EIS urges Orkney teachers to accept new pay deal

Members of the teaching union, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), of which around 240 Orkney teachers are part of, are now being balloted on a new pay deal.

The union is urging members to accept the new deal from the Scottish Government after a planned strike ballot was called off last week.

The ballot is set to close on Wednesday, March 27.

The new revised pay offer from the Scottish Government will see teachers’ wages go up by more than 13 per cent, as well as assurances and commitments aimed at addressing a range of issues, including workload.

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan welcomed the new offer made last week, saying: “It offers a three-year pay settlement of three per cent from April, 2018, seven per cent from April, 2019, and three per cent from April, 2020, for a compounded total increase of 13.51 per cent over three years.

“It also includes additional commitments aimed at tackling workload, supporting teacher professional development, and enhancing the teacher leadership programme. Taking all of these elements together, it represents a package that the EIS is now recommending to Scotland’s teachers.”