Delegates at the Educational Institute of Scotland's annual conference overwhelmingly backed an emergency motion which supports industrial action if a deal on pay and conditions is not agreed by August.

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If talks fail to find a settlement, this could bring disruption to Scotland's schools in the autumn term. Teaching unions have been negotiating with local authority employers for more than a year about a new deal.

While employers have focused on demanding more flexibility from staff, teachers say they want a restoration of their "eroded" salaries.

But the two sides are still far apart and two smaller unions have already rejected a settlement.

Now the EIS leadership has the won the conference's support to draw a line in the sand, setting a deadline of the end of August. If no deal is reached by then the union says it will seek an 8% pay rise.

It is thought most local authorities have budgeted for a much smaller increase.

During the three-day conference, the teachers' union's delegates will also debate a call for the abolition of Catholic schools, criticism of over-zealous schools inspectors, and a move to introduce a boycott of exam reforms.