'Delivering the 90 minutes and protecting secondary teachers' member survey Reducing class contact time is a crucial step in addressing excessive teacher workload. Despite this, employers have failed to recognise the significance of the promised 90 minutes for teachers’ wellbeing and effectiveness. Alongside other teaching unions, the SSTA has reached the limit of its patience and will now ask members whether they are prepared to escalate the dispute and move toward industrial action.The SSTA is seeking the following: That agreement…

'Industrial Action Sanctioned' - Reduction in Class Contact Time  As no progress has been made toward the long-promised reduction in class contact time, the SSTA National Executive has sanctioned a consultative survey of members for industrial action. The reduction of 90 minutes class contact time was promised by the Scottish Government four years ago and COSLA has baulked at every turn to progress the promise. The reduction of class contact time is a small step in addressing teacher workload and the…

SNCT Pay Claim 2025-2026  ‘Doubt if it will be delivered on time’ The SNCT Teachers’ Side continues to await an improved pay offer, following the rejection of the initial 3% offer in March. The SSTA, alongside the EIS, has engaged with employers (COSLA) and the Scottish Government in efforts to reach a fair and timely settlement before the end of term.The Teachers’ Side has consistently reiterated its position that any revised pay offer must: Exceed the rate of inflation, Include…

Report of the General Secretary 80th Annual Congress of the SSTA Friday, 9 May 2025 Opening Remarks Good afternoon, President, distinguished guests, and esteemed delegates of Congress. It is with profound gratitude, and a deep sense of duty, that I stand before you today, having once again been entrusted with the role of General Secretary. Over the past ten years, I’ve had the privilege of serving this organization through a time of significant change. And as we look ahead, it…

SSTA 80th Annual Congress Stirling Court Hotel, Stirling Friday 9th May 2025 Presidential Address: Stuart Hunter Introduction Distinguished guests, sister professional associations from these islands, Past Presidents and to all of our delegates from districts and areas of Scotland, welcome to our 80th Annual Congress. Eighty One Years ago, a number of Secondary teachers left the EIS to form the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association, an association dedicated to being the voice of secondary teachers, that dedication has been strictly adhered…

SSTA Congress 2025The 80th SSTA Annual Congress is taking place on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 May at the Stirling Court Hotel. SSTA delegates from across Scotland will be gathering to debate important issues and make SSTA policy. Issues to be debated includes National Qualifications, ASN, Teacher Health and Wellbeing, Improvements to Family Leave, School Inspections, and Teacher Workload.In addition, to the Presidents and General Secretary’s address to Congress, Jenny Gilruth, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and Pauline Stephen Chief…

SNCT Teachers’ Side Meeting  The next SNCT Teachers’ Side meeting will take place on Monday 17 March 2025 to consider the lack of progress on a pay offer and the reduction on class contact time. Despite a series of meetings to try and progress these issues little progress has been made. A formal pay claim for a 6% undifferentiated pay rise for all SNCT salary scale points was made on the 14 February . It is understood that COSLA Leaders…

Formal Dispute Declared   Failure to move forward on the Reduction in Teacher Contact Time (90 minutes) The SSTA and the other teacher unions gave notice to the employers that the SNCT Teachers’ Side would move to a formal trade dispute if no proposal to introduce a reduction in teacher class contact time was received by Monday 3 February. The deadline passed and the SNCT Teachers’ Side met on Friday 7 February and declared a dispute. Please follow link SNCT Teachers’ Side…

SNCT Pay Claim 2025-2026 The SSTA Salaries and Conditions Committee will be presenting a case for a restorative pay claim for 2025-2026 at the SNCT Teachers’ Side meeting on Friday. The SSTA position is for a pay claim that is above the 3.5% Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) figure plus a significant % increase in restoring teacher salaries to the ‘true’ value seen in the past. The SNCT Teachers’ Side (the teacher unions) will agree a pay claim and seek early negotiations…

Deadline Passed and COSLA has Failed to Act Reduction in Teacher Contact Time (90 minutes)  The SSTA and the other teacher unions gave notice to the employers that the SNCT Teachers’ Side would move to a formal trade dispute if no proposal to introduce a reduction in teacher class contact time was received by Monday 3 February. The deadline has passed and the SNCT Teachers’ Side will be meeting on Friday to move the dispute forward. The Scottish Government committed to a…