
     
    Seamus Searson the SSTA General Secretary would like to meet with SSTA members to discuss the issues that face secondary teachers (to include the 10% teacher pay claim, the future of national qualifications and the progress of the Muir review). This is your opportunity to have your say.
     
    Stuart McCullough, Independent Financial Advisor from Llife Ltd will also be giving a presentation on the changes to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme ,“How to Control your Pension and New Pension Calculator?”.

    A list of upcoming dates and venues are shown below. The briefing will start at 5.00pm and will be repeated at 7.00pm on each date. Please select the briefing you would like to attend and complete the registration form to book your place.


    Yours sincerely
    Seamus Searson
    General Secretary

    SSTA Members Briefings 2022

  • Message to Members – 19 August 2022

    Message to Members – 19 August 2022

    An Improved Pay Offer BUT Not Enough
     
    The SNCT Extended Joint Chairs (COSLA, Scottish Government, SSTA and EIS) met on 18 August with COSLA making an improved pay offer of 3.5%. The previous offer was undifferentiated 2% increase on all SNCT pay points effective from 1 April 2022. COSLA claimed that this offer was all that is affordable without further funding from Scottish Government.  The Teachers’ Side (SSTA and EIS) made clear that this offer was totally unacceptable and must be improved.
     
    The SNCT Teachers’ Panel needs to formally reject the latest offer, and this will happen when the teacher unions have completed their own internal processes. The SSTA has already made the decision to reject the 3.5% offer with the SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee prepared to meet quickly should any further offer be made by the employer.
     
    The teacher unions are now preparing a consultative ballot on any offer that may come forward and willingness of members to participate in industrial action in September. It is now essential that all members check their details with the SSTA to ensure you are able to participate in the forthcoming consultative ballot.
     
    Membership Details

    Have any of your personal details changed over the summer holidays? Moved House, Change of contract or moved to a new school?  You can inform the SSTA of these changes by completing a form on our website at www.ssta.org.uk/updatedetails. 
     
     
    Teacher Workload – Reminder to all members
     
    Teacher workload continues to be a major issue for all SSTA members. The SSTA wants to remind members to control their individual workload and work within the school’s working time agreements (WTA).
     
    The School Teachers’ Contract and Time
    All teachers, including Headteachers, have a legally binding contract of employment that has been agreed at the SNCT. The contract for a 35-hour week must be adhered to and is not optional. All teachers have the legal right not to exceed the maximum and it is unlawful for a teacher to be asked to work beyond the limit.
     
    The 35-hour week consists of

    • Assigned classes and cover for absent colleagues – maximum of 22.5 hours per week
    • Preparation and correction – allocation of 7.5 hours
    • Collegiate Time (other activities) – remaining 5 hours a week – allocation to duties determined by the school’s Working Time Agreement

     
    SSTA SAYS
    IT IS OK TO SAY NO!

    Yours sincerely

    Seamus Searson
    General Secretary

  • SSTA Newsletter – July 2022

    SSTA Newsletter – July 2022

    The post Congress, July 2022 Newsletter is now available for members to download.

    SSTA Newsletter – July 2022

    The newsletter contains information on the SSTA 77th Annual Congress, including:

    • Presidential Address from Catherine Nicol;
    • Report of the General Secretary from Seamus Searson;
    • Guest Speech from Professor Ken Muir;
    • Motions passed at Congress;
    • Financial statement to members.

  • Members Bulletin – 27 June 2022

    Members Bulletin – 27 June 2022

    No Improved Pay Offer for 2022-2023

    The Extended Joint Chairs of the SNCT (COSLA, Scottish Government, SSTA and EIS) met on Wednesday 18 May to receive a pay offer from the employers for 2022-2023. The 2% undifferentiated increase on all SNCT pay points effective from 1 April 2022 was rejected by the SNCT teachers’ side negotiators.
     
    The employers promised a revised pay offer within a couple of weeks, after the Scottish Government’s Resource Spending Review announcement on 31 May 2022. No new pay offer has been made. As we approach the end of term there is little likelihood of an improved offer until the start of the new session. The SNCT teachers’ side met last week and agreed to send a letter to convey the anger and frustration over the failure of COSLA to make an improved pay offer. View the letter to COSLA.

    At the SNCT Teachers’ Side meeting the teacher unions in Scotland have committed to move forward together to achieve the SNCT Teacher Side pay claim of 10% . This will undoubtably mean ballots for industrial action in the Autumn unless the employers and the Scottish Government take teachers seriously and move quickly to pay teachers what they deserve.

    Invest in Education – Invest in Teachers – 10% NOW

    “The Behaviour of COSLA and the Government towards Teachers could have generational consequences.”

    The SNCT is the body that regularly brings Teachers, Councils and the Scottish Government together to discuss pay and conditions. The date for the Annual General Meeting was agreed a year ago for Tuesday 21 June 2022. This meeting was critical to ensure changes to conditions of service were agreed and to seek a way forward in agreeing a pay deal.
     
    Last week, COSLA belatedly intimated that they didn’t feel ready for the AGM. The Scottish Government hastily agreed to a postponement. Over the last few years, the excuses have ranged from “there is an election coming” to “we’ve just had an election”. Frankly, the impression given is “we just can’t be bothered.”
     
    The Teachers’ Side decided to meet separately as the issues at stake are approaching a tipping point. The Teachers’ side expressed anger at the dismissive nature of the behaviour of COSLA and the Scottish Government.
     
    This behaviour by those who employ and fund teachers tells us that we are not a priority. With major change on the horizon, teachers are being treated like minor players.
     
    After a deliberate decade of austerity, we have teachers regularly taking money away from family budgets to pay for food, equipment and even clothing for their pupils. 
     
    It now seems to be a deliberate strategy that COSLA and the Scottish Government have decided that this level of goodwill and commitment means teachers’ compassionate nature identifies them as soft target for cuts. 
     
    Teachers, essential workers during a worldwide pandemic, are only incidental employees who deserve a pay cut and a massive loss in living standards when the danger has subsided. The SSTA are committed to fighting this. 
     
    The Attainment Challenge exhorts us all to ‘ensure that everyone is encouraged to be the best that they can be.’ This is not a philosophy that extends to teachers from their employers. It is not a lived value by neither COSLA nor the Scottish Government.
     
    We challenge COSLA and the Scottish Government to change course immediately, otherwise the generational consequences that follow will be their responsibility.”

     
    Paul Cochrane, Convener SSTA Salaries and Conditions of Service Committee

    The School Teachers’ Contract and Time

    All teachers, including Headteachers, have a legally binding contract of employment that has been agreed at the SNCT. The contract for a 35-hour week must be adhered to and is not optional. All teachers have the legal right not to exceed the maximum and it is unlawful for a teacher to be asked to work beyond the limit.
     
    The 35-hour week consists of

    • Assigned classes and cover for absent colleagues – maximum of 22.5 hours per week
    • Preparation and correction – allocation of 7.5 hours
    • Collegiate Time (other activities) – remaining 5 hours a week – allocation to duties determined by the school’s Working Time Agreement

     
    Further information and guidance on Collegiate activities.
     

    Invest in Education – Invest in Teachers – 10% NOW

  • Message to Members – Teacher Unions reject 2% Pay Offer from the Employers

    Message to Members – Teacher Unions reject 2% Pay Offer from the Employers

    Teacher Unions reject 2% Pay Offer from the Employers

    The Extended Joint Chairs of the SNCT (COSLA, Scottish Government, SSTA and EIS) met on Wednesday 18 May to receive a pay offer from the employers in response to the SNCT Teachers’ Side pay claim of 10% for 2022-2023.

    The 2% undifferentiated increase on all SNCT pay points effective from 1 April 2022 was rejected by the SNCT teachers’ side negotiators as it did not come close to an offer that would be acceptable.
     
    The SNCT teachers’ side said that a much improved and reasonable pay offer, one that reflects the level of inflation and its ongoing impact of the cost of living, should be made without delay. The Teachers’ side made a commitment to continue negotiation on our current pay claim and urges COSLA to make an improved offer as soon as possible.
     
    The employers said that it would not be in a position to provide a new offer until after the Scottish Government’s Resource Spending Review announcement on 31 May 2022. The issue of the unacceptable delays in reaching an agreement and the impact that has on members was covered in depth with reference to last year’s prolonged process.

     Invest in Education – Invest in Teachers – 10% NOW

     

    77th Annual Congress of the SSTA
     The 77th Annual Congress of the SSTA took place on Friday 13 May and Saturday 14th May 2002. The Congress was a hybrid event with most delegates attending in person whilst some attended virtually.

    The Congress included an address from Catherine Nicol, SSTA President, the Report of the SSTA General Secretary Seamus Searson, guest speaker Professor Ken Muir, together with a number of policy motions adopted by the Association.

    You can view the Presidential Address, Report of the General Secretary and Professor Muir’s guest speech, along with details of all the motions passed at Congress on the SSTA website at www.ssta.org.uk/congress-2022/

    Statement from the British And Irish Group Of Teacher Unions

    Work overload negatively affecting wellbeing in education systems

    Following the first in-person meeting of Presidents and General Secretaries from the ten education unions within the British and Irish Group of Teacher Unions (BIGTU), the group has called on policy makers within their jurisdictions to prioritise the tackling of teacher workload and the promotion of practitioner wellbeing within schools, colleges and universities


    View the full text of the BIGTU statement

    SSTA School Rep Training
     

    The SSTA has arranged a virtual School Representative Training session. The reps training will take place on Tuesday 14 June and will be repeated on Wednesday 15 June between 4.00 and 6.00pm. All reps are encouraged to attend to get the latest updates on pay and workload. 
     
    To book a place on the Reps training please select the Tuesday 14 June   or Wednesday 15 June.
     
    No School Rep. If your school does not have rep, please call a meeting of members and elect a new rep (The position can also be shared if necessary).
     
    If you would like to find out more information about being a school rep please contact SSTA Head Office at info@ssta.org.uk or if you wish register for the training session to find out a little more.

     
    Yours sincerely

    Seamus Searson
    General Secretary