Members' Briefing

SSTA Members Briefings 2019

Seamus Searson the General Secretary would like to meet with SSTA members to discuss the issues that face secondary teachers. This includes the potential new career structure and pay scales for teachers, the impact of the Government’s Empowerment Agenda (Headteachers’ Charter, RICs, etc.) and reducing teacher workload. Public Sector Pensions – Legal Challenge – Age Discrimination. The outcome of the legal challenge (McCloud & Sargent) regarding Public Service Pension Schemes and the transitional arrangements that were introduced in 2015 to…
Papers and classroom

Workload Guidance No 2

The SSTA is committed to supporting members to manage and reduce workload and will be giving members regular advice and guidance on managing and tackling workload. Please find attached the second guidance document that is intended to give guidance to all members, members in management positions, guidance and pupil support. This will be followed by further guidance to members and school representatives.    The first guidance document was issued in June.  It is intended to raise awareness of the teachers’ contract and advice on a…

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…
Congress 2019

Presidential Address - 75th Annual Congress

Kevin Campbell, SSTA President Address to the 75th Congress of the SSTA Colleagues it gives me immense pleasure and no small amount of pride to welcome you all to the 75th Annual Congress of the SSTA. I’d like to extend a warm and heartfelt fraternal greeting to our friends and comrades from our fellow unions and to the members of the press who are in attendance. Furthermore, I implore any politician who is here as a guest of the Association:…

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…