In a speech to the COSLA Convention in St. Andrews on Wednesday 26th March 2003, Cathy Jamieson, the Minister for Education and Young People said, ‘ . . . the job sizing exercise which will come into effect in August, (will introduce) a fair and equitable system of payment for all promoted staff in schools.’

The SSTA believes that on the evidence presented to the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) on Wednesday 19th March the results of the job sizing exercise for current promoted postholders in secondary schools will neither be ‘fair’ nor ‘equitable’.

The number of downgraded posts at Principal Teacher level will be around 67%. There will also be substantial numbers of downgraded posts amongst secondary Head Teachers, Depute Head Teachers and former Assistant Head Teachers. This will have serious implications for the morale and self esteem of current postholders and for future career progression for all teachers including unpromoted staff.

At the meeting of the Teachers’ Panel which preceded the SNCT, the SSTA proposed that the job-sizing working group be asked to think again about the effects of their proposals on the secondary sector. The EIS used their votes to defeat this proposal and accepted the recommendations on job-sizing.

The SSTA wants the Minister to refer the results of the job-sizing exercise back to the Working Group on Career Progression in order that the amount of downgrading in the secondary sector can be substantially reduced.

You can support our campaign by completing the postcard the has been sent to school representatives and sending it to the SSTA. No stamp is required. The SSTA will forward all postcards received to the new Minister for Education and Young People.

If you know of any secondary colleagues who may be equally unhappy with the results of job-sizing, ask them to join the SSTA campaign.

Additional campaign leaflets and direct debit forms are available from your SSTA school representative.