Teachers in Glasgow Vote for Industrial Action Over Job Dispute
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has announced that teachers in Glasgow have overwhelmingly supported taking industrial action. In a recent vote, 96% of teachers backed action short of a strike, while 90% voted in favor of strike action.
The vote, which involved more than 5000 EIS members in Glasgow, is part of an ongoing dispute with Glasgow City Council (GCC). The EIS lodged a complaint with GCC on March 15, urging the council to reverse its proposal to cut 450 teaching positions over the next three years.
According to the union, 125 positions were already lost in the current school session, with an additional 172 set to be cut before schools reopen in August.
Jane Gow, Secretary of EIS Glasgow, expressed concern about the impact of these cuts on education provision in the city. She emphasized that reducing teacher numbers would significantly harm the educational opportunities of many students, particularly those with additional support needs.
Gow highlighted specific challenges, such as primary schools having only the Head Teacher available for support due to fully committed teachers and the impact of larger class sizes on secondary education.
The erosion of education funding in Glasgow has also affected the Additional Support Needs (ASN) sector, leading to difficulties in meeting the complex needs of some students and an increase in violent incidents.
Teachers in Glasgow are adamant about rejecting cuts to teacher numbers, emphasizing the long-term consequences for young people. The consultative ballot will be followed by a statutory one if there is no resolution from GCC to address the dispute and reverse the proposed education cuts.
A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council stated that they would await official confirmation and continue engaging with trade union representatives.
