London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2026

Teacher strikes: SSTA members vote to accept pay deal

Teacher strikes: SSTA members vote to accept pay deal

Members of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA) have voted overwhelmingly to accept the latest pay offer from council leaders.

The SSTA and other teaching unions have been engaged in a year-long industrial dispute with councils and the Scottish government.

The pay proposal involves a 7% rise backdated to last April, a further 5% this April and another 2% in January.

The SSTA said members backed the deal in a ballot which closed on Thursday.

Most teachers would see their salaries rise by £5,200 in April if the offer is accepted, according to the Scottish government.

In the ballot, 85.3% voted in favour of accepting the offer while 14.7% rejected it. It had a turnout of 79.9%.

However, SSTA general secretary Seamus Searson said the union still had a "major concern" over a price cap included in the pay offer.

He said: "The inclusion of this is a considerable barrier in the professional career structure for secondary school teachers."

Members of the EIS union are considering the latest pay offer


SSTA president Catherine Nicol added: "This dispute could, and should, have been resolved many months ago.

"Scottish government and Cosla should have been more prepared to negotiate with teacher unions properly and long before they did."

She said school closures were preventable, adding: "Lessons on negotiating with teacher unions must be learnt, the process must be taken seriously in future."

The SSTA had paused strike action in February after members voted marginally in favour of a previous pay offer.

However, it was rejected by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, which includes the Scottish government, local authority body Cosla and the EIS and NASUWT unions.

Following the latest pay offer, Scotland's largest teaching union the EIS paused strike action and recommended that members accept the deal.

Pupils in the constituencies of senior politicians including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Deputy First Minister John Swinney have been particularly affected by the strikes, as targeted action by the EIS closed schools last month.

The EIS said planned future action - 20-day wave of rolling strikes beginning on 13 March - would depend on the outcome of its week-long ballot which is due to be announced on Friday.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Russia Expels British Diplomat as UK Pushes Back Against Pressure
White House App Faces Scrutiny After Claims of Continuous User Location Tracking
BBC Faces Scrutiny Over Allegations of Paid Content Linked to Saudi Arabia
UK-France Coastal Patrol Agreement Nears Breakdown Amid Migration Pressures
UK Police Detain Pro-Palestine Activist Again Weeks After Bail Release
FTSE 100 Advances as Energy and Mining Shares Gain Amid Middle East Tensions
Eli Lilly Seeks UK Pricing Deal to Unlock Renewed Pharmaceutical Investment
Three Arrested in UK After Massive Cocaine Haul Discovered Hidden in Banana Shipment
UK Fuel Prices Poised for Further Surge Amid Global Energy Pressures
Apple Subsidiary Penalized by UK Authorities for Breach of Moscow Sanctions
Western Allies Intensify Coordinated Sanctions Strategy Against Russia
UK Lawmakers Face Criticism Over Renewed Push for Social Media Restrictions
Starmer Signals UK Crackdown on Addictive Social Media Features
Rising Costs Push One in Five UK Hospitality Businesses to the Brink of Closure
Man Arrested on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Car Strikes Pedestrians in UK, Injuring Seven
Escalating Conflict Involving Iran Tightens Fiscal Pressures and Highlights UK Economic Vulnerabilities
UK Moves to Confront Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Operating in Its Waters
UK Housing Divide Deepens as Older Owners Hold Wealth While Under-30s Face Mounting Barriers
London Demonstration Calls on UK to Recognize Iranian Opposition’s Provisional Government
UK Green Party Vote on ‘Zionism is Racism’ Motion Collapses Amid Internal Disputes and Technical Failures
SNL UK Ignites Debate with Sharp Royal Satire Targeting Prince Andrew and Prince William
EU Proposes ‘Emergency Brake’ to Resolve Deadlock in UK Youth Mobility Talks
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
×