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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to feel that teachers shouldn't really be striking?

464 replies

Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 02:47

They have 3 months PAID holidays only work 9-4pm, no dangerous or really bad working conditions, great job security, good pensions, They had pay rises last year up to 8%!!! I work in the private sector and haven't had a pay rise in almost 6 years! I just feel compared to alot of other professions, teachers have it quite good? I mean their starting salary is the same as a junior doctor. I get it inflation has wrecked everyone, but surely the issue should be getting inflation down? Not just demanding for more money, which by the way only fuels inflation further. AIBU to feel that teachers just don't know how good they have it compared to the rest of us?

OP posts:
NewBootsAndRanty · 23/01/2023 02:49

Have you ever met any teachers outside of the classroom?
I promise you the work isn't 9-4.

araiwa · 23/01/2023 02:50

You're not even trying

HirplesWithHaggis · 23/01/2023 02:50

Yabu. I'm not even a teacher but I recognise how wrong your representation of long holidays, short working days is.

Original poster
Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 02:52

@NewBootsAndRanty My father is a teacher, not even an essential subject like maths or English but philosophy/ religious studies and he makes over £50k a year working 4 days a week and 3 months PAID annual leave. Yes he may do some work outside of the classroom, but who doesn't do work outside of the office?

OP posts:
neerg · 23/01/2023 02:54

Do you know where that pay rise money was found from?
The rest is ridiculous.

Theos · 23/01/2023 02:54

Your father can’t make that much as a classroom teacher. Try to look at the pay scales before you troll

Theos · 23/01/2023 02:55

The leave isn’t paid. Maybe daddy didn’t tell you that.

slytherinabout · 23/01/2023 02:55

Another one?!

There is so much wrong with your original post. I'll only pick one...

"no dangerous or really bad working conditions"

I've been assaulted multiple times by students. The word 'clueless' springs to mind.

NewBootsAndRanty · 23/01/2023 02:56

My mum was a teacher.
Her evenings and chunks of weekends outside school were mostly taken up with work for lesson prep and marking.

scoutcat · 23/01/2023 02:56

All of the holidays aren't paid.. we get paid for the same amount as usual 9-5 jobs - 5.6 weeks which is around 28/29 days. The rest of the holidays are unpaid but spread out over the 12 months. Why don't people understand this.

Original poster
Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 02:58

And okay they may do some work outside of 9-4 and maybe the entire 3 months annual leave isn't all sun and seas, but they definitely have it ALOT better than most of us. Even just having a pay rise last year is something majority of people haven't seen in years! Yes there are things that aren't perfect, but there are much worse off professions to be in right now. Also I'm speaking for the UK. Not anywhere else.

OP posts:
HirplesWithHaggis · 23/01/2023 02:58

Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 02:52

@NewBootsAndRanty My father is a teacher, not even an essential subject like maths or English but philosophy/ religious studies and he makes over £50k a year working 4 days a week and 3 months PAID annual leave. Yes he may do some work outside of the classroom, but who doesn't do work outside of the office?

In which country is your father teaching? And at what level?

Holly60 · 23/01/2023 02:59

Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 02:52

@NewBootsAndRanty My father is a teacher, not even an essential subject like maths or English but philosophy/ religious studies and he makes over £50k a year working 4 days a week and 3 months PAID annual leave. Yes he may do some work outside of the classroom, but who doesn't do work outside of the office?

Not in the public sector as a classroom teacher he doesn't. The pay scales are available to the public so you can Google.

NewBootsAndRanty · 23/01/2023 03:00

maybe the entire 3 months annual leave isn't all sun and seas
What does that even mean?

NewBootsAndRanty · 23/01/2023 03:01

Don't tell me - your dad gets a paid luxury holiday from his work too?

Original poster
Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 03:02

@Holly60 yes he works in a private school now but only since last year, before that he always worked in state schools and was making around £40k+ plus extra money from tutoring, but he's always going on holiday for months at a time.

OP posts:
LokiCokey · 23/01/2023 03:03

There is a shortage of teachers, so as you think it's so amazing I suggest you sign up...

getintoteaching.education.gov.uk

Original poster
Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 03:04

@NewBootsAndRanty I mean they may not be relaxing and off from work all throughout their annual leave, I'm sure they have to do some work while off but still much more annual leave then the rest of us gets.

OP posts:
youshouldnthaveasked · 23/01/2023 03:06

If you’re unhappy with your pay in the private sector you are quite entitled to search for a more competitive salary or negotiate a pay rise. There is one pay scale in teaching.

your Daddy on that wage has obviously been working a fair few years in the job. And has had the privilege of lower interest rates in the years he was newly qualified

I was a teacher ( have quit now) and I found that it was the expectation from SLT to work way beyond the 9-4. Marking, planning, prepping, using my own money for displays and resources and plenty of other jumping through hoops, all on an evening or weekend.

The scrutiny is horrific.

please stop talking out of your arse

Original poster
Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 03:07

@LokiCokey I have actually considered it strongly because of all the points I already outlined. But I have zero passion or interest in it.

OP posts:
NewBootsAndRanty · 23/01/2023 03:09

Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 03:04

@NewBootsAndRanty I mean they may not be relaxing and off from work all throughout their annual leave, I'm sure they have to do some work while off but still much more annual leave then the rest of us gets.

Unpaid annual leave, as pp pointed out.
My mum spent hers looking after us kids, plus more planning for the next term etc.

scoutcat · 23/01/2023 03:12

Teachers don't get annual leave.. we can't take it when we want it has to be in school holidays which as I'm sure you know are extortionately expensive to go away. Anyway that is the least of our worries.

If we were allowed to do our job and just teach then things would be so much better but since they cut the budget on social care, mental health provision, sure start centres, sen funding and more we are now having to do so many other jobs too. A lot of us are also paying for our own classroom equipment and stationery as schools' budgets have been cut. Some are forking out money to pay for children's breakfasts as they come to school starving. I recommend you search for Mr P ICT on tiktok to see his video about the strikes. Or volunteer in a school to see it for yourself.

I've really only scratched the surface but add in the fact that teaches aren't even trusted to teach anymore and the pressure on headteachers from Ofsted and exams means that observations, book scrutinies, practise Ofsteds and way way way more make the demands on teachers unacceptable and can turn the SLT toxic.

Teacher retention is at an all time low and soon we won't have many teachers. There is a reason for this! I don't want my children being taught by an unqualified teacher.

Original poster
Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 03:13

@youshouldnthaveasked almost every job is like what you just described. And everything you described isn't even the reason why they're striking, it's to be paid more money when teachers already had a nice pay rise and got paid all throughout COVID when schools were closed for the most part. State schools are in terrible shape yet teachers think they deserve more money? When most of them don't even care about the kids? Because surely if they cared about the children they wouldn't be sabotaging their education.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pinky1011 · 23/01/2023 03:15

@scoutcat okay everything you say makes sense. And these are issues that need to be fixed, but I haven't seen any mention of any of the issues in regards to the demands, the demands seem to ONLY be pay related, so how will more pay fix any of those issues??

OP posts:
NewBootsAndRanty · 23/01/2023 03:15

Did remote teaching during Covid pass you by completely?