PLANNED strikes by Scotland's teachers have been called off after councils came forward with a new "three part" pay offer.

Local authority umbrella body Cosla said the deal was equivalent to a 14.6 per cent hike. 

The EIS - the country’s largest teaching union - is to ballot their members on the offer and have recommended that it be accepted.

The next wave of strikes was due to start next week, with schools in the constituencies of Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville - Dunfermline's MSP - all set to close.

However, a special meeting of the EIS Executive Committee agreed to suspend all planned industrial action while members are consulted on the offer.

The first part of the employer's offer is a 7% increase at all pay points up to £80,000, backdated to 1 April 2022. Those earning more than £80,000 will receive a £5,600 flat rate uplift to their salary.

The second part will be a 5% hike to come in from 1 April 2023. Those on over £80,000 will receive a £4,000 uplift in their pay packet.

The final part will be a 2% increase with effect from 1 April 2024. For teachers earning above £80,000, this will be capped at £1,600 flat rate uplift to salary.

Cosla's resources spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “We have reached a position today whereby we sincerely hope our trade union partners can take this revised offer to their membership for a vote.

“Scotland’s council leaders fully value all of their workforce and recognise the invaluable contribution teachers make to the lives of our children and young people. 

“Council leaders across Scotland are having to take really challenging budget decisions, so the funding assurances received from the Scottish Government yesterday, have now made it possible to make this revised offer to the teaching trade unions today.

“Council leaders are clear that it is in all of our interests, not least those of children, young people and families, to conclude the teachers’ pay negotiations as quickly as possible to bring back stability and certainty in our schools."

Ms Somerville said the deal was "fair, affordable, and sustainable for everyone involved".

She said the Scottish Government had found £320m to pay for the new offer.

“I welcome the EIS’s decision to suspend industrial action while they consider this offer.

“This will end the disruption to learning for our children and young people particularly in the run up to exams.

“We have worked closely with the unions to compromise and have arrived at a deal which is fair, affordable, and sustainable for everyone involved.

"The Scottish Government is supporting this deal with over £320 million of funding this year and next.

“I would urge teaching union members to accept this historic pay offer which would see teacher pay increase by 33% since January 2018.

“This is the best and final offer possible and recognises the invaluable contribution teachers make to the lives of our children and young people.”

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “The view of our negotiators is that this deal represents the best that can be achieved in the current political and financial climate without a much more prolonged campaign of industrial action.

"It is through the determination and collective action of teachers and associated professionals across Scotland, led by EIS members, that we have improved this pay offer from an initial 2% for the current year to 7% for the current financial year, with additional increases of 5% and then 2% within the following financial year.

"This will result in the majority of teachers seeing a 12.3% increase on their current rate of pay by April of this year and by 14% by January 2024.”

Ms Bradley added: “This has been a long dispute which has been challenging for all concerned.

"Teachers have taken strike action as a last resort, and that strike action has delivered an improved pay offer that the EIS can credibly put to its members with a recommendation to accept.

"It is now for our members to decide whether to accept this offer, and it is our recommendation that they should do so.”

The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) and the NASUWT are also involved in the dispute. The SSTA said it would put the new offer to members next week.

The Association of Headteachers and Deputies in Scotland cancelled its planned participation in further strikes after a majority voted in favour of accepting the last deal put to unions.