London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Mar 26, 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
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
UK Ministers Warn Expanded North Sea Drilling Would Deepen Exposure to Global Energy Volatility
Delayed UK Defence Investment Plan Leaves Suppliers Under Severe Financial Strain
Can Iran Strike the UK? Assessing the Real Military Threat as Conflict Escalates
Sanctioned Iranian Banker Linked to Luxury Marbella Villa Through UK Corporate Structure
Casey Bloys Navigates HBO Max UK Launch, Paramount Integration and Industry Buzz Over Netflix Meeting
Iran Conflict Sparks Sharp Turbulence in UK Mortgage Market, Reaching Pandemic-Era Disruption Levels
Major Donor Urges University of Kentucky to Reconsider Mitch Barnhart’s Post-Retirement Role
United Kingdom Moves to Lead International Effort to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
UK Police Investigate Targeted Attack on Jewish Ambulance Vehicles
Senior UK Advocate Criticises Barnhart Retirement Appointment, Calls for Reconsideration
UK Finds No Evidence of Direct Iranian Threat to Britain, Says Prime Minister Starmer
Assessing Iran’s Strike Capability and the UK’s Readiness Amid Rising Tensions
NATO Unable to Confirm Iran’s Role in Strike on UK-US Base as Tehran Denies Involvement
University of Kentucky’s Youling Xiong Receives SEC Faculty Achievement Award for 2026
Trump Highlights Satirical Portrayal of UK Leadership Amid Talks with Prime Minister Starmer on Iran Conflict
Trump Highlights Satirical Portrayal of UK Leadership Amid Talks with Prime Minister Starmer on Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Surge Toward Crisis Levels as Experts Warn of Further Sharp Increases
UK Fuel Prices Surge Toward Crisis Levels as Experts Warn of Further Sharp Increases
Duchess of Sussex Secures ‘As Ever’ Trademark Rights in Australia Ahead of High-Profile Visit
UK Reaffirms Security as Officials Reject Claims of Immediate Iranian Missile Threat
Rising Middle East Tensions Spark ‘Trumpflation’ Debate Over Impact on UK Households
UK Minister Says No Evidence Iran Can Strike Europe Despite Heightened Warnings
British-Iranians Voice Safety Concerns to Authorities as Regional Conflict Intensifies
Confirmed Meningitis Cases Linked to Kent Outbreak Revised Down to Twenty
UK Government Sees No Evidence Iran Can Strike London Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Debate Grows Over Recognition of Indigenous Cultural Icons in the United Kingdom
Iran Missile Launch Toward Diego Garcia Raises Questions After Failed Strike on US–UK Base
Donald Trump Amplifies Viral Satirical Clip Highlighting UK–US Political Dynamics
UK Satirical Show Draws Attention with Sketch Referencing Trump and Prince Andrew
Meghan Markle’s Possible UK Return Sparks Renewed Attention on Sussex Role
Starmer Convenes Urgent Talks on Cost-of-Living Pressures Linked to Iran Conflict
Starmer Convenes Urgent Talks on Cost-of-Living Pressures Linked to Iran Conflict
UK Investors Eye Bargain Shares Ahead of ISA Deadline Amid Market Volatility
UK Investors Eye Bargain Shares Ahead of ISA Deadline Amid Market Volatility
×