Thread 20 Sunak and the Winter of Discontent

[DuncinToffee]

Previous thread www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4672210-thread-19-from-trussterfuck-to-sunakered

I'm a school governor too

The university's are having 18 days strikes over feb/march

How will the strikes affect the governors and board?
I imagine it can be quite tricky.

This is something I really don’t understand. Universities are clearly businesses now so I can’t understand why lecturers’ salaries are centrally determined. Why weren’t they set free to sort out salaries individually? What am I missing? Or am I just stupid?

DH is an academic here in Sweden. The reason he left the UK was because the UK pay system is failing academics. He's bloody brilliant at what he does but would have had to continue with no job security for his entire career. Always on a fixed term contract, always hoping there's funding so he can apply for his job again in a few years time. It was incredibly stressful.

He came to Sweden on a 4 year contract and as that came towards the end and he started looking for a new position, they offered him a permanent contract (because as I said, he's brilliant and the university didn't want to lose him). It's such a shame that the UK government doesnt value its scientists.

Well if tories have their way tuition fees will get far more like the US

No excuse for not paying academics then!

First time during my tenure.

At least 1 of our governors will spout right wing ukip bullshit.

I shall support staff as best I can whilst ensuring that pupils can continue to access the curriculum and vulnerable kids are checked on

Heartbreaking

There’s not much excuse now. It seems that universities are getting pissed off because some students are complaining that they’re not being treated like the customers they are and are unhappy about the perceived lack of value for money.

It's what happens when you monetise education
(See also healthcare)

Indeed.

Teachers have my full support too.

As someone who works in education (non teaching role), has a child just gone through education who also has send.

BREAKING: Teachers in England and Wales overwhelmingly vote to go on strike - over 90% in favour.

90.4% (!) votes yes.

53% of eligible members voted, surpassing the 50% threshold.

Details here

twitter.com/NEUnion/status/1615031650752122882?t=0tglTbE80La04XmWpmignQ&s=19

The union is declaring seven days of strike action in February and March, though any individual school will only be affected by four of them.

The first will be on Wednesday, 1 February, affecting 23,400 schools in England and Wales.

How long do we think this can go on before the Tories see the penny drop and call an election? They must be longing for a term or two on the opposition benches by now.

Excellent news about the teacher strikes.

I'm still predicting this spring

My guess is that the ERG are so desperate to get the Retained EU laws bill through first (to move the UK as far away from Europe as possible) that they will cling on until the end of the year. They'll push through incomprehensible/inconsistent legislation with minimal scrutiny in a rush before Christmas.

They dont care about the strikes. I assume Peston was being sarcastic when he wondered whether they reflect at all with what is happening with public sector workers. I am sure parts of the Governement believe the strikes work in their favour (maybe it does with their core base).

I really hope the teaching unions have some cracking spokespeople to get their message across. Parents are bound to grumble but appreciating how and why this has all come about will be key. I suppose they will also be reliant on how much of the media approach it (insert screaming emoji here!).

But surely even the ERG realise those laws can be repealed once they’re out of power?

ASCL ( no ballot yet) have an excellent spokesman. The others not so much.

Not great for business continuity. They'll want to make it as messy as possible.

Can't believe we (taxpayers) bankroll those idiots.

I'll keep an eye out for him. Lynch and Cullen etc have made very good headway.

Yes, but time’s running out. How difficult would it be to repeal laws that are a matter of months old? The deadlines for compliance would outlive the government by quite a margin.

He's Geoff Barton. Very different from Lynch in style but he is as people would imagine and want a school leader to be.