Staff at Scotland’s exams body are voting on possible industrial action following what a union described as a “totally unacceptable” pay offer.
Four hundred members of the Unite union at the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) are being balloted on possible action, including, the union said, workers in all grades and in all job roles.
It comes after the SQA offered staff a 3% pay rise for 2025, at a time when the union said inflation was hitting 4.8%.
Unite said any pay increase for the workforce is now “five months overdue”, as it had been expected to take effect on April 1.
The ballot opens on Friday and is set to run until Thursday September 25.
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Unite’s SQA members are being forced down the road of industrial action by senior management.
“The pay offer amounts to a real-terms pay cut and that is totally unacceptable.
“We will support our members every step of the way in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
Members of Unite at the SQA took industrial action last year before accepting a 5.75% pay rise for 2023, and a 3.15% rise plus a £1,000 lump sum for 2024.
The SQA is set to be scrapped on December 1 and replaced by the newly-created Qualifications Scotland.
It will be led by former teacher Nick Page, who was appointed interim chief executive of the SQA in June.
Alison Maclean, Unite industrial officer, said despite being under new management, the SQA is ignoring the “fair pay aspirations of its workers”.
She added: “Workers have had years of uncertainty due to the replacement of the SQA by Qualifications Scotland and they feel completely undervalued and taken for granted.
“Scottish Government ministers also are suggesting the pay dispute has nothing to do with them when everyone knows they are the paymasters.
“If our members have to take industrial action the blame will lie squarely with management and ministers.”
The SQA and the Scottish Government have been approached for comment.
