Created on: 25 Jun 2020 | Last modified: 11 May 2023
One by-product of the pandemic was to shine a light on the precarious nature of work for teachers on supply lists and the inconsistent approaches across the 32 Local Authorities regarding employment practices, routes to permanency, the use/misuse of probationers and the treatment of teachers on supply lists.
The EIS engaged with members who formed online campaign groups, and on behalf of those teachers we raised these matters directly with the Scottish Government; within CERG; and through the SNCT with COSLA. Some immediate progress was made in terms of an agreement on payments for supply teachers during the lockdown, securing funding for additional posts and eventually the mainstreaming of funding to allow “covid” posts to become permanent.
Challenges remain, however. With 1 in 10 current posts being “temporary”, the EIS Manifesto for the Scottish Parliament election was absolutely clear about the need to increase teacher numbers, to create permanent posts for all those seeking such, and to ensure that the misuse of “zero-hours” supply lists is ended.
Despite the national commitment to increased teacher numbers, however, the same demands are restated in our Manifesto for the 2022 Local Government elections as progress is slow. It seems that some Councils are keen to take the additional money from the Scottish Government but less willing to translate this into an improved situation locally for those seeking permanent posts.
This remains a live campaign area, therefore, and the hope is that this new section and the new Facebook page for temporary and supply list members will help coordinate action and information both nationally and locally by strengthening two-way communications with affected members.
We are committed to taking this agenda forward on behalf of all members on supply lists and temporary contracts, individually and collectively, and anticipate further success, with your support. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any concerns or queries.
