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Swinney 'optimistic' pay offer will end teacher strikes New pay offer tabled in bid to end teacher strikes
(about 7 hours later)
Teachers are calling for 10%Teachers are calling for 10%
John Swinney has said he is "very optimistic" that the teachers' pay dispute will be resolved when a new pay offer is made later. Scotland's council leaders have agreed to make a new offer to teachers in an attempt to end a dispute over pay.
The deputy first minister said a pay deal covering 2022/23 had gone from 6% to 7% following talks with unions. The full details have been sent to teaching unions, who will discuss the offer on Friday afternoon.
But Mr Swinney warned there will be "programmes and projects that will not be going ahead" because more money has been diverted into the new deal. The proposal involves a 7% rise backdated to last April, a further 5% this April and another 2% in January.
Council umbrella group Cosla will discuss a formal pay offer later. Schools across Scotland have been closed by a series of strikes during the dispute, with further action planned in the coming weeks.
It is thought the deal to be discussed by council leaders, who are responsible for making pay offers to teachers as the employer, may mean: The latest strikes targeting the constituencies of some Scottish government ministers, including Nicola Sturgeon, are due to be held next week.
A 7% rise covering 2022/23 Teachers are also due to hold a 20-day wave of rolling strikes between 13 March and 21 April.
A 5% rise from this April The new offer follows intensive talks earlier in the week between the EIS union, Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville and Deputy First Minister John Swinney.
A further 2% rise in January 2024, to last until next August. The EIS, the country's biggest teaching union, will now decide whether or not to consult its members on the deal, and whether to call off the scheduled strikes while that consultation is done.
Scotland's largest teaching union has said it is awaiting written confirmation of a new pay offer. The union's general secretary, Andrea Bradley, said she believed the recent talks had left the two sides "within touching distance of a possible settlement".
EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said informal discussions earlier in the week "took us within touching distance of a possible settlement". Deputy First Minister John Swinney had earlier said he was "very optimistic" that the dispute would be resolved.
Speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland, Mr Swinney said all sides had come to a "moment of compromise". John Swinney said he was optimistic
He added: "I'm very optimistic that we are in a position that we will be able to resolve the dispute in the course of today and to avoid any further disruption to education." But he warned there will be "programmes and projects that will not be going ahead" because more money has been diverted into the new deal.
Council leaders are responsible for making pay offers to teachers as the employer.
Speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland earlier on Friday, Mr Swinney said all sides had come to a "moment of compromise".
He added: "I'm very optimistic that we are in a position that we will be able to resolve the dispute in the course of today and to avoid any further disruption to education.
Mr Swinney said the offer for this financial year would increase from 6% to 7% and this would result in the Scottish government taking on "additional financial pressures".Mr Swinney said the offer for this financial year would increase from 6% to 7% and this would result in the Scottish government taking on "additional financial pressures".
He added: "There will be programmes and projects that will not be going ahead because I am having to take the money from those projects to put them into the teachers' pay deal.He added: "There will be programmes and projects that will not be going ahead because I am having to take the money from those projects to put them into the teachers' pay deal.
"That has got to be done because I want to resolve the teachers' pay deal but it doesn't come without its consequences for other areas of government activity.""That has got to be done because I want to resolve the teachers' pay deal but it doesn't come without its consequences for other areas of government activity."
Progress made during teacher strike pay talks
Dates for 20-day rolling school strike confirmed
Formal pay negotiations with Cosla and the Scottish government were held on Thursday.Formal pay negotiations with Cosla and the Scottish government were held on Thursday.
Cosla is expected to meet later to discuss making a formal new offer to teachers. The EIS has previously said a "credible" offer could suspend strike action in order for members to vote on the proposal.
The EIS has said it would consider this offer today and has previously said a "credible" offer could suspend strike action in order for members to vote on the proposal. The EIS and the NASUWT unions recently rejected an offer worth 11.5% over two years. This included a 6% rise for 2022-23, backdated to last April, and a 5.5% increase for 2023-24.
The most recent pay offer to teachers was 11.5% over two years. This included a 6% rise for 2022-23, backdated to last April, and a 5.5% increase for 2023-24. It is hoped the new pay offer could end the long-running dispute
But it was turned down by the EIS and the NASUWT union. New pay offer tabled in bid to end teacher strikes
A new offer could resolve the dispute Angela Bradley of the EIS told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that the union's members were committed to finding a resolution to the dispute.
Angela Bradley said the EIS would not consider postponing next week's strikes until they had received a new offer, but said they could "move very quickly" to consult members after this.
She told BBC Good Morning Scotland: "Our members have been committed to a resolution.
"Hopefully what comes across from employers will lead our members to be in a position where they believe that is possible."
She added: "We have meetings set up for this afternoon, our salaries committee will meet, our executive committee will meet.She added: "We have meetings set up for this afternoon, our salaries committee will meet, our executive committee will meet.
"Depending on the outcomes of the discussions we can move very quickly to a position where we can consult members on the offer, should one come across."Depending on the outcomes of the discussions we can move very quickly to a position where we can consult members on the offer, should one come across.
"We've been very clear with the Scottish government and Cosla, we've been very clear about the timescales within which our democratic process is required to operate.""We've been very clear with the Scottish government and Cosla, we've been very clear about the timescales within which our democratic process is required to operate."
Rolling strikesRolling strikes
The EIS has scheduled more strike days if the pay dispute is not resolved.
Union members are set to undertake a 20-day wave of rolling strikes between 13 March and 21 April.
The dispute has been running for more than a year.The dispute has been running for more than a year.
Almost every state primary and secondary school in Scotland was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday as members of the EIS and NASUWT walked out in the latest national strike action.Almost every state primary and secondary school in Scotland was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday as members of the EIS and NASUWT walked out in the latest national strike action.
Pupils in the constituencies of senior politicians have been worst affected, as targeted strike action by members of the EIS last week closed schools for three additional days.Pupils in the constituencies of senior politicians have been worst affected, as targeted strike action by members of the EIS last week closed schools for three additional days.
The same areas, which include those represented by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Mr Swinney, face another three days of strikes next week.The same areas, which include those represented by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Mr Swinney, face another three days of strikes next week.
Related TopicsRelated Topics
TeachingTeaching
Primary schoolsPrimary schools
Trade UnionsTrade Unions
Scotland EducationScotland Education
Strike actionStrike action