Resolution of SNCT Workload dispute

Page 1

Agenda Item ..........
Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers
To: Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers
On: 31 March 2026
Report by
Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side)
Resolution of SNCT Workload Dispute
1. Background
The Scottish Government included in its manifesto for the 2021 Holyrood election a
pledge to reduce teacher class contact time to twenty-one hours. Despite ongoing
lobbying from the teacher trade unions no progress was forthcoming in honouring this
commitment. As a result, a formal dispute was declared leading to the constituent
unions of the SNCT Teachers’ Panel conducting statutory ballots for industrial action.
2. Action
The Teachers’ Side welcomes the settlement of the dispute with an agreement that
the full ninety minutes will be for what is currently called preparation and correction
and welcomes the additional funding pledged for recruiting additional teachers to
enable the implementation of the agreed deal. The full funding of the deal by the
Scottish Government addresses the expectation that class contact reduction can be
delivered without detriment to promoted staff or through cuts to any other part of the
education service.
The Teachers’ Side looks forward to working with the Management Side to facilitate
the implementation of the reduction to twenty-one hours of class contact by the agreed
timelines.