Teacher strike

GobbledyGook

lostinrates wrote: »

A publi sector worker we were dealing with this summer had two periods of compassionate leave (4 weeks then 3 weeks) followed by oe time off for depression...I'm not saying he shouldn't hve had it, and I don't know what was rong but it sounds serious to have needed so much time off. However, the failure to deal with this effectively has had ramifications for local private industry and people.

There's always extreme examples of one thing or another in either the public or private sector if you look hard enough.

I know someone who is in the private sector who had 5 weeks paid compassionate leave after the death of her mother. I got 3 days after the death of my grandmother who was effectively my Mum as she brought me up and had to take 2 days annual leave because I wasn't entitled to the 5 days you'd get to organise the funeral of your parent.

That doesn't mean to say that I think everyone in the private sector has much better compassionate leave offered than the public sector. It just means that that person's boss/es gave them more time than mine could or would give me.

SingleSue

I am always very supportive of the teachers who have helped my boys at the schools they have attended but one thing I can never support is teachers striking.

The reason why? Teachers striking in the 80's during my O level years, completely beggered up my career choices and I will never forget that. We felt so strongly about it that we decided to have a protest outside the school against the strikes to get our point across (but being good little people, we did it in break time so as not to disrupt our learning)

My middle son is now at the same age and stage I was when the teachers were striking and I fear history will repeat itself...it is completely irresponsible for those who want to teach, to strike and in the process, completely muck up the futures of thousands of young people.

Re notice, we only found out for sure on Friday that both high schools are closing, not enough time at all to arrange childcare or at some companies, time off...parents here are completely up in arms about it and what sympathy teachers had, has been eroded to almost nothing.

Debbie_A_3

SingleSue wrote: »

I am always very supportive of the teachers who have helped my boys at the schools they have attended but one thing I can never support is teachers striking.

The reason why? Teachers striking in the 80's during my O level years, completely beggered up my career choices and I will never forget that.

Hi Sue,
I suspect that I am a similar age. I was also affected in the 1980s. However, one day - or even two or three - does not affect children's education. It can snow, children go on trips, the queen has a jubilee, there is an election. All these things shut schools for a day and nothing bad happens to education. Indeed most private schools have about three extra weeks' holiday every year ... and their results don't seem to suffer.

I am a teacher and I will be on strike. I will lose a day's pay but I will still prepare exactly the same number of children for the same number of exams, mark the same number of books, write the same number of reports and update the same number of schemes. Education will not be affected.

But there will be no free child care on Wednesday. I am sorry that it will cause disruption to so many people. But if there is no disruption then there is little point in striking.

Debbie

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Slowdown wrote: »

Well many thanks for your support.
I think we know the answer though.
Cheers:)

Yep, we do - they're out earning money to feed, house and clothe the children. Earning less than you, with fewer employment rights, poorer pension provision and now a day's pay down due to someone else's strike action.

SingleSue

My concern is that this is just the start, just like it was in the 80's when my own education was so severely disrupted....I certainly would not like history to repeat itself.

The childcare issue does not impact on me apart from the fact that I will have all the boys at home but bearing in mind the amount of time I spend at the school and all the running about between here and there dealing with their needs , it will probably turn out to be a more restful time anyway, certainly cheaper on the fuel for the car.....

Middle son is not a happy chappy though...he asks can you all strike on a different day next time please (he suggests a Saturday when he is not at school ), he is very annoyed it is always his favourite lessons that has to be missed. Yes, I have that most weird of people...a child that enjoys going to school and is mightily peed off when he can't.

Youngest is happy as Larry....he doesn't have to associate with people and wants them to do it more often so he can shut himself away more.

jackieblack

Debbie_A wrote: »

Hi Sue,
I suspect that I am a similar age. I was also affected in the 1980s. However, one day - or even two or three - does not affect children's education. It can snow, children go on trips, the queen has a jubilee, there is an election. All these things shut schools for a day and nothing bad happens to education. Indeed most private schools have about three extra weeks' holiday every year ... and their results don't seem to suffer.

Try telling that to a school when, as a parent, you want to take your child out for a day or two during term time! Different story then! :mad:

Spendless

Debbie_A wrote: »

Hi Sue,
I suspect that I am a similar age. I was also affected in the 1980s. However, one day - or even two or three - does not affect children's education. It can snow, children go on trips, the queen has a jubilee, there is an election. All these things shut schools for a day and nothing bad happens to education. Indeed most private schools have about three extra weeks' holiday every year ... and their results don't seem to suffer.

I am a teacher and I will be on strike. I will lose a day's pay but I will still prepare exactly the same number of children for the same number of exams, mark the same number of books, write the same number of reports and update the same number of schemes. Education will not be affected.

But there will be no free child care on Wednesday. I am sorry that it will cause disruption to so many people. But if there is no disruption then there is little point in striking.

Debbie

Was there lightening strikes in the 1980s? I ask cos I remember my mum coming home from parents 'evening' not very happy cos my history teacher she was down to see all of a sudden wasn't there and she got told he'd gone on strike. Back in class a few days later the teacher concerned asked me to apologise to my mum but he'd been called on strike by his union.

As strikes seem to have been going on since I was at school, and in recent times have seemed to be an annual event eg the last one was earlier this year. Have they ever made a difference?

Some paid childcare isn't going ahead either. My DD's school is seperate Infant and Junior schools on the same site and there's wrap around care which is connected to the children's centre. The infant school is closed and just under half of the Junior school classes, but the before and after school facility is closed, so even if you have a child in a class in Juniors that's open if you use breakfast or asc you will still be stuck.

lostinrates

GobbledyGook wrote: »

There's always extreme examples of one thing or another in either the public or private sector if you look hard enough.

I know someone who is in the private sector who had 5 weeks paid compassionate leave after the death of her mother. I got 3 days after the death of my grandmother who was effectively my Mum as she brought me up and had to take 2 days annual leave because I wasn't entitled to the 5 days you'd get to organise the funeral of your parent.

That doesn't mean to say that I think everyone in the private sector has much better compassionate leave offered than the public sector. It just means that that person's boss/es gave them more time than mine could or would give me.

I don't disagree with any of this. I was simply disputing that there is ''no'' compassionate leave in the public sector.

lostinrates

patchwork_cat wrote: »

I have NEVER met anyone or heard of anyone who has had that much compassionate leave. IMHO that level would only be sanctioned following death of a spouse or child. Compassionate leave for minor illness is not allowed, which is what we were discussing, not that you can't get compassionate leave for major life events.

The OP is very fortunate to be allowed compassionate leave for a childs minor illness. Those who work have to use valuable leave to cover childrens illnesses as I know all to well.

As before, I don't dispute that it was a serious issue (I don't know the reason) but was simply responding to the statement that there is no compassionate leave in the public sector. I doubt many employers give compassionate relief for child's illness: work schedules are often such that it is difficult even if they want to. Isn't that rather the point of wednesday's strike....to cause such disruption?

WhiteHorse

Slowdown wrote: »

... we are dedicated professionals devoting our lives and many hours of our own time to educating YOUR children.

Quite frankly, from what I have seen of schoolteachers (or 'education facilitators' as they now like to be known), we would be better off if most of you were sacked.