Anyone know results of teachers strike?

[Violashift]

The ballot closed yesterday but has anyone heard the results?

Even more unfair considering that the government uses online voting for its own elections.

If people seriously oppose striking, then they're better not returning their ballots than voting no. If there are, say, 45% "no" voters, then by the time you add those who just aren't interested in voting, or didn't get their ballot papers, then that can easily prevent the ballot reaching the 50% threshold.

I'm not quite sure why anyone votes no - as you say, if your colleagues had sent in their no, it would have helped get an overall yes.

In universities (I don't know how it works for schools), we can choose whether to run the ballot by institution or all together. Prior to this time, we did it by institution, which meant strikes in some universities but not all, depending on whether they made the 50%. The most recent ballots have been all together, as they thought we could get the 50% overall - which turned out to be the case.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has not yet decided whether to hold a formal strike ballot, but have held a consultative ballot to test the strength of feeling.

The results showed that 54% of eligible members voted, with 69% of these (37% of members) in favour of a formal ballot on strikes and 74% (just short of 40%) in favour of a formal ballot on action short of a strike.

If this was repeated in a formal ballot then this would fall short on numbers for strike action, especially if some of the "no" voters chose not to vote instead.

I'm becoming even more convinced that a good bit of failure to return ballot papers (if received) was tactical.

For general info, two tables on teachers salaries. One shows in detail the offer from the review body, and the other shows its effect on salaries outside London since 2010, and also shows an interesting column showing the proportion of teachers on each grade.

This isn’t meant provocatively, but why do you think that when there are so many reports or ballots not being received?

I genuinely don’t know why you’d reach the conclusion that it was a deliberate and purposeful tactic when they had the option to say ‘no.’

So a strike stopped teachers voting to strike. How ironic

I'm newish and got discounted rates so I'm with the NEU and NASUWT. They were free when I joined.

Am leaving the NASUWT. I received nothing from them.

I'm considering moving from NASUWT to NEU. I don't get a lot of contact from them at all and I'm not really sure what they actually do except support individual members when there's a problem. Are NEU any better?

I also contacted the NASUWT recently (about a month ago) to tell them that I should be paying a reduced rate as I'm now on a 0.6 contact and have heard nothing back. 🙄

I did say "if received". I'm certainly aware that many didn't receive the paper.

I still think that it's possible that a fair number who did receive them and didn't want to strike might have decided not to return them rather than vote against, if they were aware of the threshold.

It’s possible, I suppose, but seems unlikely to me. In order for that to be effective as a tactic you’d have to be very confident that a significant number of others were playing the same game, so to speak.

The two unions are not the same though, ideologically. The NASUWT are fairly moderate and sensible, the NEU more left wing and reactionary. On behaviour they are more of the Paul Dix, no more exclusions ilk which is something I can't get on board with.

That's undeniably true. Point taken.

NEU ballot results are in.

53.27% of members voted (meets 50% first criteria)
90.44% of voters voted to strike (ie. 48.18% of members - meets 40% criteria)

The list of strike days announced are:
Wednesday, 1 February: all eligible members in England and Wales.
Tuesday, 14 February: all eligible members in Wales.
Tuesday, 28 February: all eligible members in Northern, North West, Yorkshire & The Humber regions.
Wednesday, 1 March: all eligible members in East Midlands, West Midlands, Eastern regions.
Thursday, 2 March: all eligible members in London, South East, South West regions.
Wednesday, 15 March: all eligible members in England and Wales.
Thursday, 16 March: all eligible members in England and Wales.

Cue all NASUWT members switching.....

NAHt didn't meet threshold.

3 days in March for some members will be a huge pay cut. Not sure that is sustainable.

I don't think I will be.

Do you not want to strike Noble?

I do, but I don't want to be a member of the NEU.

Many of the younger teachers in my school still live at home so I can see why they wouldn’t see it as much of an issue.

Makes sense.

A few of my colleagues are switching. I’m really pleased we met the threshold!

Im glad NEU met the threshold (teachers) but unfortunately support staff didn’t (I’m a TA). There was a lot of apathy amongst my colleagues tbh & some worried about losing pay.
But I voted for support staff to strike so I’m disappointed.