To wonder how parents wll cope on Wednesday...

[WhereMyMilk]

So had email from school-is definitely shutting on wednesday for strike. DH tells me that at work (NHS) they've been told that they need to sort out childcare for that day, as apart from those involved with strike, no-one is to have annual leave to cover child care. Those who had booked it,it is cancelled. No-one is allowed to be off sick, without a Dr's note to cover, even though it's just one day, which you can normally self certificate for.
What do they think parents can do with 6days notice?
Anyone else had this?

I suppose they'll have to fall back on whoever looks after them when they're ill if they can?

Yes, I work for a council but not in the union. I dont need childcare as my parents are close by but if I did then I could have special leave (unpaid).

they'll have to take unpaid leave i suppose

I wouldn't blame the NHS on this occasion. They're trying to keep a vital service going but their unionised employees obviously don't think it's all that important and would prefer to cause maximum disruption to anyone that crosses their path. If your DH was a sole parent he'd have no choice but to take the day off and then argue the toss with his employer later...

Six days notice should be enough - you would get less notice if they were ill.

unpaid leave or do what you'd do if your child was ill (or you were)

It will be immensely difficult. I'm hoping parents write to their local MP and give them an earful 'How dare they treat public sector workers with such contempt and lie about why they're stealing from them' I hope that it was they rant to any journos etc on the day. It is them to blame not the schools or Unions who are trying to protect an excellent teaching system.

This won't personally affect me and I am in favour of the strike.

I am also a lone parent and have had more than my fair share of short-notice/emergency time off over the years because of childcare issues, so I sympathise enormously with any parent affected by the strike.

I think it's an effective demonstration of divide and conquer. Instead of getting angry at the teachers we should be angry with the government for allowing childcare to be unbelievably inadequate and unaffordable in this country.

OF course, the ultimate but unpalatable truth is that we all need to pay more taxes if we want better childcare, education, NHS and pensions...

I thought it was illegal to ask non striking employees to cover striking ones...

Inadequate and unaffordable childcare....?!! So the government is supposed to provide thousands of empty (affordable) childcare places just in case parents need somewhere to leave their child for a rare one-day strike?

I'm NHS too (not striking) and our organisation is honouring leave already booked but not accepting any more leave or carer leave requests either. Sickness self-certification depends on manager (so I guess they're leaving it up to managers to assess whether their staff are taking the mick - fair enough. I think that if you're striking you should just come out and do it, and not take a sickie).

DD1's school is going to be closed, fortunately DH has several days of use or lose leave to take before 31/12 so is taking one of them then - he did this last time too and he and DD had a great time.

I deeply resent what this government of out of touch millionaires is doing to hard working people, I just wish there were a better way of making the point which doesn't hugely inconvenience millions of others. When it comes to teacher, nurses etc. I think a work-to-rule would probably be just as effective.

Cogito - of we had adequate childcare to cover normal everyday existing demand (e.g. for shift workers, after school care, weekends, etc) we would find that there was a lot more flexibility around for events like wednesday.

It isn't illegal to ask non-striking employees to cover striking ones. It is illegal to get agency workers in to do so. A lot of non-striking workers won't cover if they're in a union and their contract doesn't require them to.

Part of the reason for no holiday/sick leave is because the employer needs to know for sure who is on strike rather than off for another reason. If you;re striking you're in breach of contract and they can deduct pay.

I support the strike and was prepared to take a day's leave to cover it but my dad has offered to have dd1 - actually I think he's looking forward to it, he's been asking me every day whether the school is definitely shut. Also he said 'no granddaughter of mine is crossing a picket line' which might have been awkward if they hadn't been closed

And given that 82% of us are parents in the UK, yes I think the government has a social responsibility to do more about childcare than it does at present. This is not a minority issue.

sunshine - that is exactly what they should be doing. When the teachers went on strike here last year, we were asked to support them, but they ran a "garderie" for children where there were no other options. But then here the school buildings are used for pre- and afterschool care and holiday clubs. With all this guff about getting parents out to work, they really should be making proper provision. It CAN be done. People are employed too.

To the OP - I'm sure your OH employer is calling their bluff. How can they cancel leave already booked?I would say that anyone who takes leave already booked would have nothing to fear from their employer. Anyone going sick - the employer would have to prove you weren't sick. If you are allowed to self-certify, how can they change it without agreement? All they are doing is encouraging those staff in other unions to vote 'yes' for a strike the next time.

Another alternative could be to join Unison for a week so you can legally have the day off on strike.

I've just been told DS's school is closed. We have to take it as unpaid leave or join the strike too. Either way I lose a day's pay. It's inconvenient - but that's what happens when you have a child. I'm a lone parent with no back-up but since I'm striking too, that's irrelevant.

dh is striking and will lose a days pay in feb sil cant strike unless she cannot get childcare and has been told she can bring her dd into the hospital if she wants,i have offered to have her for the day so she doesnt lose any pay and hours stuck on a hospital ward isnt the best place for a 8yr old esp when they were shut with d&v bug this week

I think mine are off to work with either me or their Dad... now to ring him and try to fight it out!

and both schools are shut due to the strikes so will have all 4 of mine home plus dh

The proposed strike has been in the press for a couple of months now so you've not really been given just 6 days notice have you op?

This strike has been on the cards for 5 months and was widely reported on in the media when the NUT and ATL went on strike in June.

DH and I are in jobs where we don't have right to strike. Though we do support those who do & are. Not sure what we'll be doing with our DCs, no leave is being allowed on that day, no childcare provisions and certainly not a job I could take children to! Bit stuck really :(

I think they'll cope fine on Wednesday........the strike day is Thursday though which may not go quite as easily.......