I am being very U, aren't I, to be pissed off with DP for striking

[PollyCazaletWannabe]

DP and I are both teachers. DP had been at the same school for 11 years but resigned in December after basically being pushed into it by unpleasant bullying HT. Since then she has had some supply work but this has not been regular- she only recently got a long term supply job but this finishes at May half term; she is also not paid for the Easter holidays. Although we can manage on my salary, we have had to cut back; we can't really afford to go out more than once a month and have had to cancel a break we were planning at Easter. (BTW I realise we are much, much better off than many, but we are a lot worse off than before).

We are both NUT members but DP is much more involved than me. When this Wednesday's strike was announced, I told DP that I wouldn't be striking as the money I would lose was equivalent to a whole week's budget for food, travel and the Friday night takeaway which is now our only treat. She wasn't working at the time but agreed.

Now she is working she has said she is going to strike, and is also banging on at me about the political reasons for doing so, making me feel guilty for not striking. AIBU to feel aggrieved? I have basically been supporting us since Dec and am going against my principles and not striking for money reasons. DP seems to be ignoring our day to day situation in favour of her principles. I'm cross- AIBU?

YABU - if you are in a Union you follow the majority vote or you leave in my opinion.

YABU

if you really feel you can't afford to strike talk to your NUT rep. there is a fund for this sort of thing that the nut can use to help those who will be really adversely effected by going on strike. a friend of mine had to do this at one point, though she is a single mum and was a NQT at the time.

It's very difficult.

I will not strike, but I don't want to join Voice either as they have absolutely no presence in my school - most are members of the NASUWT. I joined ATL as "least likely to strike" but then they went on strike in the autumn. Can't win!

Oh I see roasted

You want the advantages of union membership with none of the responsibilities.

No, you don't see at all ilovesooty.

I will not strike.

I joined ATL because I believed they would not strike.

They did go on strike and I left.

I am not a member of a union at the moment.

I don't think I can make it any clearer but please don't be so rude and sarcastic towards me when I haven't been rude or sarcastic to you.

And bop I would hope the OP wouldn't apply to the hardship fund. She acknowledged that many are worse off.

I will be the only member of staff out on strike from my school. I am not the only NUT member. It really pisses me off that people expect the support of the union but won't take action when it is called for.

If you don't want to strike join a non striking union.

If you've left the union perhaps you should have made that clear in the first place roasted

I think I am in a minority here. YANBU. If money is that tight it seems a bit foolish to strike and your DP is wrong to put pressure on you to strike as well. (plus a bit unreasonable to go on strike herself).

Or perhaps try disagreeing politely rather than leaping down someone's throat? It isn't that difficult, you know. I don't have to make anything "clear" to anybody in order to be treated with a bit of respect: it's a basic thing.

LongTimeLurking it's union activity. The clue is in the name.

If you'd provided the relevant information I wouldn't have made the post roasted

ilovesooty I hope they wouldn't either but it sounds like she can't see past the money issue of striking and maybe talking to their rep in RL would help but it more in perspective.

I totally agree with how pissed off people get with union members not going on strike when it's called. Even if you don't agree with the strike if you are part of the union and accept the support you should give the support back when called on. The time to voice your displeasure about striking is when it is balloted not once it is called.

Exactly bop,

Ilovesooty - it's not about relevant information, it's about a needlessly sarcastic and snide post, which you clearly feel you were justified in writing because "I had not provided the facts." I disagree but also feel it's your issue, not mine.

I do feel that members of a union should stand by that union. The difficulty is however more complex than that. Most teachers are repeatedly told how vulnerable they are without union membership and it is this rather than a desire to be involved with politics and agendas that fuel the memberships.

Fuck me there's not much solidarity on this thread is there?

Is it really helpful to kick the op while she's down. She's in a tough spot and it's hard to see the bigger picture when you're worrying about what's right in front of your face.

OP, being part of a union means signing up to supporting them even when it means personal hardship.

Do you support fundamentally why the strikes are happening? Yes? Well then it means taking another hit financially for the greater good. I know things are tough for you at the moment so budgeting more isn't appealing, but as a one off and if it's important to you, is it possible without seeking financial aid from your union?

No? In that case you need to reconsider your membership.

Both options are valid but you can't mix and match and expect it to go down well with whichever side you've aligned yourself with. It's quite a personal decision so don't let others make it for you.

Fwiw, every state is temporary and I hope your dp finds more stable employment soon

It's only more complex than that if a person wants it to be roasted.

It's not a valid excuse imo.

I have no respect for the actions of someone who is a union member but won't stand up and be counted if that union votes for industrial action.

If someone leaves a union as they can't participate in that action I think that's a whole different matter.

I reserve the right to express the opinion I did on the basis of the facts available to me at the time I posted.

And btw roasted,I really think you are being unecessarily unpleasant towards Ilove.

I didn't use the word "excuse", ThatBloodyWoman.

It is more complex than the clear cut "join a union, agree with union, or leave union."

Teachers are told, repeatedly, they MUST be a member of a union - this is, apparently, vital if you are to teach.

I do not agree with strike action, but I do not agree with the stance Voice take either. This leaves me in a difficult (and vulnerable, apparently) position as a teacher. I have done what is according to some on this thread is the only moral thing to do and have not joined a union - as I don't agree with any of them!

This may be at personal cost in the future. I know that if I DID run into difficulties in the future, I would probably get little sympathy if I stated I was not a member of a union - as that is unwise, foolish.

Therefore - what can we realistically do? Join a union and back it up to the hilt, even if you disagree, or don't - and leave yourself vulnerable?

I am certainly not being unpleasant in any way, but I am not going to accept sarcasm and rudeness from a poster when I have not displayed either without pointing out I don't care for it.

You could take out legal protection through your home insurance making sure that it covers employment issues.

I bet you would be asking for your union's legal advice should you be faced with redundancy or restructuring. You can't expect to take from them without supporting them. YABU.

Indeed - but that is also riddled with difficulties, as doubtless you know.

However, from the specific to the general, if somebody were to post on the TES forums stating that they were on the cusp of capability or had experienced a malicious and unfounded allegation, the immediate advice would be to contact the union - and I have seen posters soundly rebuked for not being a member of the union.

As I have said, it leaves people in a position whereby they "cannot win."