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Original poster

Militant leftie teachers will NOT be striking (NASUWT England)

167 replies

noblegiraffe · 12/01/2023 19:22

The ballots have been counted and despite 90% of the votes being in favour of strike action, only 42% of members returned their ballot therefore the 50% threshold of membership voting was not reached and strike action will not take place.

This is for NASUWT members, the second biggest teaching union. The largest teaching union, the NEU, will be announcing its results early next week (possibly Sunday). The NAHT headteachers' union will also be announcing strike ballot results shortly.

If the NEU strike and the NASUWT don't, schools still may close. If headteachers strike, who knows as it has never happened before.

OP posts:
Twiglets1 · 12/01/2023 20:28

Months to vote

TheMoth · 12/01/2023 20:29

Who are these teachers who are so satisfied with their lives that they cba to even send their ballot papers back? I want to work where they work.

Is it, I wonder, that quite a few teachers come from traditionally wc backgrounds, where teaching salaries were always seen as high, compared to local wages? Or at least , the perception of local wages, so people tend to secretly think:"well I'm actually doing OK, and I get holidays" rather than comparing themselves to other professions?

Lots of the blokes round here are on 35+ in some of the factories. They rip the piss out of my holidays etc, but do admit that they are lucky to have got jobs with a clutch of Es and Ds at gcse, back in the days when I was aiming for As at A level.

WyfOfBathe · 12/01/2023 20:33

I voted to strike. But given the turnout rules, if you don't want to strike, it's possibly more effective to not return your ballot than to vote no. I wonder what proportion of non-returners were apathetic, and what proportion were tactical.

Ariautec · 12/01/2023 20:37

Probably ‘another job’ or ‘one job too many in a very pressured and stressed role. Sadly.

Frangipane5 · 12/01/2023 20:37

WonderingWanda · 12/01/2023 20:15

NEU have been very persistent with chasing ballots

That is really interesting, as this wasn’t my NASUWT experience at all. Nothing received by post. I was sent a text from a random mobile number that I thought initially was spam and ignored as they’ve never sent me texts before - always postal information. Eventually I replied and said I hadn’t received the ballot. Told to email them for a replacement ballot form (no idea why as my details haven’t changed). Emailed. Received nothing.

Twiglets1 · 12/01/2023 20:37

WyfOfBathe · 12/01/2023 20:33

I voted to strike. But given the turnout rules, if you don't want to strike, it's possibly more effective to not return your ballot than to vote no. I wonder what proportion of non-returners were apathetic, and what proportion were tactical.

I thought that. If more people who didn't want to vote had voted No, ironically their union would have called for a strike because they could have reached the 50% threshold.
I still think it was apathy not tactics though.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 12/01/2023 20:39

DottyLittleRainbow · 12/01/2023 20:24

Is it a case of lost/delayed ballots and postal strike issues like the midwives ballot with the RCM in December?

What happened with the midwives ballot?

Every fucker and his dog seems to have successfully balloted for strike action. Ofsted are going on strike (which, rather than causing disruption, will actually be welcomed). They all had postal ballots, so I'm not sure why this ballot would have been affected more than others.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 12/01/2023 20:39

WyfOfBathe · 12/01/2023 20:33

I voted to strike. But given the turnout rules, if you don't want to strike, it's possibly more effective to not return your ballot than to vote no. I wonder what proportion of non-returners were apathetic, and what proportion were tactical.

I reckon a good few were tactical. Spineless and contemptible.

GrammarTeacher · 12/01/2023 20:42

Sent mine back. Hearing of lots of problems though.
Also lots of people suggesting people should switch to NEU. I left NEU due to being made to fill unwelcome due to working in a grammar school and disagreement with one of the leaders.
I would have gone on strike although I am dubious of the success of teacher strikes as our unions seem to be really bad at playing the media and whatever we do they say we're lazy work shy Marxists (only sometimes when analysing certain texts lol). We can't win.

Piggywaspushed · 12/01/2023 20:43

TheMoth · 12/01/2023 20:29

Who are these teachers who are so satisfied with their lives that they cba to even send their ballot papers back? I want to work where they work.

Is it, I wonder, that quite a few teachers come from traditionally wc backgrounds, where teaching salaries were always seen as high, compared to local wages? Or at least , the perception of local wages, so people tend to secretly think:"well I'm actually doing OK, and I get holidays" rather than comparing themselves to other professions?

Lots of the blokes round here are on 35+ in some of the factories. They rip the piss out of my holidays etc, but do admit that they are lucky to have got jobs with a clutch of Es and Ds at gcse, back in the days when I was aiming for As at A level.

See, for example, Adam Boxer on Twitter. Been teaching under 10 years but still keen to share his wisdom with us about how much better teaching has become. During austerity years?? Give over.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 12/01/2023 20:43

lazy work shy Marxists

Lazy work-shy Marxists would have definitely sent their ballots back.

I wonder if this will give any of the 'teachers are all Marxists' ilk pause for thought?

OP posts:
GrammarTeacher · 12/01/2023 20:49

Sadly @noblegiraffe I doubt it!

Indigoshift · 12/01/2023 20:52

Some teachers I have spoken too said thet couldn't afford to lose the money without seeing an end point.

The spineless government aren't even negotiating with ambulances and nurses. So where does it end.
Sad really.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 12/01/2023 20:53

The government actually sat down in meetings with union leaders on Monday. Ok, nothing happened, but at least they had a meeting.

I expect that'll be the last meeting they'll be arsed to hold with teachers now. No threat.

OP posts:
Twiglets1 · 12/01/2023 20:55

noblegiraffe · 12/01/2023 20:53

The government actually sat down in meetings with union leaders on Monday. Ok, nothing happened, but at least they had a meeting.

I expect that'll be the last meeting they'll be arsed to hold with teachers now. No threat.

There is still hope that the NUE will vote to strike

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 12/01/2023 20:55

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/teacher-strike-vote-challenged-over-missing-ballots

"In an email seen by Tes, the union acknowledged missing ballots, but said it could not deal with replacements because it has “to put in a request to the independent scrutineer, Civica, and it takes them up to 48 hours to send a paper out.

“We are aware that replacement papers have been taking longer than anticipated due to the postal delays,” the email continued.

“In some cases, they have taken around three weeks due to the postal disruption and how pre-printed ‘business mail’ is treated as last priority by some sorting offices (after parcels, hand-written envelopes, other personalised mail and even franked mail).”"

OP posts:
Twiglets1 · 12/01/2023 21:02

noblegiraffe · 12/01/2023 20:55

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/teacher-strike-vote-challenged-over-missing-ballots

"In an email seen by Tes, the union acknowledged missing ballots, but said it could not deal with replacements because it has “to put in a request to the independent scrutineer, Civica, and it takes them up to 48 hours to send a paper out.

“We are aware that replacement papers have been taking longer than anticipated due to the postal delays,” the email continued.

“In some cases, they have taken around three weeks due to the postal disruption and how pre-printed ‘business mail’ is treated as last priority by some sorting offices (after parcels, hand-written envelopes, other personalised mail and even franked mail).”"

"piss up" & "brewery" come to mind.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 12/01/2023 21:04

It'll be harder to blame postal strikes if the NEU and NAHT meet the threshold.

OP posts:
wannarunfromitall · 12/01/2023 21:05

Argh. Really hope NEU vote to strike. And I'd bet my Friday chips that the low NASUWT turnout is due to overwhelm and the lack of nagging, and not a sign that they wanted to vote no to striking Bear

WonderingWanda · 12/01/2023 21:06

@Frangipane5 I just checked 5 texts starting in October until I confirmed I'd returned my ballot and 4 more telling me how many members at my school had voted asking me to help get them on board, sending me video links to share on social media etc.

Indigoshift · 12/01/2023 21:10

Friend who is a rep said he was calling people and they just weren't bothered.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 12/01/2023 21:12

No postal ballot received here either. No texts or emails to chase it up either.

Monkeytennis97 · 12/01/2023 21:18

DH and I were discussing this earlier. Both NASUWT. Both voted. We were thinking that the average age in teaching has definitely lowered over the last 10 years or so... younger teachers are perhaps less likely to strike/bother with union action and just be in a union for 'insurance' purposes?

Frangipane5 · 12/01/2023 21:22

WonderingWanda · 12/01/2023 21:06

@Frangipane5 I just checked 5 texts starting in October until I confirmed I'd returned my ballot and 4 more telling me how many members at my school had voted asking me to help get them on board, sending me video links to share on social media etc.

I can’t quite work out why we are having such widely varying experiences - not had this ever before from NASUWT?

1st December I received a text from a random number with a name I hadn’t heard of asking if I had voted. No communication written or by text whatsoever before this. I replied I hadn’t and was asked to email. Did that but nothing happened.

No further communications.

I

ilovesooty · 12/01/2023 21:25

Indigoshift · 12/01/2023 21:10

Friend who is a rep said he was calling people and they just weren't bothered.

They'll be fast enough to ask for support if they need it. 😡

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