Term time holidays/Striking teachers.

[vexedfoxy]

Am I being unreasonable when I become exercised when I hear parents are fined for taking their children out of school in term time for holidays (when perchance they cannot take time off work in school holidays) and then I hear teachers planning to go on strike...how does one beat the square of 'every day at school is vital no matter how young the child is' in to a circle when suddenly a teachers salary and conditions over ride this and parents have to take time off work to arrange child care cover. Discuss.

Vexed - I was joking.

Rufus....I find it hilarious that people come on to a post and say 'we are not going to 'discuss' this as it has be done to death'.....er well don't then?....If you don't like it walk on by...there is nothing here for you.

What does a numpty even mean?

Is Gove a numpty? No, I reckon that's too mild, it sounds like an affectionate insult. I would call my kids that. I would never call my kids what I would call Gove, however.

I do believe in strikes. The withdrawal of labour is the only option left for a workforce when their employer refuses to negotiate. Strike action is rarely taken on the basis of a simple issue (e.g. we want more pay) and it is not taken lightly by the vast majority.

It actually makes my working life more difficult and I get a day's pay deducted (I am not a teacher btw).

I also think the comparison of teacher strike action and taking a child out of school for a holiday is just weak in intellectual terms.

YABU

they follow their unions like sheep

Do you know what a union is, vexedfoxy & what it does?

If my union calls me out on strike, having balloted me & the other members & secured a vote in favour of striking, then I strike, or if I don't agree with the strike, I change to a different union who aren't striking.

However: I will have colleagues on wednesday who also belong to the NUT & have chosen not to strike - because they can't afford to. It's usually the younger teachers, lower down the pay scale, & ironically they're exactly the ones who are getting shafted the most...

It's their decision. My conscience wouldn't allow me to make that decision - to rock up & get paid for the day whilst my colleagues were losing that day's pay to defend my working t&c - but it's their decision, & ultimately we're still on the same side. No one gives them any grief over it, & no sheeple-ing required.

I'm glad you've been enlightened in some areas.

Why vexed? Don't you think you and your co-workers deserve the chance to fight for fair working conditions, pay, pensions etc?

More people should support strikes and put themselves in the shoes of the people who's only option left was to do so. We nurses were talking about a strike on another thread. There was a lot of support but a lot of people who want us to be martyrs.

Teachers and any school staff would put themselves in a precarious situation if they were not in a union - just for the legal support if nothing. It is advisable for all school staff to join a union as soon as they start working.

I agree with that 100% BoffinMum.

I didn't say I wouldn't discuss it, I said you were being rude saying

"Discuss"

Not can we discuss, not please, just "discuss"

Sorry you are having difficulty reading my post...is that why you don't like teachers?

Numpty

I don't understand all the confusion over term time fines/teacher strikes.

The fining of parents for taking children out of school for term time holidays comes from the government. If parents object, they should write to Gove.

The teachers are striking because the government will not negotiate with unions. If parents object, they should write to Gove.

It's not down to the LEA, Head Teacher or individual teachers. It's all government led. If you want change, lobby your MP. Especially as a general election is looming.

Don't forget sick pay, paid holiday and maternity leave, Boffinmum.

Or do people think employers just decided to give those to their employees out of the goodness of their heart?

OP is a Tory. Discuss.

nurseywursey the martyr thing I totally get. There is a real sense of entitlement and unbridled arrogance from people (who have not chosen to do a profession which really saves lives, or something even a little worthy) who think that others who have chosen that route should ultimately sacrifice their own well being and sense of worth regardless.

well, vexed. Whatever floats your boat...

EEating Like it!

Loads of Tories are unionised and/or strike, in different industries. It's a professional matter more than a political one.

Everybody knows that us teachers should just roll over and take it because we provide an essential babysitting service for the children of people like the OP. If we don't do our jobs then they have to pay for someone to look after their children

I work in a HE setting vexed. I work nearly every evening and w/end. I was at work today for 5 hours (I was preparing from 8pm to just after 1am for the event today). I get no pay or time off in lieu for working outside of the standard working day & well above my contractual hours. I also (like teachers I assume) HAVE to take my holidays in the HE vacation period. I get no choice.

I HATE this private v. public sector rubbish...it comes from ignorance ( and ready too much Daily Mail). Anybody who sells their labour for a wage has a common interest in attaining the best possible t&c.

Exactly mrtumbles working to help the public seems to backfire because the public seem to think we should do it all out of the kindness of our hearts. I am a nurse because I care, but that doesn't mean I can afford to succumb to pay cuts, pension slashes etc. nor should you. Tis a shame.

Obviously you don't realise that teachers lose a days pay for striking . Do read something other than the daily mail dear

FFS not another thread about this.

I do not recognise your experience Euphemia...I cannot take days off when I want, I get 20 days holiday per year that have to be taken in vacation time. I work very hard. I couldn't take the piss to be honest - I have to meet targets and quality assurance standards.

Our actions are held to account by fee-paying students (and their parents).

And I don't view HE as the public sector exactly. Particularly in my area where we had government funding withdrawn in 2012. I have also raised quite a bit of research funding (including a large amount from a private body in the USA). In actual fact, my institution keeps a very close eye on this part of my job as part of targets/performance monitoring.

I think any cushiness (real and perceived) is rapidly disappearing from across the He sector.

Well I'd like teaching to be more like the private sector- longer holidays, smaller classes and sometimes even free accommodation thrown in.

I'm sure that's what the OP meant

Well If everyone truly believed that a childs' educational was so vital they couldn't have a day off. Then they wouldn't be taken out for two weeks for an all inclusive in Tuscany would they? .