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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why is unpaid work just seen as a given?

41 replies

Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:32

In a school environment, i have an hour lunch break and 4 times this week I've had to stay 20-25 minutes into it to wait for late parents picking up their kids.
If it were on a rare occasion ok, but every day is too much, plus I'm losing nearly half my break.
It's happening to another teacher as well, and I'll be taking her class next week so I assume it'll be happening to me again.
I have mentioned it and I was told another teacher would be coming in to support but this has happened.
Not sure what to do, don't see why i should have to put up with this?
I'm also losing my 15 minutes unpaid break in the mornings.
However it seems like so many jobs are expected to do unpaid overtime and people just do it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:34

My lunch break is unpaid too.

OP posts:
MangyInseam · 15/07/2022 18:36

It's bad planning, really. They need to have someone to cover the lunches. It would also be nice if the parents were on time and maybe improvements could be made in that area, but if it's happening a lot it may be the case they are struggling with the timings too.

Monoandsix · 15/07/2022 18:38

Are you the person who works in the shambles private school? Because if you are there is a lot worse problems than an unpaid dinner.

Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:40

I'm paid hourly, £13 per hour. Some of the parents take their own lessons in the mornings, but these finish at the same time as the kids and they are next door, so there's really no reason to come 20 minutes late.

OP posts:
Krustykrabpizza · 15/07/2022 18:41

When I used to work in a school uncollected children would wait in the office (with me)

estornudar · 15/07/2022 18:41

If you work under the standard teacher pay and conditions then your morning break should be paid as it is trapped time. If this is not being included in your directed time then talk with your union rep, and do likewise in terms of parents picking children up late. There should be a school policy on this. In terms of lunchtime, I would suggest leaving the premises if you keep being asked to do things. You are not being paid then so nobody can make you work!

Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:45

I've asked and the break is definitely unpaid.
The children don't have afternoon lessons, they go home at lunchtime so the school probably imagine there's no need for a lunchtime supervisor or anything, plus the school is ridiculously small and is meant to house various kids, teens, adults.

OP posts:
Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:47

It's because I'm alone in the classroom with the kids so I'm not allowed to leave the room at all until every parent has been, whenever that is.
So at breaktime, I'm on 'break duty' in the classroom.

OP posts:
DSGR · 15/07/2022 18:50

My lunch hour is unpaid and I rarely take it as so busy. It’s just standard in many jobs I think

Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:51

How do you eat?
It's us being taken advantage of, I don't know why we do it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:54

I've just calculated that my extra 35 minutes a day works out as £1960 a year unpaid overtime!

OP posts:
TreePoser · 15/07/2022 18:55

In my last job i regularly lost 3 hours at the end of week 4.
I think this is life, it's the working world. Teachers dont get this.
No, i was never late to pick up my dc.

Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:56

I think if people just do it then nothing will change, because bosses will know they can get away with it. I don't think it makes them respect us any more.

OP posts:
HesterShaw1 · 15/07/2022 18:57

The expectation of endless "goodwill" was one of the reasons I left teaching.

YANBU

AffIt · 15/07/2022 18:58

Are you the person who works in the horrific-sounding TEFL school?

If you are, then I think you need to look for a new job ASAP, because the whole thing sounds dreadful.

Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:59

I already arrive 30 minutes before my lesson to prep, I'm not paid for that either. I'm paid per teaching hour, that's it. So if you count those 30 mins each morning, that's another 2.5 hours a week or £32.50 gross a week.

OP posts:
ReginaGeorgeismyname · 15/07/2022 18:59

TreePoser · 15/07/2022 18:55

In my last job i regularly lost 3 hours at the end of week 4.
I think this is life, it's the working world. Teachers dont get this.
No, i was never late to pick up my dc.

Teachers very do much understand working beyond their allocated hours thank you very much.

Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 19:00

Yes, I have posted about the school before. However I know that this is expected in a lot of places sadly.
My friend is also in TEFL, on a much better hourly rate but the school expects a ridiculous amount of admin work and box ticking exercises, she spends more time on that than actually teaching.

OP posts:
ReginaGeorgeismyname · 15/07/2022 19:02

I think it is the culture in lots of places, particularly schools, to give up lunch breaks etc. It's not right and despite what posters here will tell you, you are entitled to a break.

The school should email parents to remind them to collect promptly and pay you. I think you will need to raise it again

Original poster
Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 19:04

It doesn't get you anywhere in life to work for free, I am only doing this now because of the late parents, not to show how 'keen' or hardworking I am.
I'm going to raise it on Monday yes, and if no change I will leave. I hope there's a change

OP posts:
Krustykrabpizza · 15/07/2022 19:11

What does management say when you raise it?

Confusion101 · 15/07/2022 19:35

Letsdancetojoydivision · 15/07/2022 18:59

I already arrive 30 minutes before my lesson to prep, I'm not paid for that either. I'm paid per teaching hour, that's it. So if you count those 30 mins each morning, that's another 2.5 hours a week or £32.50 gross a week.

No teacher gets paid for their prep time!

I often have to give up some of my break or lunches for students, either to set up a practical class or to help a student with an issue. To be me it's part of the job title and if you open that can of worms you are potentially putting other perks of the job on the line. It is frustrating, it is odd that we sit back and say nothing but it is what it is

stuntbubbles · 15/07/2022 19:44

TreePoser · 15/07/2022 18:55

In my last job i regularly lost 3 hours at the end of week 4.
I think this is life, it's the working world. Teachers dont get this.
No, i was never late to pick up my dc.

Isn’t the point that this shouldn’t be life, this shouldn’t be the working world? Pay people for the hours worked; pay overtime. Why the fuck should anyone work for free? Don’t you value your time?

Confusion101 · 15/07/2022 20:04

stuntbubbles · 15/07/2022 19:44

Isn’t the point that this shouldn’t be life, this shouldn’t be the working world? Pay people for the hours worked; pay overtime. Why the fuck should anyone work for free? Don’t you value your time?

Show quote history

See I do value my time which is exactly why I don't protest about some things. Take for example teacher prep.... What would getting paid for that actually look like? As it stands I am only required to be on the school premises when I am in class. On my classes off I can do as I please. I can use it for prep or go to lunch or do whatever I want basically. Bringing in paid teacher prep time would mean scheduled teacher prep time for everyone. We don't have the space in our school for all teachers to prep at the same time (limited space, limited technology, not every teacher has their own classroom). Some people like doing their prep at home every evening, some people like doing it one evening after school for the week, some before school in the mornings.... How would you track how much everyone is doing. So while it annoys me that I don't get paid for those extra hours, the flexibility of my valuable time means more to me than a few extra euro in a pay cheque!

araiwa · 15/07/2022 20:11

Just quit

You don't like the job. Every issue generates a thread. Just quit