Teachers - are you voting yes for strike action

[sandgrounder]

Went to NUT meeting at school yesterday re pension reform. Cannot see myself teaching until 68 and who wants their kids taught by oldies not wanting to be there.

[PotteringAlong]

I've voted against strike action

[megasharkvsgiantpiranha]

68 ain't old though is it? and i would have thought most people have are in the same boat

[Purpleprickles]

Am voting yes

[Feenie]

So am I

[southeastastra]

what exactly are they proposing?

[Purpleprickles]

Discontinuous strike action, see here

[manicinsomniac]

No, I don't believe in striking.

It doesn't hurt the people it's supposed to, it hurts the children.

[sandgrounder]

The point is the contract I signed was for retirement at 60 amd my financial planning geared towards this. Not against the idea of teaching past 60, in fact a few hours a week teaching sixth form would be lovely, but a full day's teaching KS3 at 68, wouldn't have the mental or physical strength.

[mrz]

I don't mind paying higher contributions or even working longer but when doing that means I will also get less pension the sums don't add up.

[treesinthebreeze]

Totally agree sandgrounder. NASUWT are't balloting yet butI will be voting 'yes'.

[Purpleprickles]

Agree mrz, I've just used the NUT pension calculator and I'll be paying nearly £100 more per month and working until I'm 68 for considerably less pension

[gordongrumblebum]

Have just been to an area meeting about this, which was about as lively as a morgue. Have a feeling I'll be battered with bricks if I ever go again, just because I questioned the action.

I'd better start be saying that I think the government's plans are devious and conniving, before you lot think I'm a scab

However, I have a problem envisaging a happy outcome to a strike. The popular tory press is battering public sector workers (pensions, pay, difficulty in shedding staff), and this will just give them an added opportunity to berate teachers and state of education. Many parents read these papers - they do not read the TES, which, apparently is running an ad this week against the pension changes. (When one of the reps proudly announced this, I did point out that the TES wasn't read by all the parents at our school.) We'll be inconveniencing people and 'causing millions in lost revenue' (that only happens when teachers have inconvenient holidays and snow days, not on Royal Wedding Days).

Can anyone convince me how this strike will be successful?

BTW, I fully understand that the ballot is for/against strike action in an effort to encourage the govt to renegotiate, and that the strike isn't set in stone.

Oh, and apparently there was an ATL ballot. Did anyone sign it? Did I see it, I wonder.

Have thought of a non-strike idea - what if we all go into school dressed as grannies? We could wear white wigs and glasses, and refuse to do PE, go deaf for the day and have 6 tea breaks...... well, what about it?

[Feenie]

I think it is significant that for the first time 5 different teaching unions are working together (get on with it, NASUWT!) - that's unprecedented.

Both my dh and I are teachers, and these changes would make a significant dent in our income and futures - if we lose £180 a month, we can forget about holidays. Dh is FE, on a different pay scale to me and earns much less.

[gordongrumblebum]

Yes, I know we're losing out - but I need convincing that STRIKE action will have any effect whatsoever.

I think it will be:
'Teachers cause millions of pounds to be lost in the economy as parents forced to stay at home'
'So you think you're hard up.....welcome to the real world'
'Teachers walk out leaving children waiting at school gate'
'My child's education will suffer: 5 year old misses daily phonics training'
'We're all in this together'
etc, etc, etc.

[Feenie]

I think that the threat of strike action by every single union, including a famously non-striking one (ATL) and a union that has never been on strike in over a hundred years (NAHT) might have some effect.

I don't like the arbitrary 3% figure demanded, with no proper valuation. £100 a month is a lot to just pluck out of thin air with no hard facts to justify it.

[rainbowinthesky]

I am. I will not be able to physically do what I do now at the age of 67.

[mrz]

www.atl.org.uk/pensions/ballot/pension-ballot.asp

[gordongrumblebum]

Do you? Why do you think that the threat of strike action is particularly threatening? Surely a 'threat' means that something bad is going to happen. What is threatening about teachers walking out for one day on zero pay?

I can't really see that the government will be phased by that, but will just go into blame mode.

I know I sound like I'm giving up, but surely there is a more subtle and effective way of doing this. Strikes and demonstrations don't seem to even enter the government's consciousness.

[Feenie]

Every school, nursery, college, university, gordongrumblebum?

I can see your point though.

This will surely harm recruitment - a decent pension scheme was one of the attractions to a profession which is fairly modestly paid and with a lot of stress attached.

[Donki]

I would like to see some proper, reliable, relevant numbers.

The Government say the TPS is unsustainable and needs changing, but I have yet to see convincing figures.

The unions say that the changes to the TPS in 2007 have made it sustainable and that the NAO have reported that the TPS is on track to become sustainable. However, I have seen no reliable, relevant numbers - not even the NAOs report (I have googled, but to no avail)

I want EVIDENCE not HEARSAY

Can any of you lot help point me in the right direction before I vote?

[Feenie]

Is this what you're after?

[manicinsomniac]

"I think it will be:
'Teachers cause millions of pounds to be lost in the economy as parents forced to stay at home'
'So you think you're hard up.....welcome to the real world'
'Teachers walk out leaving children waiting at school gate'
'My child's education will suffer: 5 year old misses daily phonics training'
'We're all in this together'
etc, etc, etc."

And they'd be right.
Except maybe a 5 year old's phonics training can easily miss a few days but how about a 16 year old's last minute modular exam support.

[Grockle]

I voted yes but am wavering. I am not usually in favour if striking but I just don't see how paying more now AND working longer works if I get far less money in the end. I am quite sure that I will not manage to be doing this job when I am 68.

[Grockle]

I fear that is right - If we do strike, we will be the cause of all the problems this country has. I don't think it will help.

[gordongrumblebum]

Grockle, I think the idea is that none of us work until we're 68! Think of the millions they will save by paying partial pensions.