Does anyone NOT support teachers’ strikes?

[Notbeinggoadybut]

I’ve got mixed views. Support that they, as all public sector workers, need a pay rise. And schools need more funding (but the NEU hasn’t badged this as a public reason which is a mistake IMP).

But 12% is a lot when you’re on a £40k salary. The TA’s deserve 12%, the nurses and ambulance drivers with dire conditions and worse salaries deserve 12%. But not from a starting salary of £40k.

Also public services can be dire. I work in one, it can be bordering on a joke and in so many ways such a waste of money. I will be striking on the 1st of February. But I don’t think it’s right - I voted against the strike. I want a pay rise, but don’t feel like it’s right to ask for 10% and strike if I don’t get it.

@Notbeinggoadybut I don’t know what you’re after but it’s certainly not the facts. I’ll tell you what- I promise not to strike if you change your username to GoadyMcGoadFaceofGoadville. Deal?

Wanting 12% is not what next week is about.

This is because, as you say, they are ignoring the independent review body, having used them as an excuse not to make a decent offer for months now. ('We'll wait for the independent review board's decision...' on repeat)

And now they won't announce whether any raise in pay will be funded by the treasury, or taken out of school budgets, which would mean another drop in resources for the children.

It's not even really about the 6.5% - it's about certainty and budgeting this time.

We just want information to work with. A conversation.

Rather contradictory post.
On the one hand complaining about insults post Brexit.
Then insulting me because I'm a Tory. Allegedly.

It was ex-dp who called the head of year a twit (that's the censored version) after HOY apparently condescending tone during a phone call from the school.

Starting salary of 40k?? It’s 43600 after 12 years if you don’t take on any promotion. That’s also performance related. It’s 28K starting salary.

Ha I'd love to be on 40k plus but no I'm 29 doing 70 plus hours a week going into my 4th Yr of teaching at age 42

So abusive parents - all makes sense now.

‘It was ex-dp who called the head of year a twit (that's the censored version) after HOY apparently condescending tone during a phone call from the school.’

The ‘censored version’, and we wonder why teachers are leaving in their droves?

What makes sense?
That, post-convo ex-dp described the HOY as a twit. Did I say he called the HOY a twit over the phone? If you interrupt someone during business hrs to behave with smarmy condescension over a non-event what kind of response do you expect?
Seems like you quite enjoy goading.
I'm not rising to it, enjoy the rest of your day.

Why do you think you have the authority to decide this exactly? Are you a teacher? Why is a teacher not worth 40k?

As I say - abusive parents. Mainly why teachers are leaving. Also why teachers don’t care much for parental support - as they don’t have it. As you have just demonstrated the exact problem.

When the school has been specifically asked NOT to call him unless it's a medical emergency. Then why do it?
Both children are top sets. The school don't have to call wittering about non-events.
And you are right, we are very busy parents so not abusive just non-receptive to engagement with teachers during and outside of working hrs. Neither of us has an issue with the actual teaching standards. What we don't like is the intrusion.
And what he doesn't like is the unprofessional sarm. Teachers have to remember to disengage from pupil 'speak' and change tact.
Looking at this thread it's clear passivity is an art form amongst teachers.

@Philomenafoggy

You've lost me. What 'pupil speak?'

And why are you on a thread about national strikes moaning about a particular head of year in a particular school as if he's representative of an entire profession?

'Passivity' too. Not sure what you mean.

If you mean passive aggressive responses, then maybe we are just holding back from expressing out and out annoyance with you and that is how it is coming across? Some of your views about teachers are verging on blatantly offensive, so I think we're being relatively reasonable.

We can all tell by your attitude what you’re like to school staff. Clear as day. Not pleasant.

You're totally deluded. You children's grades were not affected by strikes, sorry to say. 7 days would not make such a difference, and is yes, they would affect the whole year group, not just two random kids. But sure, blame the teachers.
And if you think it's such an easy job,please come and join as and show us how it's done! No? Didnt think 70 h weeks, not seeing your own kids because you're marking until 10pm, curriculums changing every few years, horrific behaviour from kids, parents and sometimes colleagues (not to mention being shat on by the government), buildings falling apart, and immense pressure would be so tempting after all.
What does having a computer have to do with any of that?

Also just read you "reported" a teacher @Scooby1271
People like you make teachers leave, don't worry, in a few years time your kids will be mostly taught by a bunch of unqualified teachers from agencies abroad with no or very little experience, because no one else will be wanting to work here.

I support the principles and the reasons for the strikes, but working in public sector myself i will never support strikes that directly work to the detriment of others.

Ours kids lost enough during covid - why should their education and future be punished further?

I also think that in the grand scheme of things teachers get a better deal than many others ( NOT SAYING IT IS GOOD ENOUGH - JUST BETTER) and chose a profession to care and to support kids. I don't see that on strike days, i see them only thinking of themselves.

i will never support strikes that directly work to the detriment of others.

That’s the whole purpose of a strike!

And therefore is entirely selfish and I really don't agree that it is the way to make positive change.

It's not the kids fault.

If you remove the right to withdraw your labour, or only allow it to be withdrawn when it inconveniences nobody (school holidays?) and therefore achieves nothing, then you’re not going to suddenly find that people become happy in the situation that led to the strike.

They’ll just leave. As teachers are doing now. And if there’s a recruitment crisis - as there is now - kids are then left without teachers. Is that “fair”?

What do you think is the way to solve this?

They don’t just leave though? They moan and moan about how hard it is and how shit it is etc etc everywhere and no one can challenge them around their principles. The defence and the arrogance displayed by many doesn’t help the wider cause. Yet they are still happy to have their 13 weeks off and earn their higher than average salaries and enjoy a better pension than the majority of the rest of the public sector.

I don’t know the answer, I doubt there is one. But have strikes to this point helped? No. You can’t keep doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome and really , honestly, kids deserve better. They deserve teachers that care and deliver their education, a political fight should never get in the way of that. ( or you are in the wrong profession so please do leave)

@Scooby1271 if you reported your child's teacher for poor SPAG I hope your own was perfect... 🙄

Teachers are leaving.

There's also a training and recruitment crisis.

It won't be long before there will be real difficulties in staffing the curriculum in a lot of schools.