Secondary schools in Dundee are open today after a teaching union called off a strike at the last minute.
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) called off the strike at around 6.30pm last night, by posting on social media and contacting its members directly.
The teaching union told its members to report to work and Dundee City Council contacted parents at 8pm to tell them school would be open as usual.
But WHY was the strike called off?
It was called off because the Court of Session granted an interim interdict against Dundee City Council, regarding its implementation of introducing faculties.
This means the council is temporarily legally prohibited from implementing or taking any further steps to implement the faculty structure in schools within its local authority.
Recruitment for new posts under the faculty system had already started but the council is now forbidden from continuing this process, under the ruling.
The interim interdict will remain in place on a temporary basis until either the council challenges it or comes to an agreement with the union.
It states the council must engage with the union both generally and in particular with regard to the recruitment process, job descriptions, job sizing, particulars of employment, specific duties and job remits of roles.
And that all this must be in accordance with the terms of the constitution of the Dundee Negotiating Committee for Teachers.
The EIS says it hopes the council will now enter ‘genuine negotiations’ with the union in order to resolve the current dispute.
And that should Dundee City Council take steps to challenge the court’s ruling, the union will take further steps to defend any such action.
EIS general secretary, Larry Flanagan, said: “We have offered the council a task force to address the education challenges which exist in Dundee and we hope that it will revisit its previous response and engage constructively with the EIS and its members going forward.”
The council has previously met with union reps regarding the issue and repeatedly stated it is willing to continue talks on the matter.
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We note the decision of the Court of Session and are studying the detail.”
The case called in private yesterday at the Court of Session. No judgment was issued and the case has still to be lodged for calling.
A spokesman for the judicial service said: “An urgent interim interdict summons was lodged yesterday in Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) v Dundee City Council and was heard by Lady Carmichael.
“The pursuer’s agent’s motion for interim interdict was granted.”
The planned strike was organised by the EIS after 88% of its members in Dundee voted in favour of industrial action.
It is believed to be the first time the Dundee branch has ever led industrial action on a local matter, and the last national teacher strike was in 2010.
While today’s strike was called off at the last minute, it has only been suspended and the EIS says it could return in August if an agreement cannot be reached between the union and council.
Why were Dundee teachers striking?
Teachers were striking over the grouping of subjects into faculties, which will see principal teachers replaced with faculty heads.
This will see 110 principal teacher posts axed and could mean, for example, a teacher in biology heading a science faculty for biology, chemistry and physics.
The EIS argues the faculties system is not beneficial to pupils and will result in fewer experienced teachers, less dedicated support and an increase in teachers’ workload and stress.
However, the council says the model already used by most other local authorities will improve quality of learning and teaching by providing enhanced whole school leadership to better support pupils and improve outcomes.
The action is unrelated to the nationwide pay dispute which could result in further strike action in October.
Dundee school faculties: Changes to secondary schools structure explained
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