Supply & Temporary Contract Holders & Workload Dispute Statutory (Postal) Ballot

Created on: 15 Dec 2025

There are thousands of newly and recently qualified teachers who have no permanent work in Scotland’s schools.

Their supply contracts are precarious. We know directly from our supply teacher members that they survive with erratic amounts of work which places a huge strain on them. 

Some supply teachers must do other casual work to make ends meet, and some have had to leave the profession due to a lack of regular income.

Last week, the Scottish Government published its latest statistics stating that:

“For the 2024/25 cohort, the proportion of TIS probationers in a full-time permanent post at the time of the following year’s census (September 2025) was 23%, down from 25% for the previous cohort.”  

“The percentage of teachers in such employment in the first year following probation has increased to 69% for the most recent TIS cohort (2024/25), compared to 65% for the previous cohort.”.

Putting these two figures together we know that from the 2024-25 probationer teacher cohort:

  • 23% have permanent full-time posts. 
  • 46% either have a temporary full-time or part-time post, or permanent part-time. 
  • 31% have had no teaching post after completing the BEd/PGDE and their induction year giving them full GTCS registration.  

The EIS believes the Scottish Government has let down many newly and recently qualified teachers. It encouraged people to train as teachers without providing the national policy framework with COSLA to create enough jobs. It promised to create 3,500 extra teacher jobs in its 2021 SNP Manifesto but failed to do so.

The impact on teachers (and workers in general) with precarious contracts are: 

  • Job Insecurity – Uncertainty about contract renewal and future employment.  
  • Financial Instability – Irregular income and lack of access to long term loans or mortgages.  
  • Limited Professional Development – Fewer opportunities for training, professional learning, and career progression.  
  • Unpaid or Underpaid Work – Pressure to take on extra tasks without fair compensation.  
  • Psychological Stress – Anxiety and stress from instability and undervaluation. 
  • Lack of Institutional Voice – Minimal representation in decision-making.

The Scottish Government’s promised 3,500 extra teachers were to cut weekly class contact time and raise standards in the 2021-26 Parliamentary term. That promise has not been kept. We are seeking to keep the Scottish Government to its promise. 

The EIS believes that reducing weekly class contact time for all teachers has many benefits. Not least, that by creating extra teaching jobs will allow teachers on precarious contracts a far better opportunity to get a permanent post. 

All votes in EIS ballots are confidential, and they cannot be held against you by your employer. Furthermore, strike action does not break your continuity of service – in other words, you do not lose any rights to permanency by participating in this dispute.

If you have already received a ballot paper, please vote and post ASAP.

If you wish a ballot paper as you are working or have worked between November 12th and January 14th, please contact ballot@eis.org.uk.