SNCT Teachers' Side rejects CoSLA's initial pay offer for 2024/5
On 4 June, CoSLA made the following pay offer to the SNCT Teachers' Side to cover the pay year 1st August 2024 to 31st July 2025:
• A 2% undifferentiated increase on all SNCT pay points effective from 1 August 2024.
• A further undifferentiated 1% increase on all SNCT pay points effective from 1 May 2025.
This offer has a full year value of 2.25% (although salaries would end the year 3% higher than they started it).
The Teachers' Panel met on 5 June and unanimously agreed to reject the offer. The text below is the main body of that rejection letter:
"The Teachers’ Panel met today, Wednesday 5th June 2024, and unanimously voted to reject the offer referenced above. Although the undifferentiated element of the offer is welcomed, the offer as it stands falls far short of the Teachers’ Panel’s expectations in relation to restoration of the value of teachers’ pay. The offer is therefore formally rejected by the Teacher’s Panel.
The Teachers’ Panel notes with concern that the significant erosion in the value of teachers’ pay since 2008 would not be offset, in any way, by acceptance of this offer. If accepted, this offer would see, in real terms, the gap between what teachers in Scotland earn, and what they should earn had levels of pay kept in line with levels of inflation, widen to 29% (RPI) or 11% (CPI). In effect, teachers’ living standards will fall further.
The commitment made yesterday at SNCT Extended Joint Chairs, by both the Scottish Government and the Employers’ Side, to continue negotiations over the coming weeks is welcomed by the Teachers’ Panel. In rejecting the offer made yesterday, the Teachers’ Panel wishes to emphasise its commitment to further negotiations towards a pay settlement that is timeously paid in time for the new implementation date of 1st August 2024, and which marks a step forward in addressing the imperative of restoration of Scottish teachers’ pay."
Teachers' Side representatives stand ready to consider discuss an improved offer that can be put to members and continue to strive for an agreed settlement in time for the 1 August implementation date.