Created on: 11 Nov 2025
The EIS consultation on the pay offer made by COSLA on 5th November 2025 has now closed with the following result:
Thank you to all members who voted in the consultation.
Of those that voted, a clear indication of acceptance of the offer has been made and accordingly this position was communicated to a meeting of the SNCT Teachers’ Panel held this afternoon.
Subsequently, it was the unanimous decision of the SNCT Teachers’ Panel to accept the offer in full. A joint statement from the SNCT Teachers’ Panel can be found here.
Acceptance of the offer has now been intimated to the SNCT Employers’ Side Joint Secretary.
Although 32,000 members voting to accept the offer in such a short space of time is a clear demonstration of the democratic strength of the EIS, it is likely that many of the members who did not vote remain discontented over the lack of progress towards restoration of the real terms value of teachers’ pay, particularly in respect of the Year 1 value of the offer.
Reversal of the erosion in the value of teachers’ pay from 2008 remains a central objective of the EIS. This has been communicated strongly to the Scottish Government and COSLA and it is noted that COSLA referenced pay restoration within their offer letter.
In the formal written acceptance of this offer today, it has been made clear to both COSLA and the Scottish Government that future pay offers and settlements must result in full recovery of the value of teacher pay and associated living standards, to pre-austerity levels.
In the meantime, the EIS continues to press government and employers on workload and the honouring of relevant manifesto commitments in respect of contact time and the permanent employment of more teachers.
The statutory postal ballot on workload which opens tomorrow - Wednesday 12th November - is critical. A ballot result that demonstrates the strength and unity of the EIS will be significant in bringing an end to the current dispute on workload and delivering solid improvements in the working conditions of all of Scotland’s teachers.
I urge every eligible member to vote and to vote YES to strike action and YES to action short of strike in this postal ballot on workload.
In solidarity,
Andrea Bradley
EIS General Secretary