Thread by @InverclydeEIS

#PayAttention

@eiseastdun introducing the outline of tonight's rally

Starting with a message of solidarity to our already on-strike colleagues across the country

Cost of living crisis means that workers are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet

Prices are rising each time we shop

#EnoughIsEnough

Wages and pensions are not rising at the same rate as prices, or as inflation

It's not good enough

Every wage bracket is affected

5% is an offer of a pay cut

We need to find our teacher voice and make it clear that #EnoughIsEnough

Our voices educate, they nurture, they advocate for our young people

It's time to use our voices to campaign for a fair pay rise

History lesson now....@EISUnion has been at the forefront of improvements to terms and conditions and pay across 175 years

We've done it before

We can do it again

#PayAttention

Teaching is one of the lowest paid graduate professions

Over 70% of our profession is female so it's no surprise our wages are suppressed

This real terms pay cut will erode our profession - recruitment and retention will suffer

We will not accept a pay cut

We will stand up to the decision makers

We will be clear that 5% is not enough

Vote YES to reject 5%

Vote YES to move to strike action

#PayAttention

Vote

Then get your pals to vote

Then get your corridor to vote

Then get your staffroom to vote

@RozFoyer welcoming @EISUnion to @ScottishTUC

Teachers played a blinder during Covid...organising, reorganising, rereorganising

Thank you

Understandable fury from teachers at the first 2% offer

The same at the 3.5% offer and at the 'as if by magic' change to 5%

5% is an 8% pay cut and that's predicted to get worse

#WorkersUnited

We're standing together to say #EnoughIsEnough

Well done to SJC members who have made Scottish Government realise they need to step in

Workers won't back down...public sector pay rises inject cash into our communities

Scottish Government tell us they value education - time to put money behind that

We need real action from government - they need to support the public sector

We need an economy that works for working people - not for the profiteers

The lowest 10% of earners have seen a pay rise of just over 1% over the past year

#EnoughIsEnough

Don't listen to the lies....this isn't about Ukraine, we're not all in this together

We need to fight for pay and for a fairer economy for our children to grow into

Vote vote vote

The trade union movement is behind you

@sukisangh up next

How do we mobilise members?

How do we organise?

How does the pay campaign fit?

Mobilising means branch meetings are bigger, committees are bigger, discussions are bigger, unity is strength

This campaign doesn't start from scratch

Activists are building from school level into local associations and beyond

The easy conversations are with the already engaged

How do we reach the others? And how do we have those difficult conversations with the less-engaged?

Have you voted? That's a start...

Political conversations about WHY we're voting, convincing members that their vote is important is crucial

Colleagues need to stand shoulder to shoulder

A win for one is a win for all

Use those trade union colleagues already taking action as inspiration

#WorkersUnited

So, next steps...

Reps - organise a branch meeting to have those conversations, build a network of activists, can you speak to every member? Corridor rep, department rep, and so on

Can you identify the activists? Who speaks in meetings, who raises issues in the staffroom, who do staff respond well to?

Union visibility is key..take photos, use social media, have a notice board

Use your local association colleagues to help you

How do we get out this vote?

Be systematic - who has voted, who didn't get the email, who needs their details updated?

A strong turnout in a consultative ballot sends a strong message

FAQs not covering what's coming up in discussions?

Let your LA secretary or Area Organiser know and they'll make amendments

Feedback the negative but accentuate the positive

What's working? Why?

Spread the word and help build an even stronger @EISUnion

My thumbs are sore.....😉

General Secretary, Andrene Bamford, up next

Consultative ballot opened on Friday and closes on September 16th

You, our reps and members, are critical over the next two weeks

Huge surge in voting over the weekend was encouraging but the bigger the turnout the better

Vote YES to reject 5%

Vote YES to move to strike action

Why do we need to win?

The cost of living crisis is the cost of greed - our members are talking of in-work poverty, they are struggling and are worried about the months ahead

We can't be the collateral damage of political choices - an anti-human ideology #EnoughIsEnough

To say lives will be lost to this ongoing assault on workers is not catastrophising

The trade union movement needs to work together and stand together

Turnout is key

HQ have a 'dashboard' - live mapping and monitoring of turnout and data fed to LA secretaries and reps

Remember that teachers have their own negotiating machinery - tripartite with COSLA, Government and professional associations

Trade Unions are not the ones holding back the timelines on pay

Let's reignite the feeling of the previous campaign - the credible threat of strikes won that pay award

We were ready to go again when the pandemic struck but now is the time

Raise your voices - there should be a cacophony of voices declaring #EnoughIsEnough #PayAttention

Last section...plenary with @amy_moran__

Discussions, thoughts, questions and answers, opportunities

In best teacher tradition, raise your hands

What do we say to supply staff who want permanency?

@EISUnion has long campaigned on that. Some funding went to councils but not ring-fenced - that is critical. Gender pay justice sits here too and we continue to push on that

Are we having a march because we loved the last one?!

It's on the 'possibles' list 👏👏👏

Our social media profile needs increased.. how do we do that?

*My thumbs can do no more 😜

Is there a plan for coordinated action with other TUs?

@RozFoyer STUC are bringing TUs together for collaborative discussions but there are competing priorities across workforces that need to be considered too

Closing remarks and then a photo opportunity 👀