Potential Strike Over Teacher Workload
Teachers in Scotland may initiate strike action as early as mid-March due to ongoing disputes concerning workload demands. The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union has formally issued a 10-day strike notice, citing the Scottish National Party (SNP) ministers' failure to implement a 2021 manifesto commitment to reduce teachers' classroom contact time by 90 minutes.
While the EIS acknowledges that "some progress" has been made since the announcement of the strike vote earlier in the week, it emphasized that there has been "nothing in writing" from the Scottish government or the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) to guarantee the delivery of these promises.
Negotiations remain active, with Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth expressing a desire to avoid strike action. However, Cosla has stated that full funding is necessary to implement the plan effectively. Additionally, Cosla requires assurances that providing teachers with additional "non-contact time" will positively impact children and young people.
The Scottish government's recent budget, passed last month, includes a 2% increase in funding for local authorities. The EIS welcomed this increment, hoping it would facilitate the proposed reductions in class contact time.
Strike Notice and Ballot Details
Recent changes to strike regulations across the UK have reduced the required notice period from 14 days to 10 days, with mandates now valid for one year instead of six months. The EIS's notice means that teachers in Scotland could commence strike action from 16 March.
Earlier attempts by the union to secure a mandate for action were unsuccessful due to insufficient voter turnout. The previous ballot saw a 46% turnout, with 86% of those voting in favor of strike action. In the current ballot, turnout increased to 60%, with 85% supporting industrial action.
The EIS has indicated that the planned industrial action will include strike days as well as a sustained programme of action short of a strike.
Union Leadership Statements
General Secretary Andrea Bradley stated that issuing the strike notice allows the union to "keep our options open" and affirmed the union's commitment to resolving the dispute.
"What we need to see from the Scottish government and Cosla is surety over what they are offering to teachers.
After five years of waiting, and more than a year in dispute, Scotland's teachers and the EIS will expect to see a firm and binding commitment, in writing and signed by all parties, before we are willing to remove the prospect of industrial action being undertaken in Scotland's schools."
Calls for Urgency from Cosla and Government
Ricky Bell, Cosla's resources spokesperson, affirmed the body's commitment to making "meaningful progress" on the issue while prioritizing children's best interests.
"With all of this in mind, including additional funding on the table from Scottish government and Cosla's commitment to making progress, it is highly disappointing that the EIS still insist on progressing strike action."
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth highlighted that the Scottish government has offered "significant additional resource" to Cosla to reduce teacher contact time. She expects Cosla leaders to formally consider the proposals "with urgency" in the upcoming week.
"The Scottish government remains committed to working collaboratively, to finalise the detail of implementation and maintain constructive dialogue with teaching unions and Cosla as we move forward.
It is our hope that teachers will see this government's genuine commitment to build on the important progress made so far to deliver a New Deal for Teachers, including improved maternity pay and the introduction of a pilot of a four-day teaching week."
The coming days are critical to preventing industrial action in schools.
Background and Challenges
The EIS has expressed deep frustration over what it perceives as a lack of progress in reducing teacher workload. The SNP's 2021 manifesto promised a reduction of 1.5 hours per week in the time individual teachers spend in class.
Reducing contact time would allow teachers more time for lesson preparation and marking, tasks the union claims are often completed during personal time.
The EIS seeks a concrete plan to reduce workload to avoid industrial action. After years of waiting, the union considers that mere aspirations or expressions of good intent are insufficient.
However, implementing reductions in workload or contact time will not be immediate. The union is clear that such changes should not reduce the amount of time students spend in school, which implies the need to employ additional teachers, incurring further costs.
