A teaching union has secured £295,597 for members who were injured or assaulted at their workplace. The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) said all teachers and lecturers deserved to work in a safe place, and employers had to ensure all possible steps were taken to keep a safe working environment.
It said the settlements showed that “the employer had failed in their duty of care” to their employees. EIS general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “While the EIS will always be diligent in pursuing appropriate compensation for our members, our clear preference would be for this area of our work to be unnecessary. If workplaces are properly maintained and safe, the chances of any employee suffering injury are substantially reduced.
“All employers must treat the health and safety of their employees as a priority, so that injuries to employees – and costly financial settlements – can be avoided. It is in everyone’s best interests for our schools, colleges and universities to be safe places to work and to study.”
