Scottish Government urged to intervene in SQA pay dispute

It follows a breakdown in talks on a new pay award for staff, with another 24 hour strike scheduled to take place on February 29.

Unite said that for the majority of its members the pay offer on the table means no more than a 5.75% uplift for 2023 and 3.15% for 2024.

The union had asked for an extra 1.5% for the latter year, or to offer one year at 5.75% with further negotiations to follow, but no deal could be found at talks on Tuesday.

One staff member on the picket line told The Herald: "We were told by the SQA on Tuesday that the money is in the bank, waiting and ready to be paid, that it’s affordable ‘by definition’ - which were the chief executive’s own words - and yet they can’t pay it to us because the Scottish Government – and again I quote – ‘won’t allow us’.

“We feel we’re stuck in the middle of a situation between the SQA and the Scottish Government, the SQA keep saying their hands are tied by the government and the government keep saying it’s a matter for the employer.

"The Scottish Government have taken no interest in resolving this dispute, they’ve taken no interest in the disruption that will be caused to the learners of Scotland because of this.

“There will be ineffective verification procedures, ineffective coursework marking which could have an impact on examination marking, and we’re seeing already the impact of action short of a strike on question paper production for contingency papers and new papers for next year.

“The organisation are claiming that there’s not going to be disruption and they have robust contingencies in place – it’s a load of rubbish and our 400 members can attest to that.”

SQA staff and Unite members outside the Glasgow office with STUC general secretary Roz Foyer in attendance (Image: Gordon Terris)

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer joined Unite members at the picket on Robertson Street in Glasgow.

She told The Herald: "An employer will always try and tell you they don’t have enough in the pot and pass the buck to government, government will always tell you to go back to the employer and negotiate.

“When workers take strike action something gives, and in the last two years we’ve seen £4bn of additional money won through collective action.

“It’s an absolute disgrace that those workers have had to take strike action to get that extra money, because all they’ve asked for is pay that keeps up with the cost of living.

Read More: School pupils face 'major' exam disruption as SQA workers set to strike

"The employer here has been extremely intransigent, these workers have been waiting over 10 months for a pay offer and the employer is insisting on sticking to the public sector pay policy which as has been proven right across the public sector is pretty much obsolete.

"The tragedy of this is that the SQA have the money in their budget to pay these workers, they’re hiding behind an obsolete policy.

"My call today would be for the government to step in and do something about this before this starts to affect our children’s exams.”

Union members also accused the SQA of seeking to turn fellow staff against Unite, with aggressive messaging around the pay dispute.

SQA staff and Unite members picket outside the organisation's office (Image: Gordon Terris)

One said: "It feels like they’ve been trying to turn staff against Unite members – of which there are over 400 in the organisation – and we really feel the SQA aren’t taking the negotiations seriously.

"The tone of their communications are very different to when we were in dispute two years ago.

"The tone of communications has been aggressive, Unite both as a union and as members have been blamed for the delay in staff getting their pay.

"At a recent meeting we had members were raising the fact that car insurance had risen by up to 40%, that all their bills are going up – often by the rate of inflation plus 3% on top.

“We’ve been in this cost of living crisis for so long now that the impacts are just accumulating as we go along.

“We don’t think the pay deal on the table – or even what we’ve asked for – can resolve that but it can certainly help.

Read More: Plans considered to axe 172 teaching posts in Glasgow to save money

"Although the figures they keep quoting include pay progression, nearly 40% of our staff aren’t entitled to that.

“We’ve been modest in what we’ve asked for, we’ve tried to think about the organisation’s affordability.

“The Scottish Government’s public sector pay strategy is completely out of line with what our staff and our members are facing.

A SQA spokesperson said: "Industrial action by Unite began last week. This is regrettable, but we have robust contingency plans in place and can reassure learners that there is no impact on their coursework, exams or grades.

"Early indications from today’s industrial action by Unite show that the number of SQA staff on strike is far below the union’s claim that 400 staff would be out. SQA business – including exam preparation – is unaffected and continues as normal. This will provide further reassurance to learners the length and breadth of Scotland.

“Less than a quarter of SQA staff support strike action. The majority of staff are not members of Unite, and due to the dispute, have waited almost a year for a pay increase at a time of cost of living pressures.

“Instead of unnecessary scaremongering, Unite should do the responsible thing and negotiate on a serious basis. At our request, they attended a meeting this week designed to break the deadlock but despite a number of extra benefits being added to the existing deal, Unite again rejected an offer outright, without going to their members. Unite’s request for a one-year deal isn’t new and would breach public sector pay policy which we are required to adhere to, along with other public bodies.

"The pay offer on the table represents a total average increase of 7.43% in year one and a further total average rise of 5.19% in year two, including pay progression. It is the best offer possible which is affordable and within the limits of public sector pay."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "While this is a matter for SQA as the employer, the Scottish Government remains in close contact with them and has strongly encouraged resolution talks to resume.

"We have received further reassurances from SQA that learners will not experience disruption to their exams, coursework or grades.”