Scottish secondary teachers vote for strike action

Members of the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association (SSTA) have voted to go on strike to push for an improved pay offer.

A ballot saw 96% vote for strike action on a turnout of 71%.

It comes after Scotland's largest teaching union, the EIS, set a date of 24 November for its own strike.

SSTA officials said they are considering a strike for the week beginning 5 December.

Trade union laws mean at least 14 days notice of a strike must be provided.

SSTA general secretary Seamus Searson said: "The result is very good, we're pleased with the return that we got. It just shows the frustration of teachers.

"We've been trying to get this resolved since the beginning of the year. We haven't had a proper conversation about pay since August."

Last week education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said a teachers' strike was not inevitable.

She said: "As a Scottish government, we're absolutely determined to see what we can do, to see if there's additional funding that we can provide to Cosla as the employers to provide an enhanced pay offer.

"I very much hope teachers would be able to look at that offer, take it to its members and we could not have industrial action."

Deputy First Minister John Swinney previously said there was no more money to fund public sector pay rises.

Meanwhile, EIS teachers will stage a 24-hour walkout on 24 November after voting overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute over pay.

Members of the union rejected a 5% pay offer, saying they wanted 10%.

EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said they had become "increasingly angry over their treatment" by employers and the Scottish government.