Training and support for Health and Safety Reps
43. Council
That this AGM instructs Council to:
- develop an annual programme of training for EIS Health and Safety Representatives;
- ensure that all EIS Health and Safety Representatives are fully aware of their statutory right to time off to perform their functions and to publicise this statutory right as part of campaigning to recruit EIS Health and Safety Representatives;
- campaign to establish Health and Safety Committees in every educational establishment in Scotland;
- investigate and report on the number of Health and Safety Committees established in all educational establishments across Scotland.
Jacqueline MacKenzie (Council and North Ayrshire) moved this motion on behalf of Council, highlighting that every member deserves to be safe at work every day. “Health and Safety is a fundamental right in our workplaces, not an optional extra. This motion recognises that rights on paper are only powerful if people know about them and are able to use them. Many Safety Reps are unaware of their statutory right to time off to carry out their duties,” she said.
Susan Slater (Moray and Council) seconded the motion, and underlined the need to build confidence in reps to challenge employers. “Health and Safety is an integral part of the Stand Up for Quality Education campaign. We must equip our Reps to allow them to properly support our members,” she said.
Tom Britton (Edinburgh and Council) supported the motion by testifying about violent incidents in school. “Health and safety is more than slips, trips and falls,” he said. The motion was carried.
Fostering a positive, inclusive and safe environment for all
44. Council
That this AGM instructs Council to investigate and report on progress of local authorities in updating relevant local guidance following the publication on the Scottish Government’s ‘Fostering a Positive, Inclusive and Safe Environment’ guidance in June 2025.
Amendment Fife Local Association
In the first line after ‘of’ and before ‘local’ insert ‘all’.
Christina Fleming (Dundee and Council) moved this amended motion and spoke of Local Authorities’ reluctance to include consequences in local guidance to support the implementation of fostering a positive, inclusive and safe environment for all. “Without consequences, our learners can struggle to recognise boundaries and may have issues with behaviour. Without consequences, our young people can lack the skills to successfully navigate the wider world,” she said.
Jacqueline MacKenzie (North Ayrshire and Council) seconded the motion and stated that if the wider programme is to succeed, then it must be rooted in policies, procedures and practice. “We are all aware the incidents of violence are on the rise in our schools. The guidance is intended to create positive and secure environments, but guidance itself means nothing if it is not implemented effectively. At a time when staff are worried about a rise in serious incidents, the worst thing we could do is assume that implementation is happening effectively everywhere,” she said. This motion was carried.
Health and Safety and safeguarding protocols
45. EIS FELA
That this AGM instructs Council to work with local authorities, colleges and relevant agencies to ensure robust health and safety and safeguarding protocols are in place, including appropriate risk assessments and clear health and safety protocols so that children, young learners and members are fully protected while participating in these programmes.
Amendment 1 Council
“Delete ‘robust’ on line 2, ‘appropriate’ in line 3 and ‘while participating in these programmes’ from the final line.
Insert ‘drafted by a competent person as defined by Health & Safety legislation,’ after ‘…safeguarding protocols’.”
Amendment 2 EIS ULA
After “colleges”, insert “universities”.
This amended motion was moved by Thora Hands (EIS FELA and Council). “The ongoing dispute at CoGC has highlighted significant disparities in health & safety and safeguarding across the Further Education sector…creating a postcode lottery of health and safety in our colleges. We need consistent and robust health & safety and safeguarding procedures in all learning establishments, to protect our young people and staff alike.”
Karen Hammond (EIS ULA) seconded the motion and spoke about the institutional negligence and structural violence carried out against the welders of City Of Glasgow College. “To expose injustice, you must be brave enough to call it out. The risks our colleagues are being exposed to are fully known and entirely preventable,” she said. The motion was carried.
Psychological safety
46. Edinburgh Local Association
That this Annual General Meeting resolve to:
- lobby the UK Government to update H&S legislation to include measures to protect psychological safety, and to seek the support of the TUC in this lobbying.
- recognise psychological safety as a fundamental workplace right;
- include details about psychological safety in the future publications of EIS Health and Safety documents;
- contribute to the STUC’s Psychological Safety Charter e.g. by outlining what psychological safety should look and feel like in learning establishments, including employer responsibilities, and worker protections;
- create bespoke training for EIS reps and Health and Safety reps to identify psychological risks when supporting affected members and negotiating for safer, more inclusive cultures;
Claire Robertson (Edinburgh) moved this motion and spoke about the pressures in schools that are leading to a lack of psychological safety for teachers. The motion calls for a charter for psychological safety, including the right to professional dialogue and support. “Teachers are human beings with limits, emotions and rights. Psychological safety must be recognised, to give our teachers the right to be treated with dignity, respect and humanity. Unsafe cultures are unsafe workplaces,” said Ms Robertston.
Tom Britton (Edinburgh) seconded the motion, saying, “Psychological safety at work is a health and safety issue. The impact of little or no support can drastically worsen an already bad situation. Psychological safety is about feeling safe, secure and protected at work.”
Scott Whitefield-Holbrook (Scottish Borders) supported the motion by speaking of the difficulties of raising psychological safety matters with managers. This motion was carried.
Hearing loss and tinnitus as occupational health risks in teaching
47. North Ayrshire Local Association
That this AGM recognises hearing loss and tinnitus as occupational health risks within the teaching profession.
That AGM calls on Council to investigate and report on the prevalence, cause and impact of tinnitus and hearing loss on teachers and to campaign for recognition of hearing loss and tinnitus as occupational risks with a view to ensuring workplace noise risk assessments are carried out; steps are taken to reduce harmful noise levels; clear guidance is provided for reasonable adjustments and awareness is raised about hearing health.
Amendment EIS ULA
(second sentence) – After “teachers”, insert “and lecturers”.
Mary Gibson (North Ayrshire) moved this amended motion, stating that 1 in 6 people live with hearing loss, 1 in 3 adults have hearing loss and 1 in 7 have tinnitus. “Evidence shows that individuals can often wait up to 10 years to seek support for hearing issues,” said Ms Gibson, who then went on to outline some of the steps that can be taken to mitigate risk through classroom design, such as in the use of soft flooring and furnishings to muffle excessive noise.
Lorraine Clifford (North Ayrshire) seconded the motion, highlighting how open-plan environments can exacerbate issues, with sound carrying from one learning space to the next.
This was a very well supported motion. Members spoke from personal experience of the issues of teaching with hearing conditions, working in instrumental music teaching, and working in music education. This motion was carried.
“Self-service” human resource systems causing additional workload
48. South Ayrshire Local Association
That this AGM instruct Council to investigate and report on the additional workload of “self-service” human resource systems being introduced within local authorities. Self-service HR applications are software packages, including Oracle Cloud Fusion, which aim to shift everyday human resources tasks, including absence reporting and leave requests, from HR departments to other council employees, including teachers.
The findings of the report should assist in advising local associations and contribute to the campaign on reducing workload for teachers.
Amendment Inverclyde Local Association
Remove sentence 2 – from ‘Self-service’ to ‘teachers’.
Iain Aitken (South Ayrshire) moved this amended motion, warning that despite already excessive workloads, many additional HR and admin tasks are being placed upon teachers. “Councils want to make cuts, if they can pass this work onto us, it will make it easier for them to do it. We have enough to do – don’t add to it,” he said.
Gary Laird (South Ayrshire) seconded the motion. This motion was carried.