The EIS delegation to this year’s Trade Union Congress in Brighton played a significant part in proceedings, particularly on education and equality issues. Members of the delegation, led by President Adam Sutcliffe, spoke on a range of issues including motions on proper funding for education and the importance of education in standing up against far-right ideology. Here, the SEJ takes a look at some of the key issues from this year’s Congress.

Fighting the far right

The motion on combatting the far right was seconded by President Adam Sutcliffe, who gave a powerful speech against extremist hate speech.

“The motion before us today addresses a deeply concerning trend: the rise of far-right political activism and the open and increasingly loud and proud displays of what is frankly fascist behaviour. This motion seeks to lobby governments to fund the embedding of anti-racist education in curricula, along with political literacy, peace education and digital literacy.

The EIS is a steadfastly anti-racist organisation. We are committed to sound learning rooted in equality and we oppose racism in all its forms and advocate for educational establishments to be safe inclusive environments for all children, young people and those that work in them.”

We have a moral obligation to stand up and speak out against the far right. We cannot stand idly by while these forces of division and hatred threaten to undermine the very principles of democracy and social justice on which our nations are based.”

Standing Up for Quality Education

General Secretary Andrea Bradley made a strong call for proper funding of education, in her speech to Congress on a composite education motion.

“Two and a half thousand years ago, Confucius wrote some wise and prophetic words: ‘Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.’Those ancient words encapsulate the existential worth of education to human society.

Today, the amount of public investment in education at UK and Scotland levels falls far too short of what’s needed. Underfunding means understaffing and unfair, unhealthy and unsustainable workloads for teachers in Scotland. Their unpaid labour is massively propping up the education system.

Meanwhile, ironically, high levels of precarity – underemployment and unemployment – is the reality for thousands of qualified teachers, driven to despair that their talents and their efforts in studying to be teachers are going to waste.

It’s nothing short of scandalous when you think of the entirety of the waste and neglect of human potential at all ages and stages in this scenario.

That our young people receive quality education is imperative to our collective prosperity, to our democracy, to social cohesion and to peace.

Education must be funded in a way that reflects its quintessential common good and the fundamental protections that it affords to human society.”

Protecting young people

Salaries Committee Vice-Convener Mick Dolan seconded a motion on protecting young people from physical punishment, urging other parts of the UK to follow the example set by Scotland.

“Scotland began this journey in 1982 when the European Court of Human Rights ruled that parents had the right to object to their children being hit in the classroom and it finally outlawed the practice in all state schools in 1987.

The changes around the use of physical punishment in schools began a cultural shift where all forms of physical punishment administered by adults on children came under pressure, finally resulting in the 2019 Children’s act outlawing all forms of physical punishment, even in the home.

These changes cannot happen in a vacuum. They require the correct cultural change and real meaningful support for all adults working with young people, and for parents supporting their children in the home.

This motion calls for a final step in that cultural journey, and for the UK Government and the Northern Ireland assembly to change the law in order to prevent all adults from administering corporal punishment even in the home.

Now is the time for all of the UK to have the confidence to take that next step and follow their Celtic neighbours.”

Battling misogyny and violence against women

EIS delegate Sharon Iddir spoke eloquently against misogyny and acts of violence against women, increasingly based on the radicalisation of young men by incel and far-right narratives.

“Violence against women is not only rising, but evolving. This rise is not happening in a vacuum it is fuelled by a toxic online culture where self-confessed influencers amass millions of followers by spreading misogyny, hatred and abuse. Content that is largely unfiltered, unrestricted and unregulated is shaping the views of a generation of young men.

The rise of the incel movement is a chilling reminder of how deep-rooted misogyny is in digital life.

In Scotland, this has already been recognised as an emerging prevent risk and our education systems are having to adapt rapidly. Last year, the Scottish Government launched a comprehension framework to address gender-based violence in our schools.

Let us be clear misogyny and the far right are not just aligned they are interlinked and they are growing. We are seeing the erosion of rights hard won by trade union women – from reproductive rights to increased reports of sexual harassment in workplaces.

Women’s voices are being shouted down by the far right who want women back in the home stripped of independence.

Education is key but so is action. Let’s call misogyny what it is – hate. Let’s confront it wherever it lives – online – in schools – in politics – in our workplaces, it has no place in our society.

TUC General Secretary’s address

Paul Nowak, TUC General Secretary, covered a wide range of issues in his annual address to Congress.

Union successes: “I want you to compare where we are now, with when I first addressed you as General Secretary in Liverpool two years ago. The Tories’ anti-strike legislation…now gone. Our right to strike…protected. Hundreds of disputes across the public and private sector…won.

A public inquiry into the scandal at Orgreave…secured. And the Employment Rights Bill – about to be given Royal assent in a matter of weeks. Not by chance. Not by accident. But because we fought for it.”

Threat of far right populism: “The biggest threat to working class people in this country are the bad bosses and the right-wing populists. A nasty combination that should worry any trade unionist and any worker.

But here’s the truth. Every single Reform MP, including Mr Farage, voted against outlawing fire and rehire. Against banning zero hours contracts. And against day one rights for millions of workers. Nigel Farage, it’s time to come clean about whose side you are really on. Because here’s the truth: You’re not representing working people. You are selling them out.”

Humanitarian crisis: “Congress right now, that darkness is everywhere. In Ukraine. In Sudan. And of course, in Gaza. A humanitarian crisis that shames the world. Thousands of starving civilians – women and children – killed while queuing for food. Hospitals, aid workers and journalists deliberately targeted. Kids seeking clean water attacked by the IDF.

Israeli and Palestinian Human Rights groups are clear. Amnesty International are clear. Medicins Sans Frontieres are clear. And I think we should be clear. Benjamin Nethanyu’s government is committing genocide in Gaza.”