Scotland's biggest teachers' union has voted in support of industrial action if talks on new contracts fail.

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.