Teachers strike on Thursday

chumbasmum

oh my goodness....don't say that.

However, I still think that in some people's eyes that would still be our fault..... "dying in school when you have all those holidays to use... selfish!"

pavlovs_dog

With regard to the low response to the ballot, i suspect the wording of it may have played a part. I'm a NASUWT member and so I wasn't balloted, but from speaking to NUT colleagues, the wording of the ballot asked whether people would be prepared to strike over pensions, which is somewhat open to interpretation. I personally *would* be prepared to strike if i felt all other avenues had been unsuccessfully explored. My 'yes' vote would be different to that of someone who was prepared to strike regardless of what stage the negotiations were at, or someone who wanted to see negotiations continue having proven to the country that the profession is not prepared to roll over and die.

I don't know what the law is with regards to the wording of ballot papers for strikes (based on the issues with transport worker strikes being halted last minute due to the ballots being illegal i doubt it's straight forward). I personally suspect the ambiguity of the wording will have contributed significantly to the low turnout (ie people being unsure whether they were voting in support of strike action at some point if deemed necessary vs active strike action in the immediate future). I also believe that the fact that negotiations are still ongoing will have swayed many against voting. The fact that a strike in June will make less of an impact than a strike in the Autumn term will have played a part for many. I also believe the lack of a united front from the teaching unions may well have discouraged some from balloting in favour of strike action.

I support the idea of the strike this week, and am prepared to strike in the autumn term if I feel it has any chance of making an impact. Michael Gove's comments recently about parents stepping in to replace us in our 'childcare role' in order to keep schools open on Thursday illustrates how grossly unappreciated teaching is as a profession. Keeping 36 kids under control, never mind getting them to learn, is an art form which looks incredibly easy to the outside eye. Gove and his cronies would be eaten alive in a classroom situation; it is ludicrous IMHO that someone with no experience of working in education can be put in charge of schools.


As an aside, I'm giving up my weekend this week (not for the first time this year I may add) to help run a school trip. I get no extra pay for being on call 24/7 in loco parentis for over 50 kids for 60+ hours , save for seeing the kids get enjoyment and benefit from it. Seeing as my colleagues and I are apparently little more than glorified babysitters, I wonder how many of Gove's army would be prepared to do the same?

Janepig

That's really interesting PD, and I suspect you may be right about the wording, it is a bit vague.

Anyway, you're worth every penny of your pay, and a whole lot more :kisses3:!!

Jxx

Valli

ah yes -residentials

no extra pay but we're in charge 24/7...in loco parentis no less - we have one next week, one the week after and we've had one about 3 weeks back.

what OTHER jobs/careers have THAT expectation?

Janepig

Valli wrote: »

ah yes -residentials

no extra pay but we're in charge 24/7...in loco parentis no less - we have one next week, one the week after and we've had one about 3 weeks back.

what OTHER jobs/careers have THAT expectation?

Why do it then? If it bothers you that much why do it? There's loads about my job that p's me off, it's a case of "where do I start" in the list of problems with it that are totally out of my hands, including being underpaid, undervalued, stressed, overworked, constantly moving goalposts, etc, etc, etc, I could go on all night. But the bottom line is that I love my job, the work I do, and I put up with all the $hite that goes with it so I can do the job I love.

Jxx

milliebear00001

Janepig wrote: »

Why do it then? If it bothers you that much why do it? There's loads about my job that p's me off, it's a case of "where do I start" in the list of problems with it that are totally out of my hands, including being underpaid, undervalued, stressed, overworked, constantly moving goalposts, etc, etc, etc, I could go on all night. But the bottom line is that I love my job, the work I do, and I put up with all the $hite that goes with it so I can do the job I love.

Jxx

Clearly, people do the job because they care and get a kick out of doing something fantastic that the children remember for ever.

The point is really that it (and all the other unrecognised jobs teachers do) are largely thankless and under-appreciated by parents and the wider public. After a few years, that kind of thing can get to you!

God forbid Gove's threats about union reform go through - I'd hate to see what would happen to education in the UK should teachers decide to work to rule.

Valli

Janepig wrote: »

Why do it then? If it bothers you that much why do it? There's loads about my job that p's me off, it's a case of "where do I start" in the list of problems with it that are totally out of my hands, including being underpaid, undervalued, stressed, overworked, constantly moving goalposts, etc, etc, etc, I could go on all night. But the bottom line is that I love my job, the work I do, and I put up with all the $hite that goes with it so I can do the job I love.

Jxx

doesn't bother me and I'm not doing all the residentials because they're not my classes - I go on an 'outward bound' type residential with one of my classes - I think it's fantastic, the kids get to try a range of activities with trained providers, learn some new skills and I love doing them.

What rankles is the 'teachers have long holiday etc' attitude.

I only 'work' part time. I don't officially work Thursdays and Fridays. I did accompany an educational visit last Thursday with our Y6 class. Partly I do it because I can...I'm free that day so i don't mind giving extra. I offered to do it. I will also be going on a visit with our Y1 class in July - same reason - happy to support/help a colleague because I am free to do so. Similarly the other part time teachers in my school come in for extras.
I support PTA events (by attending) when I can.

Thing is I am NOT unique...lots of people doing lots of jobs go above and beyond the call of duty.

We just don't want to feel we are being 'dropped on' from a great height.

As a part time teacher my teacher's pension is already low.
Unfortunately for me the pension scheme I was in when I worked in industry went t1ts up and, despite the fact that I was in full time work from 17-and-a-half I NOW have NO accrued pension other than from the age of 44. In other words not a lot.

skipsmum

Ive got one in and one out today...I do understand why the teachers are striking and its fine with me EXCEPT we didnt find out until a text message at 8am this morning!

Logan112

That's ridiculous! Schools certainly should have informed parents about closures well in advance. The only thing I can think of is that someone phoned in sick and they were unable to get a supply teacher to cover - maybe because a supply might be wary of going into a school disrupted by strike action, and would want to be sure they weren't actually covering for a teacher who was on strike.

Valli

Headteachers have, apparently, no right to ask teachers in advance if they will be striking. So some teachers in some schools might well have NOT informed the management team that they were withdrawing their labour for the day.
Our head asked us all what union we were in.
Also, our striking teachers informed the Head well in advance that they would be on strike - but they were not obliged to. Was out of consideration for parents, staff and pupils that they did so.

I'm not on strike BTW - I am not contracted to work on Thursdays or Fridays.
I would NOT have covered a class for a striking teacher though, had I been asked to do so.