EVEN an apparently successful deal such as the creation of a pool of 55 primary teachers on permanent supply contracts in South Lanarkshire, hailed as a “landmark agreement” by the local Educational Institute of Scotland, was greeted with suspicion at the conference.
Julia Butler, Glasgow, warned of “diluion”, with supply staff used to stand in for teachers of learning and behaviour support.
But Mr O’Donnell reminded her sharply: “We are a union and no way could we turn our backs on 55 full-time jobs. We cannot shout about casualisation of the profession and then object to something like that.”