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expression of a point of view. Often the local association will wish to make representationsto the local council through the available negotiating/discussion mechanisms. Some casesmay more appropriately be dealt with on behalf of individual teachers through grievancemachinery as is set out in an earlier section.PARTICIPATION & TRAININGMost local associations are well aware of the importance of increasing the participation ofmembers within the local association. One way in which this can be achieved is through thetraining of EIS members and, in particular, the training of EIS representatives. Most localassociations organise their own training courses with the support of the local area office.ORGANISING ELECTIONSThe local association processes the election of national office-bearers and election to allthe national bodies of the EIS. This means that local association members are appointingpeople to the main decision-making bodies of the EIS. The EIS is a democratic body - andagain, it is vital that those elected to senior office on regional/national bodies are seen tobe representative of the membership as a whole.(a) Nominations to Council - These are handled by national Headquarters. If necessary, anelection is thereafter organised by a nationally appointed balloting body.(b) Delegates to the EIS Annual General Meeting - Local associations are required toorganise secret ballots of the membership. The National AGM, with around 350 delegatesis the “sovereign body” of the EIS.(c) President and Vice-President of the EIS - Each local association has the right to make anomination for the positions of President and Vice-President.LOCAL AREA OFFICESLocal area offices have been set up in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee. The central remitof officers is to support the work of local associations within each area.LEARNING REPRESENTATIVESLearning Representatives have now been appointed within most local authority areas. Thework of Learning Representatives is covered in sections 13 - 16. The relationship whichshould develop between the local association office bearers and the local LearningRepresentative is vital to the developing role of the EIS as a learning organisation.29September 2012