TEACHERS in Helensburgh and Lomond are being balloted over whether to formally declare a dispute over remote learning in schools – which could take them closer to industrial action.
The Argyll and Bute branch of Scotland’s biggest teaching union, the EIS, is consulting with its members this week.
The consultative ballot, which closes on Friday, has been sent to EIS members throughout Argyll and Bute operating at nursery, primary and secondary level.
The union says it took the action after the council rejected a request to move teaching and learning to remote online platforms for before and after Christmas in order to minimise Covid-19 infection risk.
If a dispute is declared, the EIS will consider whether to hold a further consultative ballot on whether to hold industrial action.
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Willie Hamillton, secretary of the EIS local association for Argyll and Bute, said: “The 2020/21 school year has been a difficult and long session for teachers and all education staff - as they coped with the changes, disruptions and stresses of teaching full classes and timetables during the pandemic.
“Many are exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and are looking forward to sharing the Christmas break with family and loved ones.
“A move to use of remote platforms for a limited period would allow staff to feel that they can safely enter a Christmas bubble and safely see or visit family over Christmas.
“It would follow Scottish Government advice to limit interactions before forming a Christmas bubble in order to minimise coronavirus infections.
“It would also limit interactions in the 14-day period after the end of the Christmas bubble in accordance with the Scottish Government advice that ‘every effort is made to ensure that senior leadership teams and school staff get a proper break’.”
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The EIS’s Glasgow branch has also stated that Glasgow City Council rejected its request to move to remote learning.
A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: “We understand that the EIS has been engaged with the Scottish Government, requesting the extension of the Christmas/New Year holiday period for schools, and that the Depute First Minister has confirmed no such action would be taken at a national level.
“We further understand the government’s decision is based on all relevant guidance/advice, including from public health.
“The safety and wellbeing of our teachers and young people is our top priority. We follow the same national guidance for schools, and at the moment, the guidance is that schools should remain open to pupils.
“We also work very closely with our public health colleagues in taking action to look after our teachers and pupils while they are at school, and thanks to combined efforts across our communities, Argyll and Bute is in one of the lowest restriction levels.
“Our teachers are doing a great job in what we know are difficult circumstances.
“We will continue to work with public health to support their day-to-day wellbeing and we will remain in contact with the Scottish Government so that if guidance changes, we can adapt how we work as required.”
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