SCOTTISH teachers are preparing to go to war over pay unless they get an increase of up to 16 per cent.

Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) teaching union have threatened strike action claiming salaries have stagnated since 2003.

The issue, which will be debated at the EIS annual general meeting in Perth later this week, comes just weeks after college staff went on strike to secure a new £40,000 salary level for unpromoted lecturers.

Currently unpromoted teachers earn just under £36,000 and the EIS argues pay has fallen more than 16 per cent behind its 2003 value when measured by the retail price index. The difference is eight per cent when measured by the alternative consumer price index

A motion to the AGM from the West Dunbartonshire local association calls for the union's ruling council to prepare a campaign to restore salaries to their previous value based on inflation figures "and to negotiate on this basis for next year’s pay settlement".

It adds: "Failure to reach agreement would result in a ballot of members, to begin a campaign of industrial action including strike action, from the start of the academic year in 2018-19."

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS, attacked local authority umbrella body Cosla for failing to put together a negotiating team to discuss pay which he described as "unacceptable".

He said: "In light of recent election debates about ending the long-running cap on public sector pay, the issue of the need for a fair pay settlement for teachers will also be a strong recurring theme.

"Disgracefully, Scottish teachers are still waiting for local authority employers Cosla to put together a negotiating team for a pay settlement that was due to be paid last April. That is unacceptable.

"Following a long and painful decade of real-terms pay erosion for teachers, which has led to a growing recruitment challenge, enhancing teachers’ pay is an issue that Scotland’s local authorities and the Scottish Government must commit to addressing as a matter of urgency."

Mr Flanagan said motions to the AGM had set out a clear timetable for moving towards industrial action if pay talks stagnated adding "the mood of teachers is certainly hardening on the issue of pay".

The EIS argue the reduction in pay in real terms since the McCrone deal of 2001 has made the job more unattractive and is part of the reason why there is a shortage in some areas and subjects.

Another problem that has arisen is the lack of promotion opportunities after councils removed principal teachers and introduced faculty structures instead where different subjects are grouped together under one promoted teacher.

The situation means there is a shortage of promotion opportunities as well as leading to teachers being in charge of subjects that are not their specialisms.

Last month, the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association said graduates were shunning teaching because promotion was only for the "elite few".