Inside EIS HQ – the pupils’ perspective By Alison Flood, Kathryn Leask and Amy Williamson The recent PPP/PFI buildings crisis created many challenges for Edinburgh schools, teachers, pupils and parents. One group of Secondary pupils, from Firrhill High School, found that their business studies work placement – which had been scheduled to take place in an Edinburgh Primary school – was an unexpected victim of the emergency building closures. The EIS was happy to step in late in the day, and offer a placement at the EIS Headquarters buildings in Edinburgh. As part of their placement project some of the group of S3 pupils produced two pieces of work for the SEJ – one piece looking at the history and work of the EIS and another highlighting the pupils’ own experiences during their placement.
Exploring the EIS
the media, they monitor twitter, respond people who wish to be life members. to queries, set up interviews with TV, radio In the organisation department no day On our two day work placement from Firrhill or newspapers, put together member is the same. One day they could be talking High School to the EIS, we were given the Bulletins and the SEJ and update the EIS to government officials about teacher task of creating a display all about the EIS website. conditions, or negotiating for lecturers or and to also write two articles for the SEJ, The Education and just completing a mountain of one about our experience and this one, “we have learned Equality department paper work. EIS organisers are about what we have learned about the EIS is there to support that the EIS is a very part of this team. They help with and the role it plays. the committee recruitment and encouraging busy, hardworking The Educational Institute of Scotland which is a gathering members to be more active place, where no two within the union. (EIS) is a trade union for teachers and of members who lecturers. We learned that the EIS does days are the same, have a say in how Down in the basement of many different things to benefit their the EIS is run. EIS headquarters you will find no matter which 55,000 members. If a teacher is fired or Other committees the reprographics department, department you suspended, the EIS will work with them include the equality they create the image of the EIS are in” to try and resolve the problem. They also committee and the making many things including assist teachers if they are dismissed or anti-racism committee. posters, booklets and business cards. made redundant. We were also informed The finance department receives the They use lots of different fancy machines that the EIS notify members on their rights EIS income and decide what they will including mailing machines and guillotines concerning many things like maternity spend it on. They spend it on things like to help them create over a million prints a leave, sick pay and pensions. The EIS also paying employee salaries and buying year. meets with the government and campaigns resources. In conclusion, we have learned that for better conditions and pay. Employment Relations serve the the EIS is a very busy, hardworking place, In the EIS there salaries committee and the where no two days are the same, no matter are 7 departments: “We learned that Employment Relations committee. which department you are in. Communications, The department deals with health the EIS does many Education and safety issues, legal affairs different things to and Equality, and employment matters. The benefit their 55,000 Salaries Committee is there Employment “It’s getting involved in Relations, Finance, to maintain and enhance the members” lots of different events.” Membership, salaries and conditions of the Jenny from education Reprographics, Organisation and Further teachers in Scotland. and equalities. and Higher Education. The Membership department do The Communications department does a variety of different tasks including “The visual image of the EIS a wide variety of things on an average day. processing new applicants, collecting and the information engine.” They write press releases and articles, membership payments, and also dealing Stuart from reprographics. check if the EIS have been mentioned in with rejected payments. They also help
Quotes from employees
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The Scottish Educational Journal
“It’s the glue holding everyone together.” Louise from organisation.