EIS issue strike action notice as Dundee secondary teachers set to walk out over new faculty structure

Members of Scotland’s largest teaching union are set to strike later this month at Dundee secondary schools over council plans to introduce a faculty structure.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has issued a legal strike notice to Dundee council.

An initial day of strike action will take place on June 22 following the council’s decision to press ahead with its plans, and to announce the recruitment of faculty heads in the media this week.

The EIS has now withdrawn an invitation to the Lord Provost to speak at its annual general meeting (AGM) which starts at Dundee Caird Hall on Thursday.

The AGM is regularly held in Dundee, and is worth around £1m to the local economy, but the EIS may now seek to review its association with the city in light of the ongoing dispute.

Larry Flanagan, EIS general secretary said that council plans to “remove the vital experience offered by subject specialist principal teachers” would have “long-term damaging consequences for education in Dundee and for the young people in its schools”.

He added that while teachers do not take strike action lightly, they will do so to “defend the quality of education for Dundee’s young people”.

Mr Flanagan continued: “The EIS is extremely concerned by Dundee Council’s announcement that it will press on with its plans, despite the clear opposition of the city’s teachers.

“The council’s press statement, which seems to have been deliberately planned to coincide with our AGM arriving in the city this week, is a further act of provocation that will only add to teachers’ anger.

“In these circumstances, it is inappropriate for any official of Dundee Council to address the AGM, and the EIS has now withdrawn its invitation to the council.

“The EIS executive may also seek to reconsider its established practice of regularly holding AGMs in Dundee.”

“Dundee’s teachers will not back down in their defence of the quality of education provision in the city’s secondary schools. Our members will continue to have the full backing and support of the EIS nationally in this ongoing dispute with Dundee Council.

“We call on SNP led Dundee Council to recognise its own party’s endorsement of school empowerment, to suspend its provocative recruitment process, and to engage in constructive negotiations with teacher representatives.”