to ask WHY in the name of Gove are teachers striking again?

[loftyclopflop]

DD's school is closing on 1st October because they have chosen to strike. Is it over pay, pensions and conditions? Did they achieve anything by striking a couple of years ago other than massively inconveniencing a lot of parents?

I know Gove is a twat but do they really expect to change anything by taking the day off?

[Umlauf]

As for the inconvenienced parents - we are not a babysitting service. We teach. The conditions we are striking about making it increasingly difficult to teach so we need to speak up. You have been given notice so can find child care

^this^ Shocking how finding one days childcare is more important to some parents than the quality of their children's entire education.

[TheRunawayTrain]

itsa not putting down what you do (asan ex teacher, I know full well how hard it is and it's fucking hard, exhausting and plain shattering) but a lot of other people do this to. Many, many other people. Teachers strike more regularly than most jobs, it seems. Teachers do have it a lot, lot harder than a lot of jobs, but still quite a large percentage of jobs are in the same range. But that doesn't really matter (going by what the majority of people do in the same situation isn't the be all and end all, and shouldn't be!) but what will it do? Nothing. We all know Gove. And his policies. He won't buckle and striking puts people against you.

[wherearemysocka]

I believe 'get a job in the real world' needs to be there too. Teachers care far more about children and state education than politicians ever will.

[Orangeanddemons]

Teachers strike more than others..... I've been on strike once in 20 years. This will be the second time

[neverputasockinatoaster]

Because I'm a feckless wastrel who wanders into work at 9, slopes off at noon (part timer) and has more holidays than I can count..... I just fancy a day off.....

[Seabright]

itsametaphordaddy 70 hours a week? 10 hours every day of the year? Sorry, but however much I sympathise with teachers, I just don't believe that. Or, your time management is bad.

And we know teachers aren't "child care", except with few people able to afford to run a household on one income and lone parents coming under increased pressure to work, then yes, school is a form of child care.

What is the strike about? Retiring later and getting a crap pension? Yeah, because teachers are the only people who that affects.

[eretrew]

Its the standard union nonsense, why they haven't grasped that strikes are very unpopular with the public and so do nothing to aid their cause is a source of bewilderment to me.

[headlesslambrini]

I fully support the teachers striking. Yes it may be inconvenient to parents, but honestly would you prefer increased class sizes, less support and teaching assistants, longer school days resulting in tired children to deal with at the end of your working day, unqualified teachers etc

Teachers can see first hand the damage which is being done. It's not just one or two of them, it hundreds of thousands of professional people telling you that it is getting worse. Why would you doubt what they are saying?

[northernlurker]

I sent a friend of mine a text last summer term. We don't usually text but I felt moved to say that I'd heard the news and would be praying for them the next day (we both regularly attend church) What prompted this? Some terrible tragedy perhaps? No. They teach and the next day was the Ofsted inspection.
A strike will be a pita for me but I'll cope. Teachers have the right to take action to protect their profession.

[Orangeanddemons]

But Seabright, the others are doing nothing about it. They are choosing not to strike, so their working life will never change as long as they take it lying down. That's why I'm striking

[skylerwhite]

Seabright do you think it's right that workers are being asked to accept later retirement and a crap pension?

[Orangeanddemons]

When that wasn't what they signed up for in the first place

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

I support the teachers. I think it's mind blowing really how arrogant this government is. They are making fundamental changes to almost every profession, against the wishes of those working in those professions (not just teachers, but doctors, lawyers etc) and reject any criticism of their plans as selfish resistance to change.

[itsametaphordaddy]

Seabright - Yes I work a 70 hour week. I'm not in the habit of lying but don't actually care if you believe me.

Let's take last week as an example.

I got into work at 7.15 Monday-Fri and left at 6pm (give or take 5 minutes or so). Got back in. Had tea etc. I then start prep, finish marking etc from around 7.30-9ish.

I have 120 books to mark in detail daily. This takes a minimum of 2 minutes per book. That's 4 hours daily of marking. Yup 4 hours. My school expect something written in the majority of lessons as evidence for Ofsted.

Then I have assessments to fill in daily, planning to do, planning to annotate, lessons to change where needed. I am a coordinator for an important subject which takes several hours a week too. Plus displays, paperwork etc.

I did around 4 hours work on Saturday and about the same on Sunday.

Yes it totals around 70 hours.

In most half terms I work for around 4 of the days. In the 2 week holidays I work for around 6 days. In the summer I worked for around 2 weeks. I am certainly not alone in this. Most of my friends are teachers and have to do the same.

[englishteacher78]

I'm not striking until my union present the argument properly to the press. The teachers' pension fund is a net contributor to the treasury! And yet Gove intends to take even more of it (teachers have a habit of dying young it seems). Basically, until the unions communicate our case properly (what we pay them for) I will only strike on an issue directly affecting the students.
As for the 'others have lost pensions too' argument. It doesn't wash with me. I would happily support anyone's action to get what they signed up for when joining a profession.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

"Gold plated pensions in comparison to private sector and six weeks off in the summer. Hmmm.... Sorry if that offends any teachers on this thread but that's the way the public views it."

Roll up, roll up, its the Daily mail reader bad teacher bingo.

I like the post from this blog

[Dawndonnaagain]

Partly because they are hoping to be able to give your children they education they need and deserve, not the crap that Gove is slinging at them. You, who would moan about parents being inconvenienced will be the first to complain that your children are not in receipt of an adequate education.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I have been teaching for more than twenty years and have been on strike just once. I earn what is considered a good wage for a teacher and for that I work incredibly hard, mostly for no thanks, and mostly in an environment where one's performance is constantly questioned and in which you are expected to do more and more and more again for no incentive whatsoever, other than to not be deemed incompetent.

In return for that our pay is being eroded, the pension conditions we signed up for when beginning teaching are being ignored, class sizes are getting bigger and we are daily discredited as a profession by a blitheringly arrogant little idiot who refuses to listen to anybody, and by an inquisitorial squad headed by a man who makes Dolores Umbridge look like Mother Theresa.

That is why I will support my union in their strike action.

[Retropear]

Yes I do Skyler with bells on.

Every single person on earth is going to have to work later and have smaller pension as we can't afford ridiculous gold plated pensions,we're in debt and living longer.

Others take it lying down(everybody I know has had cuts and are a lot worse off than teachers) because they've got common sense,live in the real world and thankfully don't have unions in la la land spouting baloney.

Until labour gets real and stands up to the unions I for one won't be voting for them again.

I don't agree with everything Gove does but a lot I do.A shake up is hugely needed.The fact is neither here nor there as teachers are striking for their own gains not for the good of eduction.Drives many of my teacher friends bonkers.

[Retropear]

Remus you've just summed up working life for the vast majority of society.

[itsametaphordaddy]

Well said Remus.

[noblegiraffe]

From my union:

1. Teachers' pay and conditions are part of the entitlement of all children and young people to high standards of education

1. Teachers' jobs are being lost due to the cuts

1. Teachers' jobs are being lost because of the employment of unqualified staff

1. Teachers' jobs are being lost because of changes to the curriculum

1. Bureaucracy is increasing workload, which is getting in the way of teaching and learning

1. Good teachers are being driven out of teaching

1. Teachers are standing up for standards

1. Specialist (SEN) teaching jobs are being cut

1. Class sizes are increasing

10. Strike action by teachers is action of the last resort - the Coalition Government needs to listen

[morethanpotatoprints]

LadyMetroland

I'm a member of the public and I don't agree with you.
Speak for yourself thank you.

It is a difficult job and most people don't understand or comprehend half of it. I give them my full support. I couldn't do their job.

[englishteacher78]

@retrospear - the teachers' pension fund is healthy with no predicted shortfall. The only reason to cut it and increase our contributions is as a teacher tax!
We probably would have seen more strike action but their first big target was the police force - they don't have the right to strike.
I will agree our union leaders are inept though.