A Scottish teaching union has confirmed its members will walk out again but emphasised there was still a "window of opportunity to avert further strike action". 

NASUWT has confirmed it will join Scotland's largest union EIS in nationwide industrial action across all schools and sectors on February 28 and March 1. 

Previous offers from the Scottish Government of a 5 per cent pay rise have been dismissed as a real-terms pay cut well below current inflation rates of 10.5%.

Alongside the strike action, NASUWT members will continue to undertake ongoing action short of strike action, with members refusing to provide cover for colleagues and only attending one meeting per week outside pupil sessions. 

"If ministers hope that teachers will give up the fight for a better deal on their pay they should think again," general secretary of the union Dr Patrick Roach.

“Teachers know they are worth more than yet another real-terms pay cut and it is beyond time that ministers and COSLA recognised that too.”

READ MORE: School strikes set to continue into April as EIS announce 22 more days of action

NASUWT is asking for a 12% pay rise, while EIS is seeking a 10 per cent pay boost for its members, but ministers have yet to offer an increase past 5%.

Fresh talks took place on Friday in an effort to resolve the pay dispute, but education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the focus remained on compromise "rather than tabling a new offer at this time".

Dr Roach added: "There can be no doubt that it is the resolve of members to solidly support our action which has brought ministers and employers back to the table over recent weeks to discuss pay.

“We have continued and will continue to talk with ministers and employers in a bid to resolve this dispute, but the reality is that for all of the discussions over recent weeks, an improved offer has yet to be made."

Meanwhile, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for “further compromise” to end the dispute.

Ms Sturgeon conceded there “does still remain a gap” between the unions’ demands and “what is affordable”.

NASUWT national official for Scotland Mke Corbett said: "We have been clear to Scottish Government and COSLA that with CPI inflation still at 10.5% - more than double the 5% pay award which most of Scotland’s teachers were offered - a substantially improved pay offer which is fully funded by the Scottish Government must be tabled without delay.

“There is a window of opportunity to avert further strike action, but the ball is very much in the court of ministers and employers.”

Speaking following the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) talks with teaching unions and COSLA, the education secretary added: "We held further constructive talks with teaching unions and COSLA.

“The Scottish Government values the hard work that our teaching workforce puts in for our learners and we remain absolutely committed to ensuring they receive a fair pay deal.

“Strikes in our schools are in no one’s interest – including for pupils, parents and carers who have already had to deal with significant disruption over the past three years. I continue to urge teaching unions to reconsider current industrial action while talks are ongoing.

“We hope that these discussions will continue to progress towards a compromise to ensure a sustainable deal for all involved.”