Created on: 31 May 2018 | Last modified: 08 Jun 2018
Teachers and lecturers from across Scotland will gather at the Caird Hall, Dundee next week for the AGM of Scotland's largest teaching union.
The EIS is currently in the in midst of a major campaign – Value Education, Value Teachers – calling for a 10% pay rise for all teachers in 2018. While a wide range of Motions will be debated, the issue of pay is certain to be the dominant recurring theme that runs throughout the AGM.
The AGM begins on Thursday 7 June and runs until Saturday 9 June, and includes a national Pay campaign demo on the final day.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, "The EIS is the largest teaching union in Scotland, and the oldest organisation of its type in the world."
"The EIS Annual General Meeting is one of the key events in the calendar of Scottish education, and always sparks considerable debate on the range of issues facing our education system."
"This year's event comes in the middle of a major EIS campaign on teachers' pay in which we are challenging the Scottish Government and local authorities to demonstrate that they value education and value teachers."
Mr Flanagan continued, "While we have a total of 86 Motions to be debated at this year's AGM - covering a wide range of Education, Equality, Employment Relations, Salaries and Organisational matters – it is the issue of teachers' pay that is set to dominate the AGM this year."
"Following more than a decade of austerity and real-terms pay cuts totalling more the 20%, teachers have simply had enough and are not prepared to accept it any more."
"Our Value Education, Value Teachers campaign and our call for a 10% pay increase for all teachers in 2018 will be the recurring themes throughout the AGM, and will be brought into sharp focus with our national demonstration in Dundee City Square at noon on Saturday."
Mr Flanagan added, "The message to local authorities and the Scottish Government is clear – if you truly value education, you also need to value teachers by paying them a professional salary."
"The delivery of a 10% pay increase for all teachers this year is an essential first step to restoring teachers' pay to an appropriate level, and starting to address the teacher recruitment and retention problems facing schools across Scotland."