to ask if you agree with the teacher's strike upcoming

[AuntiePickleBottom]

i am on the fence about it, due to not understanding pensions.

No, not at all, strike action isn't the way to build support, at our school all it's done is really annoyed parents. If anything teachers have lost support through their action. Maybe they should think about how to gain support from the parents????

Twinkly the accrual rate isn't changing so you will still get 40/80ths of your career average salary if you work for 40 years, theres no way you would lose 2/3 of your pension. In fact if you are as low paid as you say you are then you will be better off under a career average scheme.

but how is support going to be gained from parents when people like mdowdall state that anyone can teach A level?

I don't think my pension will only be £3K a year which is my point, the information is not right.

pensions calculator

I would also like a link to that calculator as that is very misleading information.

Twinkly
Found it - and the technical note here - www.teachers.org.uk/files/Pensions-loss-calculator-technical-note.pdf
sorry but that total loss figure is scare mongering - it disregards the fact that several of the percentage changes are inside each other AND it disregards all future pay rises.
Not impressed.
Far too 1971 in its outlook.

I need to work until 70 to get 40 years so that is not going to happen, especially if I am ever fortunate enough to be able to have any more children.

I agree and it was why I changed unions.

What do you expect from the unions?!?!

I couldn't get it to work on my iPhone so can't comment, will look on my laptop tomorrow.

I expect a union to be honest, perhaps I am naive. I don;t expect them to set up a Tory fan club but I expect honest information, not least because I may have to give up a job that I love and am bloody good at.

Twinkly laws have changed so now if you go off on mat leave your employer has to pay your contributions as well as theirs so no loss of pension on mat leave.

I'm afraid you can't trust anyone with an agenda and that includes the government, it is easy to present information in a biased way to back up your side of the argument. You need to find an independent source of information.

Twinkly I doubt you'll give up your job as when you start looking(like many of my friends have)you'll soon realise that absolutely nothing will pay as well and you won't get the holidays, the great pension or the perk of not having to pay for childcare in the holidays.

Seriously I defy you to find anything that will pay as well and have as good perks.It's tough out there.I can pretty much guarantee all these teachers threatening to leave the profession will poke their nose round the cosy staff room door see how cold and shit it is in the private sector and then scurry back to the tea urn.

I think the government also knows that which is why this strike will have diddly squat effect other than to inconvenience parents working in the private sector.

If I don't wish to take a day unpaid my dp will have to take the day off. Here we are late Thursday night and we still don't know if he should book the day off or not.

Mila there are other things I want to do. As I have said before I stay in teaching because 1) I love it 2) I thought I had a very good pension.

1. I love it - yes but there are other things I would love to do
2. I don't doubt that my pension will remain better than others can get but as I do want to live more than a year after I retire I will not carry on past 60. So my pension will not be so much of a reason to stay in the job. I have less to lose.

I don't have a tea urn.

To be honest my greatest concern is not my pension or even if I leave teaching or cannot afford my pension. My concern is that this will put off the best graduates from going into teaching.

It won't.There is buggar all out there that pays better with the holidays.It's still a better deal than most private sector jobs.

Just out of interest how much does a teacher at the top of the scale in primary and secondary with thresholds and senior managements,responsibilities etc get these days?

As I recall you don't need to be a head to get good pay rises if you take on a meaty subject area or head a KS.Not paying childcare is another huuuuuge financial bonus to add on top.

Of course there is little out there with the same holidays, but I have earned more in the past and could earn more in the future if I wished.

Most teachers pay childcare before and after school. When my dd was at nursery I had to pay for the holidays to keep her place even though I did not need it.

pay scales

but its ok to be almost 70 and driving forklifts, dispensing medicine, serving customers, plumbing, doing electrical work, being a chef, waitress, lawyer, accountant, doctor, nurse, psychiatrist, councellor, lorry driving etc etc, Times change and actually yes its ok for teachers to work till they are 70 (not necessarily in teaching) because the rest of us will be working till this age too and then we can only claim our personal pensions. My opinion but you have good holidays, good wage and good pensions. not all your . children's parents can boast that. be gratefull for what you have. My kids deserve the best so if you cant give that then get out and find a different job.

Jesus that looks bloody good to me,you've got massive scope to earn a lot and the basic without adding in childcare is more than most would dream of .Don't know what you'd go into but my little English degree wouldn't get me half.

I have always assumed that I would be working as long as possible because I will be paying rent on a low pension. However I will not teach past 60 as evidence shows it reduces your life expectancy.

Why don't you go into teaching Mila?

Bloody hell!! Even looking at the lower pay scales, those are very good wages!!!

There are loads of people trying to get into teaching, PGCEs in Scotland are ver competitive to get into, there is massive demand for places and no bloody wonder.

'However I will not teach past 60 as evidence shows it reduces your life expectancy.'

Then start saving and investing to support yourself to 66, 67, what have you, because the world's not going to be able to do it just because you don't want to lower your life expectancy, had a hard job, don't fancy working anymore, etc.

Tough.

That's how it goes.

My FIL worked manual jobs since he was 14 in the private sector. Hard, on his feet, heavy lifting, etc. He just retired and he's 65. That's the age at which he could draw pension. His health is shot.

But teachers are different and should put their feet up an extra five years or more because they're them.

Sorry, but you're not going to get much sympathy from our childrens' generation with that.

The world's getting harder and harder.

Deal with it or check out.

'Public sector workers are hard working and not well paid '
..as someone who spent 10 yrs in NHS management let me tell you that people in administrative and management roles were paid WAY more than for equivalent jobs in the private sector.