The March meeting of EIS Council featured a wide-ranging agenda, with significant discussion on a variety of important issues.

Vice-President, Adam Sutcliffe, reporting on the work of the Executive Committee, told Council that much of the discussion at Executive related to the Stand Up for Quality Education campaign, and the dispute over the lack of progress on the Scottish Government commitment to reduce class contact time.

Mr Sutcliffe highlighted that the EIS recently had a stall in the Scottish Parliament, highlighting SU4QE campaign objectives, with around 40 MSPs visiting the stall to learn more about the campaign.

Responding to a question from Jehan Al-Azzawi (Edinburgh) on EIS support for humanitarian and educational work in Palestine, Mr Sutcliffe reiterated the long-standing commitment of the EIS to support for Palestine, and expressed confidence that this will continue in the future.

Education Committee

Convener Susan Quinn updated Council on a wide range of issues, including a recent meeting with Education Scotland. Ms Quinn said that Education Scotland reported that it was moving forward with recruitment of a new Chief Executive and Chief Inspector, with interviews to take place in the near future. There was also discussion around new inspection frameworks, with support for schools also high on the agenda during the meeting.

On education reform, Ms Quinn reported that the Committee had suggested a significant number of proposed amendments to the Education (Scotland) Bill, which the EIS will submit through the appropriate channels.

Heather Hughes (West Lothian) asked if there was any available information on the allocation and payment of the additional £29M that the Scottish Government has committed to spend on ASL.

Ms Quinn replied that, the EIS’s understanding is that the additional funding is to be ring-fenced for ASL, but it is not clear if the money has yet been delivered to Councils. While there is a clear expectation that this will be used for ASL, there is always the question of how this is monitored, cautioned Ms Quinn.

Employment Relations Committee

Convener Susan Slater advised Council that the Committee had welcomed Benevolent Fund donations from three local associations – Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, and Fife, and that donations had also been received from EIS Financial Services and from legal fees.

The Committee approved 22 applications for assistance from the fund, with a total of £58,750 being authorised in assistance grants to members.

On legal affairs, Ms Slater said that the Committee had considered 19 cases, and noted that settlements totalling £112,500 had been secured on behalf of two members.

Equality Committee

Convener Nicola Fisher updated Council on the work of the Equality Committee, including initial plans for the Equality Fringe at this year’s EIS AGM, with the focus on addressing far-right disinformation and misinformation and online hate, linked to a new Digital Discourse initiative recently launched by the TIE campaign.

Ms Fisher explained that the new TIE e-learning resource provided a bespoke professional learning course, and was designed to provide tools and strategies to respond to disinformation and online hate and equip learners with key critical and digital media literacy skills.

Ms Fisher told Council that the EIS had launched its new guidance on menopause and menstrual health at work, to coincide with International Women’s Day.

On anti-racist issues, Ms Fisher advised Council of the new Early Years component of the EIS Welcome Packs for young people new to Scotland, which is based around the new book Mochara Goes to Nursery – see feature on pp14-15 for more on this new resource.

Salaries Committee

Convener Des Morris told Council that on the 7th of February, the Teachers’ Side of the SNCT had declared a formal dispute, in response to the failure on the part of Scottish Government and COSLA to progress the Scottish Government commitment to reduce class contact time.

Mr Morris told Council that a recent letter from the Scottish Government had indicated that proposals for the implementation of the reduction in class contact time would come “no later than the summer” – another significant delay in progressing the commitment, and which prompted groans from those in attendance at the meeting.

The EIS had raised concerns over the establishment of a ‘Working Group’ to explore progressing the proposals, but which includes only Scottish Government and COSLA representatives and not any from the trade union side of the SNCT, and would continue to seek an active role for trade union representatives in the discussions, said Mr Morris.

On pay, Mr Morris reminded Council that the union side had submitted this year’s pay claim, calling for a 6% increase, on the 14th of February and that, as yet, no opening offer had been received from the employers’ side. Mr Morris said that a forthcoming meeting of SNCT Joint Chairs was anticipated to result in the tabling of an offer.

On the long-running issue of the overtaxing of back-pay paid in the 2023/2024 financial year, Mr Morris told Council that a response had just been received from HMRC, advising that updated advice to local authorities on resolving the issue was about to be published. Mr Morris said that the EIS would share this advice with members, once it becomes available.

Jennifer Gaffney (South Lanarkshire), thanked Mr Morris for the update and also welcomed the recent 2-page article on the back pay issue, published in the February edition of the SEJ, which she said had provided a helpful update for members.

Motions

Jehan Al-Azzawi (Edinburgh) successfully moved a motion on the updating of EIS policy on Israel/Palestine in light of recent Amnesty International reports. The motion was subject to two amendments from Claire Robertson (Edinburgh), both of which were passed and included in the final resolution.

Moving the motion, Ms Al-Azzawi said, “The EIS has shown its strong support for Palestine, through a wide range of actions and statements. As we meet today, all aid deliveries into Gaza have again been halted, with some of the most powerful nations in the world responsible for this situation.

“Evidence of genocide and apartheid policies have been referenced in these reports from Amnesty International. This motion will allow the EIS to adapt its policies on Palestine, to take account of recent developments and the available evidence.”

Following considerable discussion, and the incorporation of two technical amendments proposed by Ms Robertson, the motion was overwhelmingly approved.

A related motion, calling for the EIS to donate £10,000 to Amnesty International, was also overwhelmingly approved by Council.

Speaking on the motion, Phil Pearce (Edinburgh) said, “The work of Amnesty International is more important than ever, and we need to show our support for their work and all those that it assists. The values of our union align with those of Amnesty International, and this donation would reflect this position.”

Debate on a final motion, brought to Council by Alison Murphy (Edinburgh), calling for a Day of Action to highlight the plight of temporary and supply teachers, was suspended, following concerns over possible, unintended, consequences for the members concerned. Debate on the motion will resume at the next meeting of Council, allowing for suitable amendments to be made to the wording of the motion.

Next President and Vice-President confirmed

President Allan Crosbie announced to Council that, following the completion of the nomination process, that the next President and Vice-President have been elected.

The next President will be Adam Sutcliffe (Aberdeenshire), who is serving as Vice-President for the current year. The new Vice-President will be Mark Smith, a long-serving member of EIS Council and EIS Learning Rep for North Ayrshire.

Both Mr Sutcliffe and Mr Smith will formally assume their new positions at the EIS AGM in June, when current President Mr Crosbie will also move into the post of Ex-President.