Created on: 31 Oct 2024
National Occupational Networks Elections
National Occupational Networks operate to represent certain members who are part of an occupational group within the EIS who have distinctive interests and who may not be represented in other structures within the Institute. These groups operate on behalf of four categories of members – Additional Support Needs, Educational Psychologists, Headteachers and Deputy Headteachers, and Instrumental Music Teachers.
Networks operate to offer a forum for such members, to keep the main body of the EIS advised of developments in these areas and to allow proper assistance to be offered to these members in matters which affect them. Occupational Networks discuss matters of specific interest to these categories of members and the results of their discussions are passed to Executive Committee or Local Associations to form part of the normal process of policy consideration.
New elections to the Networks are now underway, and EIS Representatives are asked to ensure that their headteacher/depute headteacher (where a member) and any other relevant members in their establishment are made aware of these elections and have the opportunity to nominate themselves for election.
Applications are invited from members in these categories to serve as the representative of their Local Association area on the national Network for their category. One Network representative is elected for each Local Association area and members may nominate themselves. The period of office is three years and Networks normally meet on around two occasions each year.
Online nomination forms are now available to applicable members on “MyEIS” and should be completed prior to 15 December 2024.
Action for Reps: Please ensure that information on this election is brought to the attention of your headteacher or other relevant categories of members in your establishment, and that suitable members are encouraged to stand.
Still We Rise
Still We Rise’ is a two-day conference where we will explore how educators and trade unionists can rise up to create a more fair and equal world for all.
Save the Date: EIS Social Justice and Solidarity Conference 17th and 18th January, Radisson Blu, Glasgow
The full programme for the event, with details on how to register is now available on our website: https://www.eis.org.uk/meetings-and-events/stillwerise
Action for Reps: Please highlight to members and distribute the enclosed flyer.
New EIS Standing Up to Poverty Advice
The socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing cost of living crisis have conspired to cause deepening levels of poverty and inequality across Scotland and the wider UK.
Recognising that schools continue to battle the impacts of poverty on children and young people daily, and building extensively on our widely used 2015 ‘Face Up to Child Poverty’ publication, the EIS published fresh anti-poverty guidance for the classroom ahead of Challenge Poverty Week 2024 on Tuesday the 1st of October. The new publication is entitled ‘Standing Up to Poverty’ and can be accessed on our website: https://www.eis.org.uk/child-poverty/povertyguidance. A hard copy/ hard copies for your Branch are also enclosed.
Action for Reps: Please make the new advice available to members in your Branch and highlight the availability of the digital version on the EIS website. Additional hard copies can be requested by emailing the EIS Equality Department via Eireann McAuley at emcauley@eis.org.uk
PACT Training Day
As part of the EIS’s plans for the next phase of our PACT Project- anti-poverty, pro-equity professional learning for teachers we are currently seeking to recruit and train new EIS PACTivists (teachers who have completed PACT PL and who can share the learning with colleagues) in every Local Authority.
The next PACT training day will take place at the EIS Area Office, 6 Clairmont Gardens, Glasgow on Saturday 16th November from 10am - 2pm
Action for Reps: Please highlight this to members, who can register for the training using the registration links online www.eis.org.uk/pact/pacttrainingday
More information on the PACT Project and the EIS’ Anti-poverty work can be found on our website: www.eis.org.uk/
Professional-Learning/PACT
St Andrew's Day Anti Racism March & Rally 2024
Every year on St Andrew’s Day, the STUC organises an anti-Racism and anti-Fascism march in Glasgow, highlighting Scotland’s long-standing commitment to inclusivity, solidarity with refugees, and the rejection of far-right ideologies.
The theme for this year’s march, Resilient and Rising: Marching for 40 Years, reflects both the enduring strength and ongoing struggles of anti-racist movements in Scotland.
The event takes place on Saturday, 30 November 2024 at 10:30am in Glasgow Green (muster at the McLennan Arch) where the march will start and proceed to Adelaide Place (209 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4HZ) for an indoor rally at 12pm. Everyone is welcome to join, and you are encouraged to bring your placards and union flags. For more information, please visit - https://www.stuc.org.uk/st-andrews-day-2024/
Action for Reps: Please highlight to members to encourage attendance.
EIS Training
We support and train members to become school-based EIS Representatives, this includes Health & Safety and Equality Reps.
The EIS works with college tutors to deliver TUC accredited Reps’ training. Future training course dates will be published shortly. If you want to learn more, or have recently become a new Rep then please explore our courses.
Action for Reps: If you are a Rep who wishes to attend training, please contact your LA/Branch Secretary to apply for an EIS training course.
If you are a school Rep please engage with your Local Association Secretary and attend LA meetings if you can.
Reach out to New Teachers and Probationer Teachers in your School
Unions are strongest when we have as many members as possible and that they are engaged. Please reach out to any new teachers in your school and talk to them about EIS membership. Please also promote EIS membership with any probationer teacher; EIS membership is free for probationers.
Action for Reps: Reach out and talk with new staff and probationers.
Engagement with Local Association and EIS Organisers
It is important for EIS reps to have two-way communications with their Local Association – to share what is happening in their school and to hear what is happening at the local authority level.
We also have a team of EIS Organisers that support their own Local Associations and who visit branches to discuss our latest campaigns, local campaign issues and to support reps.
Action for Reps: Please engage with your Local Association Secretary and attend LA meetings if you can. Please reach out to your local EIS Organiser to attend a branch meeting or if you want support as a rep.
https://www.eis.org.uk/contacts/organisers and https://www.eis.org.uk/contacts/localassociation