AROUND 30,000 marchers have taken to the streets of Glasgow to support teachers campaigning for a 10% pay rise.

Scotland’s largest teaching union, the EIS, organised the National March and Rally, with general secretary Larry Flanagan hailing the turnout at the demo as “absolutely magnificent”.

There was gridlock in Glasgow city centre as teachers, parents and their children marched from Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Park to George Square – when the first marchers arrived there, others were still waiting to set off.

The EIS has been calling for teachers to be given a 10% rise to restore the value of salaries following public sector pay caps.

A pay offer which would have seen all teachers get a rise of 3% was rejected last month and was described as “divisive”, with issues raised over the parity of pay.

Education Secretary John Swinney argued the deal would result in all teachers on the main grade scale receiving at least a 5% increase, with some teachers receiving up to 11% in one year in conjunction with annual progression.

Speaking at the rally in George Square, Flanagan said: “It is absolutely magnificent to look out on this massive demonstration and know that we are here, united, because we believe that the future of Scottish education is worth standing up and fighting for.

“Our pay claim is for 10% – given that the value of take-home pay has dropped by 24% in the last decade, that claim is already a compromise on what we deserve.

EIS president Alison Thornton added: “The salaries of teachers in schools in Scotland are below the European average and those of other countries in the wider world.”

Local government body Cosla said it took a joint decision with the Scottish Government to write to teachers “spelling out the value and merits of the pay offer currently on the table”.

The EIS will open a ballot of its members on Tuesday calling on them to reject the current offer. The ballot closes on November 20.

Swinney defended the decision to write to teachers, saying: “I hugely value the work teachers do and the vital contribution they make to improve outcomes for children.

“We want teaching to be a rewarding career choice – to keep people in the profession and to attract new entrants – and that is why the Scottish Government is contributing an additional £35 million this year for teachers’ pay.” He added that discussions on terms and conditions such as annual leave forming part of the negotiations “is factually incorrect”.

He said: “Our offer to teachers is for one year, and compares favourably with the pay award for the majority of health workers of 9% over three years and the recently announced award 6.5% increase for police officers covering 31 months.

“I firmly believe this is a generous and fair offer which demonstrates the value both the Scottish Government and local government place on the teaching profession.”

But Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, who addressed the rally, said it showed “Scotland’s teachers won’t be bullied into accepting another real terms pay cut by the SNP”.

The National:

The Scottish Government view
By John Swinney Deputy First Minister​

THE Scottish Government has worked with Cosla to put in place the best pay deal for teachers in the UK for 2018-19.

We want teaching to be a rewarding career choice – to keep people in the profession and to attract new entrants – and I hugely value the work teachers do and the vital contribution they make to improve outcomes for children. 

That is why the Scottish Government is contributing an additional £35m this year for teachers’ pay.

Through a combination of a 3% increase for all staff earning up to £80,000, restructuring the main grade scale and annual progression, the majority of teachers receive a rise between 5% and 11%. 

There would be a flat rate increase of £1600 for those earning more than £80,000 from April 1, 2018.  

There have been comparisons with offers to other public sector workers.

Our offer to teachers is for one year, and compares favourably with the pay award for the majority of health workers of 9% over three years and the recently announced award 6.5% increase for police officers covering 31 months. 

I firmly believe this is a generous and fair offer which demonstrates the value both the Scottish Government and local government place on the teaching profession.

There has also been reference to conditions of service forming part of the negotiations – this is factually incorrect. We remain committed to continuing discussions with teaching unions in good faith.

The National:

The councils’ view
By Councillor Gail Macgregor Cosla’s resources spokesperson

COUNCILS in Scotland know that their biggest asset is their workforce who deliver the essential services that we all rely on. 

As employers, we know that public sector pay has been squeezed by the public sector pay cap – in the same way that council budgets 
have been squeezed by a combination of austerity and increasing demand for our essential services. 

Despite this, councils have prioritised investing in the region of £350m into the pay award this year to make sure that all local government workers including teachers receive a fair pay award 
of 3%, which is as good as other parts of the public sector.

A fair pay offer for our teaching staff is only right and proper because Scotland has an excellent education system and we fully recognise that all our employees who work in education play a vital role in improving children’s outcomes in our schools. We hugely value the work they do and the vital contribution they make to raising attainment, closing the gap and improving outcomes for all our young people.

That is why, COSLA and the Scottish Government have worked together to put in place a fair offer for 2018-19, and it is on the table now. This deal would see a 3% increase for all staff earning up to £80,000, with a flat rate increase of £1600 for those earning more than £80,000 from April 1, 2018
This is exactly the same offer made to all other employees in the local government workforce.

The National:

A marcher’s view
By Megan McCrossan, primary teacher from North Lanarkshire

IT’S important for me to be on the march to show that we come out and stand together as the teaching profession.

Being a teacher is an important job and we call care deeply about what we do. We do everything we can for the children we are teaching.
But there’s two things happening that mean we are the end of our tether – first is our workload, which has gone through the roof, and our salary has been eroded over the past 10-15 years.

Obviously, we know that other people in the public sector have seen their salaries being eroded as well, but at the moment teachers are leaving the profession or are looking to go and teach in other countries that have better resourced education systems; our pay just hasn’t kept up with inflation and teachers are feeling the squeeze.

And then there’s austerity. When local authorities are forced to make cuts it does impact in the classroom and it’s the children that are suffering. 

Teachers are picking up the pieces in the classroom, but we can’t do it any more. It is time to take a stand. 

We don’t think we are being remunerated for the work we are actually doing day in day out.

I wish John Swinney hadn’t made the offer through COSLA to teachers directly. 

He is undermining the system we have for determining teachers’ pay and conditions: teachers have been represented by classroom teachers in the negotiations with the EIS as support, but it is classroom teachers who have been directly involved. 

I think its important as well that whatever deal is settled on doesn’t lead to division within the profession or against other public sector staff, and I would fully support people in other professions asking for a higher amount, it shouldn’t be a race to the floor.

I would have much preferred that the negotiations kept going the way they were going.

Voices from the march

Sarah Bellingham, teacher from Wallace High School in Stirling, told the Sunday National: “Today we want to take a stand and get the recognition of the pay we deserve. Five years at university and we don’t get paid the same as our counterparts.’’
 
Natalie Kane, a teacher from Holyrood High School in Edinburgh, said: “Teaching is a very important profession getting children prepared for the future. With all the changes happening in education, with SQA changes, workloads, responsibility for health and well being… it’s getting to the point we feel we’re not being recognised for the hard work we do.
“In order for kids to have 
the best chance of success we address teachers. The best way to get good teachers is to get good pay. There’s a huge number here, 
I didn’t expect to be so many people today. I hope this makes the Scottish Government see sense.”
 
Jim McDaid, from the Inverclyde EIS branch, said: “I’m supporting my union in this national demonstration for a substantial pay rise for teachers. 
“I think it’s almost assured we’ll get a pay rise. Look around this demonstration here today and see the massive turnout of teachers. It must be close to 50% turnout for of EIS members at this demonstration. That’s absolutely magnificent and shows the level of enthusiasm there is for this campaign.”
 
Margaret Gibson, teacher from Perth, said: “I’m here to support all the teachers in Scotland to get a fair pay deal. I’m hoping that the government will take note of all the teachers that are out today and all of us who are in support but couldn’t be here today. I hope they will give us our fair deal at the end of this.”
 
Lea Horsburgh, teacher from Wallace High School in Stirling, said: “I’m marching with my colleagues to fight for what we should deserve. Ten years of austerity and a lower take home pay packet every month is not good enough. I’d really like to see a 10% pay rise. I’m not sure it will happen but let’s take some steps towards it.”

Additional reporting by Cameron Archibald