Really want to strike but really cannot afford to.

[toptramp]

Anyone else in a similar position? I am a trained teacher but woprk as support staff atm so really on peanuts as it is. Plus I am a single mum who is mindful that Christmas and subsequent expense is looming.

School isn't open to students on Wednesday. If I sign in and out I get paid; if I don't sign in and out I don't. I agree with the strike but I'm skint. WWYD? Am I letting the side down if I go in? I know some staff who are turning up. OOOOOOOO moral dilemma.

work sorry.

Well I'm sorry, but that really doesn't cut the mustard does it? I sure as hell can't afford to lose a days pay either-who can? However, no doubt you will be willing to accept any concessions that are won on your behalf by other union colleagues.
Sorry, it's just not on.

Union hardship fund?

Well I havn't decided what to do yet which is why I'm posting here. I probably won't go in; bearing in mind that i am not recieving a teachers' pension at the moment anyway.

I'm so glad someone posted this, and I totally agree.
I absolutely cannot afford to strike - am up to myeyeballs in debt and doing my best to clear it, as well as buying my nearest and dearest Xmas gifts that aren't imaginary.
I have a feeling people who say "who can" lose a day's pay don;t actually know what it's like to be in the last day of the month with £3.50 left in the bank....
It's embarrassing as I'm my school's union rep, but I've given regular emails to my union members and they've decided (not through my influence) to not strike. I pay my union fees and I don;t expect to be fucking judged if I don;t agree with everything they say. I'm a Tory, but elected to be Union rep as I believe in fair representation for all teachers.

Excuse awful grammar in that post - not good!!!

If you don't strike then I assume you won't be accepting any of the benefits brought about by the strike action?

I'm paying off debt and know only too well what it's like to get to the end of the month and be managing on next to nothing. I'm self employed as well as working full time to try to get out of it. For me personally, my conscience simply won't allow me not to strike. I just feel very, very strongly about it.

It's so difficult isn't it. I feel in a no-win situation. If I get payed then at least I can contribute more to the economy. A day's wage across the board is going to cost this country a fortune. However, I totally apprechiate why they are doing it. Having done the teacher training I get the hatrd slog for relatively little the profession is subject to. Sigh.

boohoo.... Yesterday I went food shopping and was left with 40 pence available in my account. By available I mean well and truly in my OD. Thankfully OH was paid today.

I can't afford to lose a day's pay and I definitely cannot afford the increased pension contributions. 50% extra per month, hmm... won't you notice that?

toptramp - I personally have nothing against support staff going in. As long as they don't cover our jobs. They really are paid nothing...

hard sorry

Well i don't have the OH to pick up the slack. Therein lies the rub. I probably won't go in though as yes; my conscience is playing on me.

i have decided i am going into work on wednesday...and call me a scab or anything else. I really do not care.

i have a conscience, and that is the patient come first

striking aint going to help anybody

I just cannot spell tonight. Paid sorry!

It is a hard decision. You have to decide if the benefits outweigh the risks personally and collectively.
Me and DH are striking and we cannot afford it at all, but the alternative is much worse.
Please contact the union locally and regionally, there may well be a hardship fund.

Actually no! I will be leaving teaching at the end of this year to work full time in the company of which I am a co-director. (Education-related.) I am SO happy at this. I LOVE teaching, but so much of it makes me unhappy.
I have never let this fact influence the advice I've given my colleagues.
But - I have a CCJ under my belt, I'm gradually working my way out debts - sorry but MY choice is that I won't be striking.

As an aside - found it very interesting that the NUT rep from my school went on her union rep course last year in a stately home. All meals, drinks, everything paid for. She regaled to me ridiculous bar bills and a mad night with bottles of wine out in the grounds...........(It was a one night stayover job). Pretty disgusting if you ask me. All on the members' dollar. Champagne socialism.....?
My union (NASUWT) paid for me to get to Toby's Carvery for 2 days and gave me a free Carvery dinner. I assume the rest of the members' fees they put to better use....

the government will still put the pension up by 3%....but also the government is quids in, imagine all those wages in public sector they will not have to pay that day.

To me standing by and doing nothing to make a stand isn't an option. I'm afraid I do feel annoyed by people who do that and let others fight the cause, especially if they insist on remaining members of the union they refused to support. I'd resent my union spending funds on them if they ask for support from that union at a later date if they run into workplace difficulties. If people don't want to abide by their union mandate my personal opinion is that they should find alternative union membership.

It is hard, I can't afford it, but I believe in the reasons why we have to strike, the argument re:putting your days wage back into theeconomy is a little weak though. How much less money will go into the economy when we all have to up our pension contributions! How much less will go into the economy once we don't have it to spend as pensioners?

That said, are you in any pension scheme, do you feel strongly about changes that are happening in education? If not then don't strike.

ilovesooty, but what if the person do not agree with the strike action.

only because you are in a union does not mean you have to follow everything the union has planned

newsclippings What benefits??

It's all very well talking about the "greater good" but that doesn't help the here & now when as "ButWhy" says you are down to literally the last few pounds!

I sympathise with the theory behind the strike but Ifail to see what good it will do, & far more people are suffering than those that will gain from it even IF the govt gives in.

well done i love sooty. you are a blooming hero.
you just forgot to mention what the principle was. what are you fighting for this time ?

Auntiepickle, I do wonder what will happen to all the money that they will save through wages on that day. Do you think it will go into the schools, hospitals etc???!!!

What union are you in toptramp?

I'm in Unison, and if a member is going to face financial hardship due to striking they can apply to the hardship fund for reimbursement.