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The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
EIS says 'time running out' to avert school strikes
A survey by the union found that 44% of teachers work an additional seven unpaid hours in a typical week, while more than 10% do an extra 15 hours or more. In its 2021 manifesto the SNP pledged to reduce workload by 1.5 hours per week. Read More: A ballot for industrial action, up to and including strikes, closes on August 28 and the union is urging members to vote yes. EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said: 'With the new term having started in most schools across Scotland, we are now in the fifth school year since the promise was made to address severe teacher workload by reducing teachers' class contact time. "Since the pledge was made, the progress towards delivery of this commitment by the Scottish Government and COSLA has been slower than glacial. "Whilst the Scottish Government has made funds available to local authorities on the joint agreement that there would be collaboration towards implementing the 21 hours commitment, no progress been made on delivery. Eight months since that agreement, we are still awaiting proposals to be put on the table as to precisely how and when this promise to teachers, pupils and the Scottish electorate will be kept. "Our current consultative ballot for industrial action is a direct result of the inaction of the Scottish Government and COSLA on this vital issue. As the years have passed since the pledge was made, workload levels in our schools have continued to soar, and the frustration felt by teachers has continued to escalate. "The latest research carried out by the EIS confirmed that Scotland's teachers are working, on average, an extra 11 hours per week, over and above their contractual commitments, in order to attempt to keep on top of workload demands. "This simply isn't sustainable, and is having a severe and detrimental impact on teachers' physical and mental wellbeing, with potentially long-term consequences for their health. 'The Scottish Government and COSLA have run out of time, after years of stalling and obfuscation. They must now produce their plan for delivery of this commitment, then they must move at a rapid pace to actually deliver it. In the meantime, I would urge every EIS member who is eligible to use their vote in our Workload ballot before it closes later this month. A very strong and very clear result in this consultative ballot will send a message that the Scottish Government and COSLA cannot ignore.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'The Scottish Government will continue to work with unions and COSLA to agree our approach to delivering a reduction in class contact time, which ultimately requires agreement from the whole Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. 'This is also why we are providing local authorities with an additional £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers, alongside an additional £29 million to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce. 'This funding has been provided on the clear agreement that meaningful progress is made on reducing teacher class contact time.' A COSLA spokesperson said: 'We are aware of the increased pressures across the whole local government workforce and the teaching profession is rightly greatly valued. As we continue to engage with teaching unions on the issue of workload, we have committed, along with Scottish Government, to exploring ways of reducing class contact time. 'The provision of high-quality learning experiences for children and young people depends on the education workforce being adequately supported, resourced, skilled and confident to respond to the learners in front of them. COSLA works closely with trade unions, Scottish Government, and partners, to enable the delivery of this. 'Reducing teachers' class contact time by 1.5 hours a week – equal to almost two weeks per year – will require additional resource, significant advance planning and actions to tackle existing problems such as recruitment and retention in rural areas and shortages of teachers of certain subject areas. "There has to be a recognition that achieving the reduction in class contact time by maintaining teacher numbers as pupil numbers gradually decline is a challenge and will take time. 'In addition, councils will have to consider how to maintain other statutory services as the proportion of the salary bill required for teachers increases.'
The Herald Scotland
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
ScotGov warned that words won't solve school behaviour crisis
EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said that the government must provide more than 'carefully considered words' as she demanded greater investment and increased resources, insisting that 'policies alone' will not be enough. During a recent appearance at the EIS AGM, education secretary Jenny Gilruth was challenged on the issue of violence in schools, with one delegate asking if it would take a teacher being murdered in their classroom to force the government take 'real action'. Ms Gilruth was also heckled with cries of 'nothing is being done' when she said that violence in schools is unacceptable. In her ministerial foreword to the latest publication, Ms Gilruth points to the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis, arguing that their impacts on society mean that it is 'unsurprising that the structured demands of the school day have been challenging for some pupils.' She goes on to admit that 'schools and teachers must be better supported to tackle disruptive behaviour'. The new guidance document sets out a number of 'key messages' which include a focus on children's rights and the need for 'early intervention and prevention.' It describes the concept of consequences as 'an important tool to help reinforce boundaries and expectations' and says that the term 'refers to the actions or interventions implemented in response to a child or young person's behaviour.' The use of exclusion is also discussed, with the guidance stating that it can be used 'a last resort, where this approach is proportionate and there is no appropriate alternative.' The document includes an appendix which lists examples of negative pupil behaviour alongside possible explanations for these actions (described as 'underlying needs and functions of behaviour') and examples of the types of responses that might be appropriate. For example, if a pupil is engaging in 'unsafe, anti-social, or otherwise unacceptable behaviour, including shouting, abusive or potentially physical behaviour during breaks or period changes', teachers are encouraged to consider if the child may be 'showing off to friends to gain authority/acceptance/status' or 'not yet developmentally able to understand and manage big emotions.' The possibility that they may simply be 'an excitable child' is also noted, with teachers told that they 'may accidentally knock into others without realising the impact.' Possible responses include 'restricted access to corridors', engaging in a reflective exercise, or being permitted to leave class earlier than peers. READ MORE In addition to the document exploring guidance around consequences, the government has also issued non-statutory guidance to schools and councils on risk assessing violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviour from pupils. Commenting for the EIS, General Secretary Andrea Bradley said: 'While welcoming the intent to address the issue, the EIS has been clear in relation to both the national behaviour action plan and the Consequences guidance that policies alone will not address the serious issue of violence and aggression we are seeing in schools across Scotland unless they are accompanied by additional funding and dedicated investment in education. There need to be a range of interventions, underpinned by resources, which can be adopted to ensure that everyone is safe in school – pupils, teachers and school staff.' 'We cannot ignore the educational and wellbeing impacts of behaviour which gives rise to significant disruption and health and safety concerns. So, there does need to be a set of escalating consequences available to respond to this, up to and including exclusion. The EIS would, however, say that exclusion should be used judiciously. We are aware of the long-term impact of exclusion and time should be taken to plan for effective interventions which will look at fully re-engaging the young person in education, addressing the underlying causes of the behaviour and making plans to minimise the risk of recurrence, with health and safety always being a prime consideration.' Ms Bradley explained that the guidance issued by the government in fact reflects existing policy by promoting approaches involving early intervention and restorative practice, and that issuing new documentation is not likely to change the reality in classrooms across the country: 'These are sound educational approaches but teachers have been clear that they need time and space and resources to implement them – we need smaller class sizes, reduced class contact time and investment in ASL to tackle the violence and aggression in our schools. 'The reality is that, unless the guidance is matched by investment, little will change. We need more than carefully considered words to make a difference, we need investment, and we need more resources -including more teachers and support staff in our schools.' The EIS is currently holding a consultative ballot for industrial action over class contact time in Scotland. The most recent SNP manifesto promised that this would be reduced by 30 minutes per week but no progress has been made towards achieving that goal, which is not expected to be delivered before the next Holyrood election. Earlier SNP manifestos pledged to reduce class sizes. The Scottish Government is also attempting to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels through the use of targeted funding, but has faced pushback from a number of councils. Speaking during a visit to a primary school to launch the guidance document, Jenny Gilruth said: 'The majority of children and young people behave well in school, but where someone needs support with their behaviour, it is important that schools can respond in ways that are appropriate, supportive and respond to the needs of each individual child. Evidence clearly shows young people need structure and boundaries to support their development and having predictable consequences helps them to feel safe. 'Responding to behaviour in our schools requires all members of the school community – staff, children and young people and parents and carers – to work together to identify the values that underpin school life, how this translates into expectations of behaviour, and to support appropriate responses. We want to create a strong partnership between home and school to help create a consistent, supportive environment where children feel safe, respected, and are better able to learn and thrive. 'This guidance takes account of the concerns about behaviour I have heard from teachers, support staff and teaching unions, and will be an important tool in ensuring that they are properly supported in our schools.'
Glasgow Times
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Here's why the EIS launched a consultative ballot for strike action
The General Secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) launched the ballot during her address to the EIS Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Aviemore. READ NEXT: Hunt for gang of masked thugs who broke into Glasgow petrol stations Following a wide-ranging annual address, the general secretary Andrea Bradley said the ballot is due to the Scottish Government and COSLA's failure to reduce teachers' class contact time by 1.5 hours per week as well as the lack of progress in pay negotiations for Scotland's teachers. It comes after the EIS rejected a 3% pay rise offer earlier this year. Concluding her speech, Bradley said: 'There are swathes of evidence showing the extent to which teachers are subsiding the system with free work. Patience isn't infinite and neither is the amount of time that teachers can give to their work away from their own families - their own children, their own partners, their own parents and their own friends. 'We've compromised on timescales, we've said we can compromise on phased implementation but the use of the time for preparation and correction is an absolute red line. We've said that from Day One.' 'We have come to the point where we must escalate this dispute. We must now ask our members to stand up and have their votes counted on workload in this indicative ballot.' READ NEXT: More than 16,000 student beds in pipeline across Glasgow A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The Scottish Government will continue to work with unions and COSLA to agree our approach to delivering a reduction in class contact time, which ultimately requires agreement from the whole Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. 'This is also why we are providing local authorities with an additional £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers, alongside an additional £29 million to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce. This funding has been provided on the clear agreement that meaningful progress is made on reducing teacher class contact time.'
The Independent
06-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Teachers balloted for strike action over ‘excessive' workloads
Teachers are being urged to vote for strike action in a bid to send a message to ministers on 'excessive' workloads. Scotland's largest teaching union, the EIS, is launching a consultative ballot for industrial action during its annual general meeting on Friday. The ballot comes in the wake of a survey by the union which revealed more than two-fifths of teachers (44%) work an additional seven unpaid hours in a typical week. The research also found 11.5% of teachers work an extra 15 hours or more per week – the equivalent of two days. EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said the ballot will highlight the 'pressing need' to deliver on a commitment to cut the time teachers spend in the classroom. The SNP 2021 manifesto pledged to reduce this by 1.5 hours a week – with Ms Bradley insisting action is needed to 'reduce excessive teacher workload'. Speaking ahead of the AGM, which is taking place in Aviemore, the she said: 'This ballot is an opportunity for our members to send a clear message to their employers and the Scottish Government of the need to honour the commitments to tackle excessive teacher workload by reducing weekly class contact time.' Accusing the Scottish Government and local authority leaders in Cosla of failing to deliver the promised reduction in classroom time, she called on union members to vote in favour of industrial action – including strikes. Ms Bradley said: 'Only sending a strong and clear message will compel the Scottish Government and Cosla to finally take action to tackle teacher workload.' She told how 'teachers have waited more than four years' for the time they spend in classes to be reduced, saying in the meantime workload pressures 'continue to soar'. Ms Bradley added: 'This is having a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of teachers, with significant consequences for the learning experience of pupils in our schools.' The recent EIS survey revealed the 'scale of the workload demands that are being placed on teachers', she said, adding this showed 'almost half' of those in the profession are working the equivalent of an extra day per week to keep on top of their workload. On the commitment to reduce class contact time by 1.5 hours per week, she said the Scottish Government and Cosla have 'failed even to produce any firm proposals on how to take this forward'. The EIS ballot comes as a second union, the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association (SSTA), is also preparing to hold a consultative survey on strike action on the issue. SSTA general secretary Seamus Searson said: 'The reduction of 90 minutes class contact time was promised by the Scottish Government four years ago and Cosla has baulked at every turn to progress the promise. 'The reduction of class contact time is a small step in addressing teacher workload and the employers have failed to acknowledge the importance of the 90 minutes to teachers. 'SSTA members have reached the end of their patience and now have no option but to resort to taking strike action to force the employers to implement a real benefit for hard pressed secondary school teachers. 'To get to this point shows a lack of respect and understanding by the employers of the challenges teachers are facing to deliver education.' The SSTA said its survey will start in the week of June 16 and run until the end of August. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'The Scottish Government will continue to work with unions and Cosla to agree our approach to delivering a reduction in class contact time, which ultimately requires agreement from the whole Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. 'This is also why we are providing local authorities with an additional £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers, alongside an additional £29 million to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce. 'This funding has been provided on the clear agreement that meaningful progress is made on reducing teacher class contact time.' A Cosla spokesperson said: 'We are aware of the increased pressures across the whole local government workforce and the teaching profession is rightly greatly valued. As we continue to engage with teaching unions on the issue of workload, we have committed, along with Scottish Government, to exploring ways of reducing class contact time. 'The provision of high-quality learning experiences for children and young people depends on the education workforce being adequately supported, resourced, skilled and confident to respond to the learners in front of them. Cosla works closely with trade unions, Scottish Government, and partners, to enable the delivery of this. 'Reducing teachers' class contact time by 1.5 hours a week – equal to almost two weeks per year – will require additional resource, significant advance planning and actions to tackle existing problems such as recruitment and retention in rural areas and shortages of teachers of certain subject areas. There has to be a recognition that achieving the reduction in class contact time by maintaining teacher numbers as pupil numbers gradually decline is a challenge and will take time. 'In addition, councils will have to consider how to maintain other statutory services as the proportion of the salary bill required for teachers increases.'
Scotsman
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Teachers balloted for strike action over ‘excessive' workloads
Move follows survey that found two fifths of teachers work seven hours extra unpaid each week Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Teachers are being urged to vote for strike action in a bid to send a message to ministers on 'excessive' workloads. Scotland's largest teaching union, the EIS, is launching a consultative ballot for industrial action during its annual general meeting on Friday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The ballot comes in the wake of a survey by the union which revealed more than two-fifths of teachers (44 per cent) work an additional seven unpaid hours in a typical week. The research also found 11.5 per cent of teachers work an extra 15 hours or more per week – the equivalent of two days. Scottish teachers are being balloted for strike action | PA EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said the ballot will highlight the 'pressing need' to deliver on a commitment to cut the time teachers spend in the classroom. The SNP 2021 manifesto pledged to reduce this by 1.5 hours a week – with Ms Bradley insisting action is needed to 'reduce excessive teacher workload'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Speaking ahead of the AGM, which is taking place in Aviemore, the she said: 'This ballot is an opportunity for our members to send a clear message to their employers and the Scottish Government of the need to honour the commitments to tackle excessive teacher workload by reducing weekly class contact time.' Accusing the Scottish Government and local authority leaders in Cosla of failing to deliver the promised reduction in classroom time, she called on union members to vote in favour of industrial action – including strikes. Ms Bradley said: 'Only sending a strong and clear message will compel the Scottish Government and Cosla to finally take action to tackle teacher workload.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She told how 'teachers have waited more than four years' for the time they spend in classes to be reduced, saying in the meantime workload pressures 'continue to soar'. Workload impact on health Ms Bradley added: 'This is having a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of teachers, with significant consequences for the learning experience of pupils in our schools.' The recent EIS survey revealed the 'scale of the workload demands that are being placed on teachers', she said, adding this showed 'almost half' of those in the profession are working the equivalent of an extra day per week to keep on top of their workload. On the commitment to reduce class contact time by 1.5 hours per week, she said the Scottish Government and Cosla have 'failed even to produce any firm proposals on how to take this forward'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley | Contributed The EIS ballot comes as a second union, the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association (SSTA), is also preparing to hold a consultative survey on strike action on the issue. SSTA general secretary Seamus Searson said: 'The reduction of 90 minutes class contact time was promised by the Scottish Government four years ago and Cosla has baulked at every turn to progress the promise. 'The reduction of class contact time is a small step in addressing teacher workload and the employers have failed to acknowledge the importance of the 90 minutes to teachers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'SSTA members have reached the end of their patience and now have no option but to resort to taking strike action to force the employers to implement a real benefit for hard pressed secondary school teachers. 'To get to this point shows a lack of respect and understanding by the employers of the challenges teachers are facing to deliver education.' The SSTA said its survey will start in the week of June 16 and run until the end of August. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'The Scottish Government will continue to work with unions and Cosla to agree our approach to delivering a reduction in class contact time, which ultimately requires agreement from the whole Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. 'This is also why we are providing local authorities with an additional £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers, alongside an additional £29 million to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce. 'This funding has been provided on the clear agreement that meaningful progress is made on reducing teacher class contact time.'
