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| EIS (Educational Institute of Scotland) | |
|---|---|
| Name | EIS (Educational Institute of Scotland) |
| Formation | 1847 |
| Type | Trade union; Professional association |
| Headquarters | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Location | Scotland |
| Membership | ~57,000 (various years) |
| Leader title | General Secretary |
EIS (Educational Institute of Scotland) is a Scottish teachers' trade union and professional association founded in the 19th century that represents educators across Scotland. It engages in collective bargaining, professional development, and policy advocacy while participating in industrial disputes, political lobbying, and sectoral research. The organisation interfaces with Scottish institutions, representative bodies, political parties, and international organisations to advance members' interests.
The organisation traces origins to 1847 and developed amid 19th-century debates involving figures and events such as Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, Chartist movement, Highland Clearances, Great Reform Act, Factory Act 1847, Education (Scotland) Act 1872, John Knox, William Gladstone and Queen Victoria. Early campaigns intersected with institutions and commissions like the Royal Commission on Scottish Education 1868, National Education League, Scottish Office, University of Edinburgh, Glasgow University, University of St Andrews, University of Glasgow and educational reformers including Andrew Carnegie. During the 20th century the organisation confronted issues linked to World War I, World War II, the Butler Education Act, the Wheatley Housing Act, the Crombie Report and interactions with unions such as the Trades Union Congress and Educational Institute of Wales. Late 20th- and early 21st-century activity engaged with devolution events like the Scotland Act 1998, the creation of the Scottish Parliament, interactions with administrations of Donald Dewar, Jack McConnell, Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon and ministers in portfolios linked to Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. The organisation’s history also overlaps with legal and industrial milestones such as the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993 and disputes recalling strike actions involving other unions like the National Union of Teachers and Unite the Union.
Governance structures include executive bodies and annual meetings interfacing with entities such as the Scottish Trades Union Congress, Congress of the Trades Union Congress, International Labour Organization, European Trade Union Confederation, UK Government, Scottish Government, Local Government Association, COSLA, Equality and Human Rights Commission and statutory regulators like General Teaching Council for Scotland. Elected officers—general secretary, president and council members—work with committees on finance, welfare and policy, linking with partner organisations such as Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Association of Directors of Education, Royal Society of Edinburgh, British Educational Research Association and professional bodies like Association of Teachers and Lecturers. Constitutional changes reference precedents in documents produced by institutions like the Scottish Law Commission and practices observed in unions including Amalgamated Engineering Union and National Union of Mineworkers.
Membership spans sectors and grades and connects representatives with institutions and locations including primary schools in Glasgow, secondary schools in Aberdeen, further education colleges such as City of Glasgow College, Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland's Rural College and special schools tied to local authorities like Aberdeenshire Council and Highland Council. Members include classroom teachers, headteachers, lecturers and support staff whose interests overlap with entities such as Ofsted (comparative), Education Scotland, Scottish Qualifications Authority, General Medical Council (contextual professional standards), NHS Scotland (safeguarding liaison), Children's Hearings Scotland, Fife Council, South Lanarkshire Council and academy trusts analogous to Academies Enterprise Trust in cross-border discussion. Representation mechanisms include workplace stewards, branch committees and national negotiating committees that liaise with bodies like Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and national employers' associations.
Industrial campaigns have included pay disputes, workload disputes and strike ballots coordinated with other unions such as Unison, GMB, Royal College of Nursing, NASUWT, National Education Union, Public and Commercial Services Union, Association of Teachers and Lecturers and Civil Service Union in solidarity actions. High-profile disputes referenced debates in parliaments including sessions of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the Scottish Parliament and featured negotiations with ministers such as Angela Constance and John Swinney. Campaign themes have aligned with public inquiries and incidents like Pupil Equity Funding debates, responses to COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland, school closures in events comparable to Pollok Free State protests and campaigning tactics inspired by other movements such as demonstrations at Holyrood or rallies like those seen outside 10 Downing Street.
The institute provides continuing professional development that engages frameworks and qualifications from organisations like the Scottish Qualifications Authority, General Teaching Council for Scotland, University of Strathclyde, University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh, University of Dundee, Open University, City of Glasgow College and professional accreditation standards such as those referenced by Chartered College of Teaching. Services include legal advice, welfare support and pension guidance interacting with schemes or stakeholders such as the Local Government Pension Scheme, Teachers' Pension Scheme, Pensions Regulator, Department for Education (comparative policy), ACAS and legal precedents from courts like the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Court of Session.
Policy work engages with Scottish Ministers, parliamentary committees and agencies including Education and Skills Committee (Scottish Parliament), Finance Committee (Scottish Parliament), Scottish Government, UK Parliament, European Union (historical interfaces), Council of Europe, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and research bodies like Institute for Public Policy Research, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Scottish Centre for Social Research, Centre for Public Policy for Regions and universities. The organisation undertakes lobbying, consultation responses and coalition-building with groups such as National Parent Forum of Scotland, ScotCen Social Research, SNP, Scottish Labour Party, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Scottish Green Party and civic campaigns associated with NGOs like Save the Children and UNICEF.
Communications include journals, newsletters and briefing papers distributed to members and stakeholders with media engagement involving outlets such as the BBC, The Scotsman, The Herald (Glasgow), The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Record, STV News and academic dissemination via presses like Oxford University Press and Routledge. Publications address inspection regimes, curricular change such as Curriculum for Excellence, assessment developments tied to the Scottish Qualifications Authority, wellbeing initiatives linked to NHS Scotland guidance and research collaborations with institutions like Education Scotland and think tanks including the Scottish Council Foundation.
Category:Trade unions in Scotland Category:Professional associations based in Scotland