Teachers strike Scotland 2023: Full list of dates EIS union members will strike in March and April

Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union will continue strike action over a lengthy pay dispute with local authorities and the Scottish Government. Industrial action started in January and will now continue for a further 20 days between March 13 and April 21.

The pay dispute between teachers and the Scottish Government has been ongoing since February 2022. With matters still unresolved, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said it will continue with strike action until a “more credible offer is put onto the negotiating table”.

The announcement came on Tuesday, February 28, following an updated pay offer from the Scottish Government. The proposal would see teachers earning up to £80,000 have their pay rise by 6% from April 2022, along with another 5.5% from the start of the 2023 financial year.

EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said,“The Scottish Government and COSLA need to realise that it is only by coming back to the negotiating table with an improved offer – one that is truly worthy of consideration by our members – that this dispute can be brought to a close.

"The EIS is ready and willing to call off future strike action should an offer be brought forward that we can recommend to Scotland’s teachers,” she added. “This has not happened yet, and the blame for that failure – and for the continuing programme of strike action – falls squarely at the feet of the Scottish Government and Scotland’s local authority employers."

Full list of dates teachers will strike in Scotland 2023

Aberdeen City

• All Schools: 27-Mar-23
• Primary: 24-Mar-23
• Secondary: 28-Mar-23

Aberdeenshire 

• All Schools: 23-Mar-23
• Primary: 22-Mar-23
• Secondary: 24-Mar-23

Angus

• All Schools: 14-Mar-23
• Primary: 15-Mar-23
• Secondary: 13-Mar-23

EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said,“The Scottish Government and COSLA need to realise that it is only by coming back to the negotiating table with an improved offer – one that is truly worthy of consideration by our members – that this dispute can be brought to a close. | Getty Images

Argyll and Bute

• All Schools: 20-Mar-23
• Primary: 17-Mar-23
• Secondary: 21-Mar-23

Clackmannanshire

• All Schools: 27-Mar-23
• Primary: 24-Mar-23
• Secondary: 28-Mar-23

Dumfries and Galloway

• All Schools: 30-Mar-23
• Primary: 29-Mar-23
• Secondary: 31-Mar-23

Dundee

• All Schools: 20-Mar-23
• Primary: 17-Mar-23
• Secondary: 21-Mar-23

The pay dispute between teachers and the Scottish Government has been ongoing since February 2022. | Getty Images

East Ayrshire

• All Schools: 15-Mar-23
• Primary: 16-Mar-23
• Secondary: 14-Mar-23

East Dunbartonshire

• All Schools: 19-Apr-23
• Primary: 18-Apr-23
• Secondary: 20-Apr-23

East Lothian

• All Schools: 17-Mar-23
• Primary: 15-Mar-23
• Secondary: 16-Mar-23

East Renfrewshire

• All Schools: 30-Mar-23
• Primary: 29-Mar-23
• Secondary: 31-Mar-23

Edinburgh

• All Schools: 17-Mar-23
• Primary: 16-Mar-23
• Secondary: 20-Mar-23

Primary schools will be affected by the 20 days of rolling strike from EIS | Getty Images for the Birmingham

Falkirk

• All Schools: 21-Mar-23
• Primary: 20-Mar-23
• Secondary: 22-Mar-23

Fife

• All Schools: 17-Apr-23
• Primary: 19-Apr-23
• Secondary: 18-Apr-23

Glasgow

• All Schools: 20-Apr-23
• Primary: 21-Apr-23
• Secondary: 19-Apr-23

Highland

• All Schools: 15-Mar-23
• Primary: 16-Mar-23
• Secondary: 14-Mar-23

Striking teachers and supporters hold a rally on Pollokshaws Road | Getty Images

Inverclyde

• All Schools: 19-Apr-23
• Primary: 18-Apr-23
• Secondary: 20-Apr-23

Midlothian

• All Schools: 28-Mar-23
• Primary: 27-Mar-23
• Secondary: 29-Mar-23

Moray

• All Schools: 18-Apr-23
• Primary: 17-Apr-23
• Secondary: 19-Apr-23

North Ayrshire

• All Schools: 16-Mar-23
• Primary: 15-Mar-23
• Secondary: 17-Mar-23

Striking teachers hold a rally outside Langside Hall as they begin a two-day strike action as their pay dispute continues on February 28, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. | Getty Images

North Lanarkshire

• All Schools: 28-Mar-23
• Primary: 27-Mar-23
• Secondary: 29-Mar-23

Orkney

• All Schools: 22-Mar-23
• Primary: 21-Mar-23
• Secondary: 23-Mar-23

Perth and Kinross

• All Schools: 20-Apr-23
• Primary: 21-Apr-23
• Secondary: 19-Apr-23

Renfrewshire

• All Schools: 21-Mar-23
• Primary: 20-Mar-23
• Secondary: 22-Mar-23

Teachers belonging to the Educational Institute of Scotland Union (EIS) are undertaking two days of strike action in an ongoing dispute over pay. | Getty Images

Shetland

• All Schools: 24-Mar-23
• Primary: 23-Mar-23
• Secondary: 27-Mar-23

South Ayrshire

• All Schools: 17-Mar-23
• Primary: 20-Mar-23
• Secondary: 16-Mar-23

South Lanarkshire

• All Schools: 29-Mar-23
• Primary: 30-Mar-23
• Secondary: 28-Mar-23

Stirling

• All Schools: 23-Mar-23
• Primary: 22-Mar-23
• Secondary: 24-Mar-23

EIS and NASUWT union members join the picket line at Falkirk High School on Tuesday morning. (Pic: Michael Gillen)

The Scottish Borders

• All Schools: 22-Mar-23
• Primary: 23-Mar-23
• Secondary: 21-Mar-23

West Dunbartonshire

• All Schools: 14-Mar-23
• Primary: 13-Mar-23
• Secondary: 15-Mar-23

West Lothian

• All Schools: 24-Mar-23
• Primary: 23-Mar-23
• Secondary: 27-Mar-23

Western Isles

• All Schools: 29-Mar-23
• Primary: 28-Mar-23
• Secondary: 30-Mar-23

Why are EIS union member teachers striking in Scotland? 

A pay dispute between teachers, educators, local councils, and the Scottish Government has been ongoing since February 2022. EIS has decided to continue action into March and April with the matter still unresolved.

The EIS has published a statement explaining why the union rejected the most recent pay offer from the Scottish Government. Some of the reasons include the pay rise being insufficient, the offer not being badged as full and final and that it is a ‘red herring’ offer.