SCOTLAND'S largest teaching union is threatening to go on strike from this autumn following a row over pensions.

Officials from the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) have recommended a ballot on strike action, which will take place in the coming weeks.

The move follows plans by the UK Government to increase teacher pension contributions in Scotland by around 3.2%, while reducing the amount teachers will receive in retirement.

Ronnie Smith, EIS general secretary, claimed Scots teachers were now ready to “take firm action” on the proposed changes. He said: “At our recent annual general meeting, Scottish teachers sent a clear message that their patience with attacks on their standard of living is exhausted.

“Teachers have drawn a line in the sand and sent a clear message to the Government – we are prepared to take firm action to fight damaging changes to our pensions.

“At a time of imposed freezes on public-sector pay, coupled with soaring prices for food, fuel, clothing and transport, teachers are not prepared to accept further erosion in their living standards.”

Mr Smith said the prospect of “hard-pressed teachers” paying more of their salary into a pension scheme with the promise of working longer and getting less at the end just “might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back”.

“The EIS sincerely hopes the Government is listening and changes course on pensions, but we stand ready if they fail to do so,” he added.

The amendments to teaching pensions form part of an overall review of public-sector pensions which will see an average contribution rise of 3%.

The EIS website states that contributions will increase from 6.4% to 9.6%, a 50% rise on current deductions from pay, while the overall value of the pensions will fall by 15%.

The union also estimates that for teachers with an average pension of £10,000, the loss in 2011-12 alone will be £150.

The Scottish Government has criticised the proposed reforms and urged the UK Government to rethink its proposals before any strike action.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Public-sector pensions must be affordable and sustainable but we do not believe the UK Government’s proposals represent the correct course of action.

“We believe that the UK Government must reconsider its proposals before seeking to impose significant changes on public-service staff at this time.

“The Scottish Government has embarked upon a series of meetings with other public-sector employers and unions as to how we address this very significant issue.”

A Department of Education spokesman said the UK Government is continuing to work with unions in a bid to resolve the issue.

The spokesman said: “The Government is committed to working openly and constructively with unions to ensure that teachers continue to receive high-quality pensions, and that the interests of all professionals are represented fully as pension reform is taken forward.

“Lord Hutton has made it clear that there needs to be a balance between a common framework for all schemes and the need for flexibility to take account of specific workforce circumstances, such as those of the teaching workforce.

“But we are clear that a strike by teachers will only damage pupils’ learning and inconvenience their busy working parents. The well-being and safety of pupils must remain paramount.”

Teachers in England and Wales facing the same changes have already been out on strike over the proposals and around 12,000 schools were forced to close as a result.

Hundreds of thousands of pupils missed out on lessons when members of the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers staged a one-day strike on June 30.