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Original poster

Pissed off at the teacher strikes?

120 replies

noblegiraffe · 02/05/2023 08:59

There are three more NEU strike days (dates not yet decided) planned for June/July.

All 4 teaching unions, including the two headteacher unions, are opening ballots for strike action in the Autumn term. If the ballots are successful, this would be joint strike action (unprecedented!) and would close all schools.

If this worries you, please email your MP https://www.writetothem.com/ asking for your email to be forwarded to Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education, telling her to get back around the negotiating table with teachers and come up with an actually fully funded (unlike the last one) pay offer that isn't an insult to teachers, and won't take money away from already stretched school budgets.

The government is refusing to negotiate at all, and has no plan for dealing with the teacher recruitment and retention crisis. Kids are increasingly being left without teachers, the trainee recruitment figures for secondary for next year are less than half of the target and the government don't care.

WriteToThem

WriteToThem is a website which provides an easy way to contact MPs, councillors and other elected representatives.

https://www.writetothem.com/

OP posts:
CouldIHaveThatInEnglishPlease · 02/05/2023 10:24

I missed the memo about June and July strikes. Do you have a link?
the government won’t engage whilst only one union is on strike. If the other 3 join in as well, only then do I think they will start taking this seriously, so I imagine there will be strikes until Christmas at least

CatOnTheChair · 02/05/2023 10:41

Bump

Orangesandlemons77 · 02/05/2023 10:46

There doesn't seem to be much in the news about the strikes, considering there is a strike day today

Or much about the impact on children, considering they fell behind with Covid etc.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
Feenie · 02/05/2023 10:59

Full report with local secondary on GB news.

roarfeckingroarr · 02/05/2023 11:21

Incredibly fed up with them. Another option would be for the teachers to do their job and not keep walking out.

CatOnTheChair · 02/05/2023 11:29

roarfeckingroarr · 02/05/2023 11:21

Incredibly fed up with them. Another option would be for the teachers to do their job and not keep walking out.

Have you actually paid any attention to why they are striking?
They are doing their job,plus way way way more, as schools are so underfunded. They are teaching, plus being LSA's, as they haven't been replaced as there is no money. Plus councilors, as there is no availability of these services. Plus social works plus plus plus.
They are fighting for schools to be funded to a point where they can do their job.

O I wish my kids were in school today? Absolutely. But there won't be schools like we know them, staffed with permanent, trained, teachers, if the government don't get their heads out of their arses and value education.

fUNNYfACE36 · 02/05/2023 11:30

More passed off with the higher Ed strike where they are refusing to mark work for final year students.

OchreDandelion · 02/05/2023 11:32

roarfeckingroarr · 02/05/2023 11:21

Incredibly fed up with them. Another option would be for the teachers to do their job and not keep walking out.

The thing is teachers are walking out and keeping on walking right into other jobs outside teaching... retention and recruitment numbers are horrifying.

Tallulasdancingshoes · 02/05/2023 11:32

roarfeckingroarr · 02/05/2023 11:21

Incredibly fed up with them. Another option would be for the teachers to do their job and not keep walking out.

Hahahahaha. There’s alway one! Well done you won the prize for being first. Here have a medal 🥇

MrsWidgerysLodger · 02/05/2023 11:33

I do support the strikes as much as I can. I do find these days incredibly hard however as I'm chronically ill and DH works very long hours. We don't have local family to help so having my little one solo all day will then cost me 2/3 days this week in ill health.

KnightonShiningArmour · 02/05/2023 11:33

I’m massively pissed off with this govt burying their head in the sand over the state of pay in the public sector.

I support the teachers. However I do recognise that I have the flexibility to WFH that others do not. Also child is old enough not to need close supervision. If they were younger I’d be more affected.

bornintheuk2 · 02/05/2023 12:04

I wonder if the general public know (or care) about how schools are funded. Going back a while schools were funded by the local authorities. Government money came to them to divi up according to individual schools needs. If a school had a problem with a roof or leaks etc the LA would deal with it. Then the Government in its infinite wisdom decided to allocate funds directly to the schools based on, amongst other things, the number of pupils. So now we have a situation where a Head has to decide on priorities - including the number, quality and experience of teachers. Last year's 'rise' had to be funded by already underfunded schools. I left teaching some years ago. I was a Lead teacher (used to be called Head of Department) The school couldn't replace me like for like because there was no one available with the experience, so the school moved an ex probationary sideways into my subject area (based on 2 weeks WE before qualifying). So much for my 30yrs of knowledge and expertise.
The point I am making is that 'you reap as you sow'

Cooknook · 02/05/2023 12:07

Strikes are only really effective if the government cares, this one gives zero fucks about education ego teachers so we best get used to them.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 02/05/2023 16:23

Parents need to let the government know that actually, parents give plenty of fucks about education and it will inform their voting behaviour.

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 02/05/2023 16:26

roarfeckingroarr · 02/05/2023 11:21

Incredibly fed up with them. Another option would be for the teachers to do their job and not keep walking out.

They are already walking out and into other jobs. Recruitment and retention are both at all time lows and there are thousands of vacancies being advertised and not filled. Is that really what you want?

MrsHamlet · 02/05/2023 16:37

roarfeckingroarr · 02/05/2023 11:21

Incredibly fed up with them. Another option would be for the teachers to do their job and not keep walking out.

What a brilliant idea. I wish the 10% of my teaching colleagues who are leaving this year had thought of that.

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 02/05/2023 16:39

roarfeckingroarr · 02/05/2023 11:21

Incredibly fed up with them. Another option would be for the teachers to do their job and not keep walking out.

Teachers are leaving the profession on masse. Many teachers can no longer afford to just "do their job".

So what happens then?

Or do you not care about the future of education? I'm assuming if you have children they are leaving education this year, and you don't care about the ones coming up behind them?

Bluevelvetsofa · 02/05/2023 16:41

@roarfeckingroarr perhaps you could do the job yourself?

PurpleChrayne · 02/05/2023 16:41

Solidarity with all striking workers ✊

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 02/05/2023 16:41

CouldIHaveThatInEnglishPlease · 02/05/2023 10:24

I missed the memo about June and July strikes. Do you have a link?
the government won’t engage whilst only one union is on strike. If the other 3 join in as well, only then do I think they will start taking this seriously, so I imagine there will be strikes until Christmas at least

Link here, for example: https://www.independent.co.uk/business/schools-face-five-days-of-strikes-in-summer-term-and-possible-action-into-autumn-b2313825.html

The specific days have not yet been called.

What were the government doing before Easter, if not engaging? Do you think they entered pay talks because of the actions of NASUWT, NAHT and ASCL?

I agree that the more people on strike the better, but it's not true to say the NEU is achieving nothing.

LadyPenelope68 · 02/05/2023 16:42

roarfeckingroarr · 02/05/2023 11:21

Incredibly fed up with them. Another option would be for the teachers to do their job and not keep walking out.

They do their jobs, over and above. Have you actually read anything about WHY they are striking? Or are you just worried that you’ve lost your free childcare?

headstone · 02/05/2023 16:42

The government only care about the grey vote . My local MP is in a Tory safe spot and so doesn’t care about anything.

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 02/05/2023 16:43

PurpleChrayne · 02/05/2023 16:41

Solidarity with all striking workers ✊

Your solidarity is hugely appreciated! And yes, solidarity with everyone- their fight is our fight!

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 02/05/2023 16:43

headstone · 02/05/2023 16:42

The government only care about the grey vote . My local MP is in a Tory safe spot and so doesn’t care about anything.

I don't think there's any such thing as a safe Tory seat next election!

That's why hordes of Tory MPs are saying they won't be standing, because they don't want to lose.

OP posts:
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