Budget disappointing on teachers’ pay, union says

The NASUWT said immediate measures were needed to tackle real-terms cuts to teachers’ salaries.

The Budget set out new funding for schools (Ben Birchall/PA) (PA Wire)

The Scottish Budget is “disappointing” on pay rates for teachers, a union has said.

The NASUWT said immediate measures were needed to tackle real-terms cuts to teachers’ salaries.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said her Budget supported the Scottish Government’s commitment to recruit at least 3,500 teachers and 500 classroom assistants over the next five years.

Local authorities have been given £145.5 million to ensure the sustained employment of additional teachers recruited during the pandemic.

Another £200 million is going into the Scottish Attainment Challenge, the fund used to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap.

Some £15 million has been invested in infrastructure designed to provide every pupil with a digital device by 2026.

NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach said teachers were still waiting for a pay award this year.

He said: “The Finance Secretary stated in her Budget announcement that the Scottish Government is planning record investment in teacher recruitment.

“While the ambition to recruit 3,500 extra teachers is laudable, the Budget was disappointingly short of any immediate measures to tackle the ongoing real-terms cuts to teachers’ pay.

“Without real investment in teachers’ pay, the plans to increase the teaching workforce are unlikely to succeed and will go into reverse as more teachers opt to leave the profession, demoralised at the failure to value their work and address the debilitating workload pressures they face.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said his party would push for more action on pay in the public sector.

He said: “I am concerned to see the prospect of a real-terms pay cut for teachers, nurses and tens of thousands of public sector workers.

“Coupled with the Tories’ national insurance hike, they are going to feel the pinch.”