A NEW pay deal for Scottish teachers has hit a stumbling block after being rejected by a teaching union.
The NASUWT said the latest offer from local authorities was "inadequate and unacceptable".
Chris Keates, the union's general secretary, said: "The offer does not make any progress towards restoring pay despite the fact teachers are thousands of pounds worse off as a result of the year-on-year terms cuts to their salaries.
"The offer fails to address the full restoration of supply teachers’ pay and conditions, with councils instead opting for a delaying tactic rather than recognising that the main solution to improving availability of supply cover is to fully restore supply teachers’ pay and conditions immediately.
“Excessive workload remains the chief concern of members and schools and employers should already be putting in place effective strategies to tackle this issue as a result of recommendations agreed by the Scottish Government."
The development comes after the threat of industrial action over pay appeared to have receded after a new deal between teachers’ leaders and councils.
The new offer from council umbrella body Cosla will still see teachers receive a 1.5 per cent increase from April this year with an additional one per cent uplift from April next year.
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), backed the new deal because of improved pledges on the retention of teacher numbers in schools.
He said: “Clearly, the pay element of this offer is disappointing and falls short of EIS aspirations. However, the non-pay elements of the offer, including a commitment to address supply teaching issues, an agreed set of principles and action on managing teacher workload and, crucially, a separate commitment from the Scottish Government on maintaining teacher numbers in year two of the deal, offer more positive developments.”
And Seamus Searson, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association, had said the offer was likely to be accepted “reluctantly”.
A spokesman for council umbrella organisation Cosla, said: "This is a good offer and we look forward to the final decision of the teachers' side when the ballot closes."
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