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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Any other Private School Teachers/Parents - Unreasonable not to strike?

32 replies

miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 20:29

Just wondering what thoughts on the strike are from private school teachers and parents.

I teach in a boarding school. I and most of my colleagues are in NASUWT so don't have to strike but there are some NEU staff who are in a difficult position.

The association of schools I am in have said that they believe staff striking in our schools would be acting unlawfully because the argument is with the government and our school is not answerable to the government.

  • The union is asking for a payrise which we wouldn't get (we are in a fairly long term pay freeze and our pay doesn't come from the govt).
  • They are fighting against government created conditions and shortages which don't apply to us. We have plenty of staff and good conditions.
  • We are not in the Teachers Pension Scheme because we have been priced out of it.
  • We do not use supply teachers and don't have such a thing as directed hours.
So the argument is that it just isn't a comparable job to the job that state school teachers are striking over.

BUT - we have the same unions. So, according to the union, are expected to follow the mandates of the union regardless if we want to be supported by them.

The other issue is that our parents pay fees so expect to have their service provided. If it wasn't to be, we would have to refund the four days fees, I imagine.

I personally don't agree with the strikes anyway because I think they hurt the wrong people and ruin long planned and anticipated events (our big school production for one!). But I respect other people's right to do what they think is right. And I don't know what would be right in this situation. Would private school teachers be unreasonable to against the strike mandate if it's called unlawful by our own equaivalent to the government?

OP posts:
Original poster
miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 20:31

I didn't mean to put voting on - as I said, it's not really my dilemma as I'm the wrong union. But, as it's there, I guess YABU = private school teachers schould strike regardless and YANBU = it would ok for them not to.

OP posts:
ChristianAidy · 27/01/2023 20:32

Would private school teachers be unreasonable to against the strike mandate if it's called unlawful by our own equaivalent to the government?

Short answer: yes you would be incredibly unreasonable. I speak as someone who has flogged her way through 20 years of school fees for my DC. I would be absolutely furious if any of their teachers had gone on strike when I was paying about £100 per day per child in school fees.

WendyAndClyde · 27/01/2023 20:33

I can't see how private schools can strike 😲 You would need to negotiate a payrise with the school. I can't imagine the parents paying thousands for their child's education would take this very well. And they do, ultimately, pay your wages.

I can see how working in private education might not feel worth it though.

ChristianAidy · 27/01/2023 20:33

Unreasonable to strike, that is!

I'm too cross about the idea to think straight.

R4nd0mNumb3r5 · 27/01/2023 20:33

I support the teachers who are striking, but it’s a different job for private school teachers (for all the reasons you have listed). I sort of understand the argument that they should strike in solidarity, but I don’t agree with that argument.

Original poster
miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 20:40

Ooh, interesting, thank you, I was kind of expecting everyone to say the opposite!!

I don't know if it's actually true that the union will not support a teacher in trouble who has gone against a strike mandate or if it's just a threat. It would definitely feel wrong to me to strike but, if I was in the NEU, I would be worried about being left unprotected.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 27/01/2023 20:40

As I understand it, supply teachers weren't balloted by the unions as they have a different employer to the government. Support staff in the NEU didn't meet the threshold to strike so won't be striking even though NEU. So just because you are in the same union, it doesn't mean it's your dispute.

NASUWT balloted private schools individually, with the private school as the employer, and many of those met the threshold for strike action so will be allowed to strike even though NASUWT members in state schools won't be striking.

Were your NEU colleagues balloted? If so, it doesn't sound like they should have been. If not, they shouldn't be striking.

Original poster
miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 20:42

WendyandClyde - there's no desire to negotiate pay rises with our school (well, I mean, I'm sure none of us would say no if it was offered, of course (!!) but there's no current sense of dissatisfaction. It's only come up because of the NEU strike coming up and some colleagues being told by their union that they must strike and by the association of schools that they must not.

OP posts:
lpoasnbhg · 27/01/2023 20:43

miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 20:40

Ooh, interesting, thank you, I was kind of expecting everyone to say the opposite!!

I don't know if it's actually true that the union will not support a teacher in trouble who has gone against a strike mandate or if it's just a threat. It would definitely feel wrong to me to strike but, if I was in the NEU, I would be worried about being left unprotected.

That wouldn't happen.

Any other Private School Teachers/Parents - Unreasonable not to strike?
lpoasnbhg · 27/01/2023 20:44

miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 20:42

WendyandClyde - there's no desire to negotiate pay rises with our school (well, I mean, I'm sure none of us would say no if it was offered, of course (!!) but there's no current sense of dissatisfaction. It's only come up because of the NEU strike coming up and some colleagues being told by their union that they must strike and by the association of schools that they must not.

They aren't being told that 'they must strike'

Original poster
miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 20:45

noblegiraffe - Yes, they were balloted. I was balloted by NASUWT too (I voted No). I didn't get a private school ballot actually, that's news to me. I suppose, thinking about it, the union won't know where I work. I joined from a state school and have had no contact with the union since. Most of my colleagues have previously worked in state schools so that probably explains the ballots. Thanks for the explanations, that makes things clearer.

OP posts:
Original poster
miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 20:46

Oh, thanks, lpoasnbhg - I thought it was much more of an expectation than that. Not a legal 'must' but a moral/expected 'must'. What you've posted sounds much more individual than I thought it was.

OP posts:
3WildOnes · 27/01/2023 20:50

I completely support teachers in the state system striking. However, I would be furious if the teachers in my children's private schools went on strike.

MarshaBradyo · 27/01/2023 20:52

I don’t know re technicalities but I’m very happy to not face the issue of strike due to private school

After state closure in last couple of years this time at least it’s not impacting

Although I do have state Dc who is also going to school due to exam year

ChristinaXYZ · 27/01/2023 20:54

Change your union? Affinity cover teachers and are not involved in the strikes I believe. workaffinity.co.uk/Or switch to a legal support group like Edapt? www.edapt.org.uk/ Edapt are not stictly speaking a union (so no strikes ever) so could not attend a meeting with school management as your rep but they do give legal advice if you are in dispute with your school employer. My other half did not want to strike and was fed up with a lot of the other politics from the NAS so switched to Edapt.

cardibach · 27/01/2023 20:55

noblegiraffe · 27/01/2023 20:40

As I understand it, supply teachers weren't balloted by the unions as they have a different employer to the government. Support staff in the NEU didn't meet the threshold to strike so won't be striking even though NEU. So just because you are in the same union, it doesn't mean it's your dispute.

NASUWT balloted private schools individually, with the private school as the employer, and many of those met the threshold for strike action so will be allowed to strike even though NASUWT members in state schools won't be striking.

Were your NEU colleagues balloted? If so, it doesn't sound like they should have been. If not, they shouldn't be striking.

I’m a supply teacher and I was balloted (NASUWT). I work in Wales though where the pay for supply teachers is legally pegged to M1 minimum, so I don’t know whether that affected it.
(I’ve switched to NEU since as it happens - not related to striking, have been intending too for ages).

cardibach · 27/01/2023 20:57

3WildOnes · 27/01/2023 20:50

I completely support teachers in the state system striking. However, I would be furious if the teachers in my children's private schools went on strike.

How would you feel if they went on strike in protest at treatment by their own school management? Private school pay is often worse than state (though influenced by it).

noblegiraffe · 27/01/2023 20:57

3WildOnes · 27/01/2023 20:50

I completely support teachers in the state system striking. However, I would be furious if the teachers in my children's private schools went on strike.

Lots of private schools have been on strike recently, mostly over pensions.

172 private schools just voted for strike action with NASUWT.

There's currently a thread about how Winchester College teachers are going on strike.

I wouldn't assume private schools won't be striking at any point.

R4nd0mNumb3r5 · 27/01/2023 20:58

cardibach · 27/01/2023 20:57

How would you feel if they went on strike in protest at treatment by their own school management? Private school pay is often worse than state (though influenced by it).

Show quote history

I know it wasn’t me you asked, but personally I would support it.

jgw1 · 27/01/2023 21:00

miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 20:29

Just wondering what thoughts on the strike are from private school teachers and parents.

I teach in a boarding school. I and most of my colleagues are in NASUWT so don't have to strike but there are some NEU staff who are in a difficult position.

The association of schools I am in have said that they believe staff striking in our schools would be acting unlawfully because the argument is with the government and our school is not answerable to the government.

  • The union is asking for a payrise which we wouldn't get (we are in a fairly long term pay freeze and our pay doesn't come from the govt).
  • They are fighting against government created conditions and shortages which don't apply to us. We have plenty of staff and good conditions.
  • We are not in the Teachers Pension Scheme because we have been priced out of it.
  • We do not use supply teachers and don't have such a thing as directed hours.
So the argument is that it just isn't a comparable job to the job that state school teachers are striking over.

BUT - we have the same unions. So, according to the union, are expected to follow the mandates of the union regardless if we want to be supported by them.

The other issue is that our parents pay fees so expect to have their service provided. If it wasn't to be, we would have to refund the four days fees, I imagine.

I personally don't agree with the strikes anyway because I think they hurt the wrong people and ruin long planned and anticipated events (our big school production for one!). But I respect other people's right to do what they think is right. And I don't know what would be right in this situation. Would private school teachers be unreasonable to against the strike mandate if it's called unlawful by our own equaivalent to the government?

I am failing to see how this is any different to you going on strike in solidarity with train drivers or postal workers.
It is not your dispute with your employer, so why would you go on strike (which would be secondary picketing and illegal)?

3WildOnes · 27/01/2023 21:02

cardibach · 27/01/2023 20:57

How would you feel if they went on strike in protest at treatment by their own school management? Private school pay is often worse than state (though influenced by it).

Show quote history

I'm not sure. I'd probably loose a bit of faith in the head if he wasn't able to keep his staff happy.

jgw1 · 27/01/2023 21:02

3WildOnes · 27/01/2023 20:50

I completely support teachers in the state system striking. However, I would be furious if the teachers in my children's private schools went on strike.

Why shouldn't private school teachers go on strike if they have a dispute with their employer?

LeCarre · 27/01/2023 21:03

It would be ridiculous fornpeople who aren’t government employees to strike when the purpose of the strike is to get a payrise from the government.

If private school teachers want better pay/conditions they need to take that up with those who pay them.

Original poster
miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 21:03

jgw1 because we aren't in the same unions as postal or rail workers.

Christina - I (perhaps wrongfully) feel that NASUWT and NEU are the 'proper', effective unions. The others feel too small and unstructured to provide the same level of protection. But that might be unfair of me. I'll take a look at them.

OP posts:
jgw1 · 27/01/2023 21:05

miniaturepixieonacid · 27/01/2023 21:03

jgw1 because we aren't in the same unions as postal or rail workers.

Christina - I (perhaps wrongfully) feel that NASUWT and NEU are the 'proper', effective unions. The others feel too small and unstructured to provide the same level of protection. But that might be unfair of me. I'll take a look at them.

Whether or not you are in the same union is irrelevant. Its still not your dispute.
In the ambulance workers dispute not every region was effected because in some regions the threshold for strike action was not met. That meant some did strike and not others.

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