Created on: 22 May 2024
The Glasgow local association of the EIS has opened a consultative ballot of its members to gauge their willingness to take industrial action in opposition to Glasgow’s Council’s planned education cuts.
This three-week ballot is the next step in EIS Glasgow’s dispute with Glasgow City Council over deep cuts to teacher numbers which has already seen 125 teachers lost this year, with a further 172 set to go next session and a total of 450 proposed teaching posts lost over the course of Glasgow City Council’s 3-year budget plan.
If these cuts are not reversed, EIS Glasgow is clear that the damage to Education provision in the city will be profound and have a drastic impact on our pupils for years to come, most especially for those with Additional Support Needs.
Further, these cuts will have an adverse impact on the sustainability of teacher workload and teacher wellbeing. With posts being cut now in preparation for next session, many of our most recently qualified teachers are facing unemployment.
This Consultative ballot is to gauge the mood of members towards taking Industrial Action up to and including strike and may be followed by a Statutory Ballot, if required.
Glasgow EIS has previously declared a dispute with Glasgow City council in the face of this and, alongside sister trade unions and parents' organisations, is actively campaigning against these devastating cuts.
A petition has been launched which Glasgow EIS would encourage all teachers and members of the public to sign to make clear their objections to these cuts.
No job losses are acceptable but the sheer number of teachers being lost as a result of these cuts is unthinkable and will lead to further workload pressures, massively increased stress and significantly diminished capacity for remaining teachers to adequately support children and young people.