In a move to reignite their dispute over workload issues, Scotland’s largest teaching union, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), has announced plans for a new strike ballot. This comes after the previous ballot failed to meet the legal turnout threshold, despite overwhelming support for industrial action.
The EIS is asking its members to vote once again, from 2 February to 4 March, on whether to take strike action. This decision follows the union’s claims that the Scottish government has failed to deliver on commitments made five years ago to address teachers’ workload concerns.
According to the EIS general secretary, Andrea Bradley, promises to reduce the maximum class contact time from 22.5 to 21 hours per week and to recruit 3,500 additional teachers have not been fulfilled. Bradley stated that this “failure to deliver has let down pupils and teachers the length and breadth of Scotland.”
The previous ballot, which closed last Wednesday, saw almost 86% of those who voted backing industrial action. However, the 46.57% turnout was too low for the decision to be legally ratified under current laws, which require a minimum of 50% participation.
The NASUWT teaching union also failed to secure a mandate for strike action last week due to low turnout. Members of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) are still in the process of voting.
In a recent development, the Scottish education secretary, Jenny Gilruth, outlined potential ways to reduce class contact time. This could involve teachers being in the classroom for four days a week, with the fifth day dedicated to other professional activities. Such changes could lead to alterations in the structure of the school day and week.
The UK government is set to scrap the higher thresholds for strike ballots that were introduced by the previous Conservative government. The requirement for at least 40% of those entitled to vote to back strike action in key public services will also be removed.
As the dispute over teachers’ workload continues, the EIS’s decision to hold a second ballot sends a clear message that the union is determined to pursue its demands, despite the legal hurdles it has faced in the past.
