Members of Scotland’s largest teaching union have overwhelmingly rejected their pay offer.

Almost three-quarters – 74% – of EIS members returned their ballot papers, with 98% of them voting against the deal.

Teachers in Scotland have been demanding a 10% pay rise and held huge protest marches last month.

Cosla and the Scottish Government offered all teachers an increase of at least 3% and said many would get more when a restructuring of pay grades and annual increments were factored in.

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EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Last month, Scotland’s teachers sent a strong message to the Scottish Government and Cosla, about the deep discontent amongst the profession, when well over 30,000 took to the streets of Glasgow to march.

“Today’s near unanimous rejection of the pay offer is a landmark result, one of the strongest rejections of an offer in EIS history, and one which is indicative of the current mood of Scotland’s teachers, increasingly agitated on pay but angry also at excessive workload, mainstreaming on the cheap, and austerity-driven cuts to resources.

“EIS members are sending a very clear signal to the Scottish Government and Cosla with this ballot result, that change is needed.”

Members of the NASUWT union in Scotland also rejected the offer and it will now “consider a formal ballot for industrial action”.

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Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, said: “Our members are clearly angry and rightly so. Their response clearly shows the divisive nature of this pay offer.

“It will do nothing to combat the growing crisis in teacher supply.

“The NASUWT will be conveying the outcome of the survey to employers and to government and the union will consider a formal ballot for industrial action on pay, depending on their response.”

She added: “One-off, inadequate annual percentage pay awards do nothing to close the 20% pay gap faced by teachers as a result of year-on-year pay cuts.

“It is time that ministers and employers recognised that teachers are deeply frustrated by the lack of tangible progress in ensuring that year-on-year pay cuts are addressed, excessive workload is reduced and teachers are supported in tackling pupil indiscipline.

“Discussions are urgently needed on a new deal for teachers encompassing all of these issues, including a multi-year pay award designed to close the enormous pay gap.”

Meanwhile, the SSTA union announced 97% of its members who took part in a ballot voted to reject the offer, with only 3% prepared to accept it.

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SSTA general secretary Seamus Searson said there was a “resounding rejection of the pay offer” from his union’s members.

He said: “The government and employers have underestimated teachers and tried to create division within different grades of teachers.

“With 97% of respondents rejecting the pay offer, it is a strong message to the Government as to the feelings of teachers.

“It is time for Government to return to the negotiating table and treat teachers with respect and seek a meaningful settlement.

“The SSTA looks forward to productive talks at the negotiating table in the coming days.”

Education Secretary John Swinney had previously described the pay offer as “generous and fair” and said he “highly valued” the work of teachers.

If further talks do not take place it could lead to the first national series of teacher strikes since 1985.

Scottish Greens’ education spokesman Ross Greer MSP said: “EIS members are sending a very clear message to the government and COSLA that after a 20% real-terms pay cut over the last decade, on top of overwhelming workloads and significant staffing shortages, only a genuinely fair pay settlement will do.

“There are 3500 fewer teachers than when the SNP took office in 2007.

“It would be over 4000 if you didn’t count the staff employed on short-term contracts to do alternative work through the Pupil Equity Fund.

“The grim reality is that after these budget and staffing cuts, teaching is just not the attractive profession it needs to be and now we’re seeing the consequences.”