SCOTLAND'S largest teaching union has bowed to public anger over a controversial deal that cut pay for supply staff.
The ruling executive of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has backed moves for a review of the agreement amid mounting fears of a crisis in classroom cover.
A survey by the Scottish Labour Party published in The Herald yesterday found 84% of councils did not fill all requests for short-term cover in 2011/12.
In addition, 52% of local authorities experienced problems filling long-term supply requests over the past year.
Larry Flanagan, general secretary elect of the EIS, said the union intends to bring the issue back to the tripartite Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, which involves teaching unions, the Government and council body Cosla.
He said: "We are aware of concerns around the impact of the arrangements for supply teachers and we wish to revisit it to see if the problems can be addressed and if a more equitable solution can be arrived at."
The move follows the controversial deal involving Cosla, the Scottish Government and teaching unions last year.
Councils were asked to fund Government priorities, such as providing jobs for newly qualified teachers and maintaining pupil-teacher ratios in P1 to P3.
In return, Cosla drew up changes to terms and conditions to save £60 million, including lower salaries for supply staff.
It means supply staff must work at the lowest daily rate of £78 for five consecutive days in the same school before their pay rises to the normal rate of £145.
Controversially, the EIS at the time recommended members approve the deal as the best available in the circumstances despite continuing opposition from the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association (SSTA). It also believed the savings made would protect jobs at a time when the overall number of teachers in Scotland had been falling.
However, it left the EIS in a difficult position as the impact of the deal became clear and anger over the cut mounted.
A Government spokesman said one of the reasons there was a shortage of supply staff was because many were finding full-time permanent jobs.
He said: "These figures do not take into account the high numbers of fully qualified teachers and probationers in employment, in line with this Government's commitment to providing a stable workforce."
l The EIS is to consult its members on taking strike action on March 28 as part on an ongoing joint trade union campaign to protect public sector pensions.
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