Scotland: Stressed teachers take action over heavy workload

STRESSED secondary school teachers in Scotland went on strike yesterday following a dispute over their excessive workloads.

The walkout was backed by 91 per cent of teachers’ union SSTA and is the first phase of industrial action.

SSTA general secretary Seamus Searson said the union, the second largest teachers’ union in Scotland, has consistently pushed for a reduction in a system that all sides acknowledge is workload-heavy.

He said: “This is not just for ourselves but for the young people we teach. If we achieve our aim our young people will also benefit.”

The SSTA welcomed Education Secretary John Swinney’s announcement that time-consuming unit assessments will be removed from next year, but warned that there has not been any progress on reducing workload pressure for both pupils and teachers.

“The SSTA’s view is that teacher workload has not, and is unlikely to be, significantly reduced in the current session, especially in the area of national qualifications,” said SSTA President Euan Duncan.

“We therefore have no option but to move into industrial action to protect another cohort of young people and our members.”

Scotland’s largest teaching union the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) suspended industrial action following the Scottish government’s announcement that some assessments were to be scrapped.

A Scottish government spokesman said the removal of mandatory unit tests would “significantly reduce” the workload of teachers.

He said: “It is disappointing that SSTA has decided to commence industrial action, especially at a time when EIS has suspended action in recognition of the work we are doing to ease the burden on teachers.”