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Message from the General Secretary
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Dear Colleague
I hope you are well and looking forward to the summer break if not already starting to enjoy it!
It has been another action-packed year for the EIS with the launch and progress of our Stand Up for Quality Education campaign, the continuation of the pay dispute in FE, as well as a raft of activity across all sectors in support of our members, in defence of jobs and to advocate for quality education provision in all sectors.
Workload and wellbeing have featured highly in our campaigning efforts because yet more evidence underlines how hard teachers and lecturers are working throughout the year, often at the expense of their own wellbeing.
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This is why it is so important that you enjoy the summer break- decompress, relax, recharge...and reflect on how you and your colleagues might make changes together in the new academic session so that life and work are in better balance for the benefit of all, including our students.
However you spend the weeks of the summer break, I hope you have lovely, restful, memory-making times.
Very best wishes
Andrea Bradley
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EIS negotiators continue to engage on pay and terms and conditions matters nationally via the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT). Your nationally agreed terms and conditions can be accessed on the SNCT website.
Following the rejection of COSLA's first pay offer, there have been two further meetings of the SNCT Extended Joint Chairs - the space within the SNCT where pay is negotiated.
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No further offer has been tabled and the SNCT Teachers' Panel will meet on Tuesday 24th June to consider its next steps.
Discussion continues at SNCT regarding the implementation of the Scottish Government's manifesto commitment to reduce class contact time to 21 hours.
The Teachers' Panel are clear that the time resulting from this reduction must be used to increase planning and preparation time as a measure to reduce the unsustainable levels of workload recently evidenced by independent research commissioned by the EIS.
In the new school year, the SNCT will also consider appropriate amendments to the SNCT Handbook in relation to Additional Support Needs.
As negotiations on pay, class contact time and other matters continue, in the new school year, members will be kept fully updated.
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For more than a year now, the EIS has been in contact with HMRC and employers regarding an appropriate mechanism and route for members to recover tax which they have overpaid due to their back pay having been taxed in the 2023/24 tax year, rather than in the 2022/23 tax year when they became legally entitled to payment.
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Following approaches from the EIS, HMRC wrote to the 16 affected Local Councils asking that they submit adjusted payroll returns for 2022/23 and 2023/24, which would allow members’ tax positions to be corrected through the PAYE system. Unfortunately, to date, our understanding is that only the City of Edinburgh Council have undertaken to do so. Others appear to be waiting on further guidance from COSLA or to be looking for excuses to take no action.
After HMRC issued their request to employers, the advice on the EIS website was amended in order to advise members not to write directly to HMRC but to wait for their employers to submit amended returns. In light of recent correspondence with some Local Councils, we have now amended this once again to suggest that writing individually to HMRC may be appropriate and we have provided suggested wording.
Anecdotally, some members who have taken this route have received money back, others have been asked for further supporting documentation from their employers and others have been told their applications cannot be processed without the employer submitting revised returns. Whilst this inconsistency has been communicated to HMRC, we have received no response to date.
In the meantime, the EIS will continue to put pressure on the 15 remaining Local Councils to take the action requested by HMRC.
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Teacher Workload Research
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The independent academic research on teacher workload, commissioned by the EIS, was launched at AGM earlier this month.
The research shows that workload is a growing problem, with teachers working an average of 46 hours during the target week, 11.39 hours more than their contracted hours. This was shown to have a huge impact on overall stress levels and job satisfaction.
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The three activities consuming the most amount of time outside contracted hours are planning and preparing lessons, preparing resources, and marking and feedback for pupils.
These research findings will be used to inform the next steps in the Stand Up for Quality Education campaign next term. The full research findings and summary may be found on the EIS website.
Thanks again to everyone who got involved in this research.
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The EIS-FELA Statutory Ballot is open and ballot papers will be dropping through letter boxes asking members to vote YES to both Strike Action and Action Short of Strike to continue their industrial action in pursuit of a fair cost-of-living pay uplift.
The ballot will close on 22nd July and may be the most important vote members will cast this summer.
If you do not receive your ballot paper by Monday 24th June, contact ballot@eis.org.uk with your full name, address and college branch.
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The EIS Stand Up for Quality Education (SU4QE) Manifesto outlines the key EIS priorities for an ambitious and resilient education sector that delivers equitably for pupils and students, that becomes the cornerstone of a just, cohesive and prosperous society, and that truly values, respects and supports its teachers and lecturers upon whom our children and young people, and adult learners, rely.
We encourage all voters – parents, carers and families, and all who have an interest in quality education that’s rooted in social, economic and climate justice – to stand up with us as they cast their valuable votes!
Read our manifesto.
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Every year, the EIS sends out hundreds of packages with books to welcome children and young people who are newly arriving in our schools. You can find out more about our existing Welcome Packs on our website.
This year, we are so pleased to include a book for the very youngest in our education system - ‘Mochara Goes to Nursery’. The story follows little Mochara on the emotional ups and downs of her first day at nursery and reassures children about what to expect - that it’s okay to be nervous, and that they will have fun and make many new friends.
To celebrate Refugee Week, EIS Ex-President Paula McEwan reads ‘Mochara Goes to Nursery’.
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Solidarity and Social Justice Conference
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SAVE THE DATE!
The EIS will be holding a solidarity and social justice conference on the 17th and 18th of January 2025.
The Conference will take place in Glasgow.
More information will be released as it becomes available.
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