With the EIS campaign Stand up for Quality Education continuing to promote the need for increased investment in education, Council discussed the next steps in the campaign and highlighted the importance of the current Glasgow dispute as a bulwark in the battle against education cuts.

Vice-President Adam Sutcliffe, delivered his report on behalf of the Executive Committee, told Council that the committee’s November meeting was largely dominated by discussion on the next steps in the ongoing dispute between Glasgow LA and Glasgow City Council over the authority’s planned cuts to education, including deep cuts to teaching posts.

The campaign was recently dealt two blows, with a statutory industrial action ballot falling foul of strict thresholds in current anti-trade union legislation, and with a legal challenge from Glasgow parents – with financial support from the EIS – being ruled out by the court.

Teachers and parents alike are determined to fight on, said Mr Sutcliffe, and the EIS Executive agreed to demonstrate its continuing commitment to the campaign by giving its unanimous approval to a second statutory industrial action ballot. Preparations are already underway, he said, and the ballot will open in January.

The Committee also considered plans for a major member survey, currently being taken forward by the Strategy Sub-Committee in support of the SU4QE campaign. The Committee received the draft survey, and will hold further discussions on its design and eventual distribution.

Education Committee

Convener Susan Quinn updated Council on a wide range of issues, including on ongoing plans for education reform and the replacement of current national education agencies. The EIS is clear that the Education Reform Bill, in its current form, does not meet the needs of Scotland’s education system and that significant cultural change is required, said Ms Quinn.

The committee heard from the report of the SQA/QS Transition Board. Work is ongoing on branding, and it is expected this work will be completed by February 2025. The committee was advised that the new Chair is sensitive to the perception that this is a simple rebranding issue and is challenging around the workstreams in place.

The Committee also discussed the recruitment of the Chief Executive of Education Scotland and the Chief Inspector and noted these positions were to be readvertised, said Ms Quinn.

Employment Relations Committee

Convener Susan Slater updated Council on the work of the Committee. On benevolent matters the Committee considered 63 applications, and 61 grants were authorised with a total of £175,000 this included 47 emergency grants being homologated that had been previously authorised by the Convener, Vice Convener and Accountant.

On legal affairs, the Committee considered 20 cases over two meetings, and it was noted that £9,000 had been secured on behalf of one member. On Health and Safety, the Committee discussed a draft action plan for Health and Safety. Some amendments were agreed and an updated plan will be brought back to the next meeting of the committee, said Ms Slater.

Equality Committee

Convener Nicola Fisher updated Council on the wide-ranging work of the Committee. On disability issues, the Committee received an oral report from National Officer Augestad on the STUC Disabled Workers’ Conference.

The Committee noted that the conference topic is ‘Demanding Better; Disabled Workers Together, Future-Proofing Accessibility and Support,’ and that the EIS will be putting forward motions on the impact of education cuts and on mental health and disability.

On Anti-Racist issues, the Committee received a report from Khadija Mohammed on the STUC Black Workers’ Conference which took place on the 28th and 29th October. EIS delegates had moved motions on racial trauma and on growing the black workers’ movement in Scotland.

And on Gender issues, the Committee noted suggestions for activity to take place on International Women’s Day, agreeing that there would be merit in this dovetailing with the Institute’s work to advance an AGM resolution on maternity leave and pay.

Salaries Committee

Convener Des Morris told Council that there was little progress on the Scottish Government commitment to reduce class contact time to a maximum of 21 hours per week. “We have now waited over two and a half years to see any concrete proposals on how the commitment to reduce class contact time is to be delivered,” he said.

Mr Morris told Council that a meeting of the Teachers’ Panel was scheduled for the following Monday, 2nd December, where the lack of progress would be discussed. (This meeting subsequently issued a joint statement from the Teachers’ Panel, confirming that a dispute would be declared on this issue, should no concrete proposals be forthcoming on delivery of this pledge after the Scottish budget).

On the long-running issue of reclassification of back-pay paid in 2023/24, the EIS’s retained tax advisors have been instructed to engage with HMRC to seek a change in policy regarding the correction of individual cases.

Mr Morris said, “This is a very unusual situation, seeking to make a collective claim on behalf of such a large percentage of a workforce. This will take some time, and we will keep members updated throughout the process.”

Motions

Jehan Al-Azzawi (Edinburgh) was successful in bringing a motion seeking to investigate how many schools in each local authority have delivered lessons and/or assemblies on the Israel-Palestine situation over the past year.

“The more we promote the available resources to our members, the more comfortable and confident they will feel in taking forward activity in this area. We can do more to provide members with the authority and legitimacy to take this forward,” she said.

Ms Al-Azzawi was then successful in a second motion, calling on the EIS to donate £5000 to the Disaster’s Emergency Committee Middle East Humanitarian appeal. Support came from Clare Robertson (Edinburgh) who, in seconding the motion, said, “This humanitarian support is desperately needed for people who are working in the most complex and dangerous circumstances.”

Alison Murphy (Edinburgh) was then successful in bringing a motion raising concern over the proposed reduction in staffing at the education unit of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young people. “It’s a difficult place, it’s an amazing place, it’s an inspiring place to work.

“There are currently four members of staff employed, providing educational support for every single young person who is in the hospital. There needs to be a more sustainable funding model, to ensure that all young people in the hospital receive support,” said Ms Murphy.

Council Nominations 2025/2026

The EIS Council is the principal executive committee of the EIS. It meets around five times a year, usually in Edinburgh and at the AGM. Nomination forms for members interested in standing for election to Council for 2025/2026 can be downloaded from the EIS website.