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.

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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.”