Don't want to join the teaching strike

[SweetRascal]

I'm a primary school teacher of 12 years and with the NEU. For my own reasons, I don't want to vote yes to striking but will this be judged negatively by other teachers? I just don't feel comfortable with the disruption it causes.

Although my reasons for not striking are not financial, one of my teacher friends isn't striking because she just can't afford to lose a day's salary. What do teachers do in this instance?

Though actually @Murphs1 that isn’t what you are doing - though it won’t affect the strike as it’ll mean someone else won’t have to. If you are in a union and they vote to strike, you strike or leave. And you’re a massive hypocrite if you then take any of the improvements won through strike action.
Nobody, least of all health unions, is suggesting leaving no cover for essential care.

@SweetRascal you’ll take the pay rise though eh?

Yes everyone has the right to make their own decision on the matter but if your unwilling to fight for it then when it’s awarded you shouldn’t benefit.

No one is obliged to strike. Bottom line.

Today people would be sacked or police involved for intimidation, bullying, outright violence.

The families who were ripped apart were ripped apart by bullies and violent thugs.

@cardibach is it a legal requirement for teachers to strike if the majority vote for?

If they are in genuine hardship, the union will help.
losing a day’s pay is tough for everyone. Will these people struggling to lose even one day at the current rates manage when prices continue to rise? No. That’s why you strike and suck it up and manage. For the future. If they take any pay rise or improvement in conditions won through striking they are, as I’ve said before, massive hypocrites.

Of course not. It’s a moral one as with any union. And I’d judge someone who stayed in the union but didn’t strike. If they left the union I wouldn’t judge them until they accepted any benefits won by the strike.

@bellac11 violence is never right. But I think most of it in the case of the miners strike was perpetrated on the strikers by the police. Judgement of someone not showing solidarity is understandable and caused by the action of the non-striker, not the emotions of the striker.

I’m in the NASUWT and not striking.

I'd be more worried about teachers who say they worry about the disruption to the children but seemingly are willing to accept the dismantling of the education system without making a stand which is causing way more disruption to education year on year.

It suggests you don't really care and just want the status quo, well continuing decline, to continue

100%

Losing any money is tough at the best of times, right now more so. Exactly why teachers should be getting paid appropriately. Since 2008 teachers are down something around 24% in terms of pay. The money loss is worth it in the long run and anyone who is truly struggling would be supported through the hardship fund by their union.

I'm not sure that teachers often join a union with a clear idea of what a union is. It's always impressed upon trainees that they 'need to join a union in case a kid makes an allegation' and they get free membership without explaining what a union is, and how it's about power through collective bargaining.

If unions can't call upon their members to take action, the union is weakened for all its members.

Utter victim blaming. You should be ashamed of yourself.

No one has a right to dictate to someone that they must strike

So violence if I feel emotional about something is ok, its justified by the other persons actions? Dreadful

@cardibach please accept my apology, I misunderstood. It seems you and I are of like mind. 💐

@cardibach it is an overwhelming generalisation and completely derogatory to refer to your non striking colleagues as scabs. I have chosen not to strike as I don’t feel patient care should be compromised. That is a moral decision. You believe strike action will bring about the conditions you deserve, and other colleagues believe strike action won’t, or they are unable to strike for other reasons. That is their choice. We live in a democracy I believe?
Thankfully opinions such as these would not be tolerated in my workplace.

I have chosen not to strike as I don’t feel patient care should be compromised.

Why are you in a union then?

Isn't the definition of "scabs" someone in the union who breaks the strike? So an accurate description, no? Not one I'd ever use in the workplace as I agree it sounds harsh, but I suppose if the cap fits..

Professionally we have to be in a union for indemnity cover

SweetRascal
Although my reasons for not striking are not financial, one of my teacher friends isn't striking because she just can't afford to lose a day's salary. What do teachers do in this instance?

@cardibach
If they are in genuine hardship, the union will help.
losing a day’s pay is tough for everyone. Will these people struggling to lose even one day at the current rates manage when prices continue to rise? No. That’s why you strike and suck it up and manage. For the future. If they take any pay rise or improvement in conditions won through striking they are, as I’ve said before, massive hypocrites.

@cardibach I'm a Civil Servant - I voted not to strike, my department just missed the required number for a mandate. I have now moved unions. However, I still had comms from PCS Dec/Jan. They're happy to help those who can't afford to strike! [Ps - in addition to membership fees, you'll now pay a strike fund levy every month by Direct Debit] 😐

Both my offices are government hubs so even though the main tenant department isn't striking, there will be pickets because the smaller ones will be. But now not my circus, not my monkeys. Do I get a big hi-vis vest with FDA on it so I can get in the building?

@bellac11 don't misrepresent me please. The first thing I said was that violence is never right. That makes the rest of your post a bit pointless and silly.
Nobody has to strike, no. But they have to be expect to be judged if they don't support a stroke - especially when they accept any benefits won by it.

When I was a teacher in a Sixth Form College that called a strike and many went on march. I set up an online lesson for my student groups. I did the same if we had snow and College closures. An interactive PowerPoint, differentiated worksheets with various tasks for students to do. An essay set or a couple of shorter exam.questions for 6 marks each. Students sent it to my drop box for marking. I didn't have to cross any picket lines.

@AnnieSnap no worries. I went off a bit there

I judge you. You don't want to strike but want to be part of a union. A United front. To unite together. To fight for better conditions that you will benefit from. Disruption is the whole point.

Hope you turn down the pay rise if successful and continue to work ungodly hours to minimise disruption.

@Murphs1 and if the strike gets more than a 2% rise will you accept it?
Patient care is being Co promised by the state of the NHS. Paying nurses (and doctors, and health care assistants and everyone else) properly is part of improving it.

@caringcarer you still broke the strike. The disruption is rather the point. Yes, we can do it without physically entering the building these days. It's still wrong.