The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is the main decision-making body of the EIS. AGM instructs Council, which in turn instructs the Committees of the Council.
Approximately 350 EIS members – including Office Bearers, Council members and Delegates from Local Associations and Self-Governing Associations (EIS-FELA and EIS-ULA) are eligible to attend and vote at the AGM.
The AGM is divided into a number of distinct sessions each with its own particular item of business to be overtaken.
The 2022 AGM of the EIS will be held in Dundee, from Thursday 9 June to Saturday 11 June 2022. Below are the key events that take place over the three days and the order of business for this year’s conference.
The formal opening session
This session embodies the traditions of the Institute which was founded in 1847. The President, Heather Hughes from West Lothian, welcomes the guests from kindred organisations in the United Kingdom and Ireland, together with other trade union and official guests, before giving her retiring address.
The next part of the opening session involves the Convener of the Board of Examiners presenting the members who have been admitted as Fellows of The EIS at a meeting held earlier in the afternoon. The new Fellows in the ordinary category are those who have been recommended by their local associations and accepted by the Board of Examiners. There may also be one or more Fellows in the special or honorary category that is, “persons who have rendered signal service to education”. The Convener then gives a speech on each of the special/honorary category Fellows, and one of the new Fellows replies on behalf of themselves and their colleagues.
The incoming President (Andrene Bamford, East Dunbartonshire) and Vice-President (Paula McEwan, Inverclyde) will then be introduced to the meeting and make short speeches. The outgoing President, Heather Hughes and Vice-President Andrene Bamford are then commemorated for their year of office. The final business of the formal session is the declaration of the election of the incoming Council.
First business session
This session is extremely important as it is where the AGM are able to review the work of Council and its Committees over the past twelve months. This work comes before the consideration and debating of Motions dealing with new policies. Constitutionally, the AGM must either, approve, disapprove or amend every decision taken by Council during the previous year.
Subsequent business sessions
Once the decisions of Council (and its Committees) for the previous year have been approved, changes to the EIS Constitution are then considered followed by the election of AGM delegates to the Standing Orders Committee, Disciplinary Committee and Appeals Committee.
Consideration of motions and amendments
The remainder of the Annual General Meeting is taken up with debating the Motions and amendments which have been submitted by Council, Local Associations and Self-Governing Associations. The Motions and amendments are grouped into subject headings and blocks of time are allocated to Motions under each heading.
This year there are 52 motions to be debated as follows
15 on Education matters;
7 on Employment Relations matters;
7 on Equality matters;
9 on Salaries matters;
14 on Organisation matters;
See www.eis.org.uk for full information on the motions to be debated at the AGM.
Guest Speaker
Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville is scheduled to address the AGM on Saturday, time TBC.
Fringe and other events
The EIS holds a number of fringe events at the AGM, offering the opportunity for external organisations to speak to delegates in order to raise awareness of key issues. This year’s AGM will include three fringe events.
Past, Present, Future – with Equality at our core
Friday 10th June 12.45-1.45pm.
Organising the Pay Campaign
Assistant Secretary Belsey & Organisers12.30-2.00pm
International Solidarity
General Secretary Larry Flanagan & Others (TBC)12.30-2.00pm
Pay campaign rally
A rally in support of the 2022-2023 Pay campaign, calling for a 10% pay rise for teachers, will be held in the square outside the Caird Hall on the Saturday of AGM, time TBC.