Council News...
EIS Opens Industrial Use Your Vote Action Ballot On Qualifications Workload Vote YES
T
he final meeting of Council for 2015 gave its approval to a significant industrial action ballot in relation to SQA-related workload demands. The introduction of a series of new qualifications, coupled with staff and resource cuts, have combined to place unsustainable levels of workload pressure on secondary teachers across the country. A consultative ballot of members in the secondary sector is now well underway, and will close shortly after this SEJ is published. All members who are eligible to vote are encouraged to complete their ballot – online or by post – before the deadline of Wednesday 16 December. Commenting on the launch of the ballot, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The decision to open an industrial action ballot is a result of the increasingly severe workload pressure, resulting from the new qualifications, that has been placed on Scotland’s Secondary teachers over the past few years.” “The introduction of the new qualifications has been rushed and has also been significantly under-resourced. The demands placed on teachers as a result have been both excessive and unsustainable, with serious implications for teachers’ health and wellbeing. “Significant pressure has also been placed on pupils – both as the result of the changing qualifications system and due to continuing over-assessment in order to meet SQA requirements.
Excessive workload related to National 5 and National 6 Unit Assessments and SQA verification procedures continues to place a huge burden on pupils and teachers alike. “The clear message that we are getting from members in the secondary sector is that enough is enough, which has resulted in today’s decision to move to an industrial action ballot.” Mr Flanagan added, “Today’s decision has not been taken lightly, and industrial action is always a last resort that teachers are traditionally extremely reluctant to take. “But the reality is, that despite years of discussions with the Scottish Government, local authorities and the Scottish Qualifications Authority over the desperate need to reduce the excessive workload associated with the new qualifications, too little has been done to tackle this problem. “That is why the EIS has taken the decision to ballot its members, and why we plan to launch a sustained programme of industrial action until real and lasting reductions in qualifications-related workload for pupils and teachers are delivered in Secondary schools across Scotland.” The consultative ballot opened the week following the meeting of Council, and will run for three weeks. Following the closure of the ballot on 16 December and, assuming a strong turnout and a clear result, the EIS intends to move to a
statutory industrial action ballot as soon as practicable thereafter. John Inglis (East Lothian) asked if the EIS would be preparing a full briefing for EIS Reps and members in relation to the ballot and potential industrial action. The General Secretary responded that information and advice was being prepared for issue to Reps and that this would also be placed on the EIS website. Further information on the ballot and a Q&A on relevant issues are available on the EIS website www.eis.org.uk. Further information and advice relating to the type of industrial action will be issued as part of the future statutory ballot process. If you are eligible to vote in this ballot, and have not yet done so, please return your ballot paper or vote digitally online via the EIS website prior to the deadline of 1000hrs on Wednesday 16 December
How to Vote Check your email
Open your post
Nothing Received?
Members who we hold a current email address for, should receive an email the same day the ballot opens.
For members without an email address on file, ballot papers have been posted and should be with you by the 27th of November.
If you have not received anything by Tuesday 1st of December, contact the EIS membership department: membership@eis.org.uk
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The Scottish Educational Journal