aibu to be worried at how much these strikes are going to cost me financially?

[watchoutforthatsnail]

I'm a lone working parent, part time work, low wage.
I have noone that can look after dd. All annual leave is being refused.
I have found childcare at a cost of £30, which I can't really afford, least of all right now.

The news is reporting that this will be the first of many, and I'm sure I can't be the only one in this situation.

What am I meant to do?

"'you aren't really that low paid, are you?' well neither are teachers, are they? last time I checked teachers earned well above the national average . not to mention the fact that their benefits far outweigh anything they would get in the real world private sector.

I think the only public sector workers who have a genuine issue are NHS workers who already work for shit wages and with crap working conditions. The rest don't have a clue.

Op yanbu to be worried about how this is going to affect you. And anyone who thinks that the op is bu, well it's not the op's fault is it? She is not responsible for government policies so why shouldn't she feel annoyed?

The ACAS code of practice suggests no more than 6 people.

If there are more than 20, the police can use special powers to move people on.

"Oh and if you think that tory policy types don't think about how to alter society to make it look more like the nuclear family man at work woman at home with the kids 1950s model then you are clearly unfamiliar with right-wing ideology."

Right wing or conservative because those two are not the same SQ

I am a former public sector worker, with my now worth shit pension lying about somewhere until I can draw it when i am about 103 years old. Whilst I would certainly be striking if i was still there ( to change pension terms and conditions that many people have paid into for 40 years on the written understanding that the pay out terms were what ever they were, is unbelievable. I dont even understand how it can be legal. My mortgage provider has just paid compensation for ignoring its own written terms and conditions, so why should a pension scheme be any different).

Anyway, in actual fact, I think that a strike is not that effective and just plays into the hands of the bleaters and divides and conquers by playing public sector against private sector.

What would actually have a shattering effect and bring the government rapidly to its senses is a very strict long term work to rule. In my experience over 3 different public sector employers the whole system relies on people working unpaid hours at home, undertaking resposibilites for job gradings high above what they are actually paid for and just, general goodwill to keep everything lurching along.

Remove that and most public services would grind to a halt and what would the bleaters say then? They could hardly blame the workers in the same way as they are blaiming the strikers, because people would actually be be carrying out their CONTRACTED duties, but the system could not actually function.

You calling the op a bleater montysma?
How offensive.

Widow Wadman - no I dont suppose it they would.
I was just offering a suggestion, as to childcare, as the OP didnt say how many hours she worked or who quoted her £30 for a what could be potentially could only be 3-5 hours childcare.
Most childminders round my way charge £4 per hour, that could possibly be £20 for a session.
Was only trying to help.

while you areentitled to parental leave of 2 weeks a year ( or a total of ? weeks up to age 16 so you could reuqest 6 weeks unpaid leave and then no more for a while)it can be refused provided you are given another slot within 6 months, also i believe that the employer does not have to give it you in odd hours/days but in week blocks they many do it differently but they do not have to; so in reality it is at employers discretion whether you can take next wednesday as PL or annual leave as most people work in places with less than 10 employees obviously only 1 or 2 people can be off at same time

Op might actually work 7+ hours on wednesday rather than 8.30-1;- 5 days a week so she could easily need 8-9 hours care on day in question

YANBU - far from it.

Hope you find a solution soon.

Seriously struggling to believe how unprofessional teachers come across on here.

Stupid comments about free childcare. Does the teaching profession really expect us to sit at home twiddling our thumbs so we're available in case they decide not to educate our children for the day?

For further examples of unprofessional attitudes and behaviour just take a look on the education boards. Any parent expressing any opinion other than "teachers are, without exception, saints and angels who are incapable of ever being wrong" are vilified.

I have lost a LOT of respect for teachers since joining Mumsnet.

Glad you got it sorted, are their any friends dc you can offer to look after this time so they will return the favour next time?

You calling the op a bleater montysma?
How offensive.

Yup. Poster will we down £30 quid for the day. Pensioners affected will most likely be down £30 per day for the rest of their life.

Now, being systematically robbed of thousands of quid by the government....thats offensive.

The ops job does not sound as if it is well paid or that she is going to have any pension at all.
I do find your comments offensive and lacking empathy montysma.

Fucking hell, Montysma, you're going to retire on about £900 a month? That's only just under what I take home.

Oh no, hang on, I misread - you'll be retiring on much more than that.

It's not a well paid job, I take home well under £900 that montysma is going to retire on. It is low, I.also get partial hb and ct benefit. It's a low wage, and £ 30 is a lot to me, more than I can afford. I.have no pension. Until recently there was no pension avaliable at work, because work couldn't afford to contribute..
And I work for the third sector. We too have had pay freezes. And work extra hrs for free, and give far more than my contract says... Because that's how it works. We almost lost our jobs earlier this year due to cuts. I feel lucky to have a job that normally mostly fits in with school hours, and that I'm helping people with.

And yes, I understand why the strike is happening, I'm just.upset and worried about me, and my child paying for it.

And yes, ive offered to look after anyones child who I know to.help.

I hope it works out that other people can help out next time. It's hard enough with 2 parents with decent holiday allowances covering all the , holidays, innset days, sickness etc much much harder when you're on your own.

What's the 'third' sector op? [I may be being thick but confused]!
Yes no bed of roses for most people.

Bringing up children on my own and working has been the hardest thing I have ever done.

I have never been so broke, so living hand-to-mouth, so dependent on childcare that has to be 'booked in advance' and therefore not available in unforseen circumstances, so looked down on by others (including teachers), so fucking frustrated (can you tell??).

I hope there isn't a mass picket line at my council offices on Wednesday because that would be intimidating for people seeking emergency housing, who have appointments with the DV team, or who have a deadline to pay their council tax. I think they will stick to 6, as they did last time. My council offices also houses a drug programme/needle exchange.

Third Sector - voluntary and community organisations. Hugely dependent on council and government funding.

could you join a union? There are usually hardship funds

Third sector is charities, non profit organisations etc.

My wages come entirely from fundraising. There ( until recently ) was no money in the pot for pensions.

Heck, there was no Money for anything.

Despite this, I love my job. Helping local families in real need is a fantastic thing to be able to.do :)

Our council funding is nominal. We almost folded earlier this year.

There is no union. LOL. Just 8 part time staff ( some doing only 6 hrs a week)

Thanks for explaining op. I should have known that!
I always wonder why hospices for example have to rely on charity/fund raising.
Your job sounds very worthwhile- though perhaps not in financial terms!