To think teachers should give notice of strike closure!

[Geeds]

I know teachers need to strike, I know they don’t need to give advanced notices, I know the whole idea is to ‘cause disruption’ but surely they also understand that normal working families need notice if they can’t go to work on a certain date?

The school is emailing saying they will ‘let us know by 8am on Wednesday’ about if school will be open or closed on Wednesday. I get 5 weeks annual leave to cover 13 weeks of school holiday, I don’t want to book a day if they then end up open as this will then eventually cost me money when I have to pay childcare in the holidays as I’m out of annual leave. I also can’t really afford the unpaid leave that I’ll have to take it as, if I don’t book annual leave.

I’m not slating teachers for striking, I understand and support the reasons. But AIBU to think they should give us a bit of notice? The strikes will ‘disrupt’ either way, but not giving notice to families is only going to affect the 30 odd parents in your class who also have their own stresses and money worries.

Teachers don’t care if they have the support of the public, to be frank. They want pay and conditions to improve, not back pats.

basically, your problem is the heads odd way of handling it, not the teachers

This. The Heads know exactly how many teachers in their school are from NEU and therefore potentially striking. Heads do a risk assessment based on that to see if they can open safely.

Our primary school emailed last week to say they won't be closing.

So how comes rail workers need to give 2 weeks notice to strike, but schools can let parents know 5 mins before? I don't get it either, I fully support strike, but not no notice. Our school made it clear last week they will be closed.

On what basis do the Heads know which union each teacher is in?

I agree - parents have more than enough stews trying to handle everything before “is it, isn’t it” situations like this.

I’d rather the school just said they’d be closed than leave us hanging. The expectation we’ll be able to arrange childcare at 8am if needed and also be available to get kids to school if they’re open is crazy. I have childcare - but it’s an hours drive away so I’d need to drop DS off the night before and know school is shut…

The unions have already given weeks of notice of the strikes. You know the dates.

Our school has told us to "work on the assumption" that the school will be closed on Wednesday. This seems like a fair compromise and obviously they can't say for sure either way.

Notice HAS been given of the strike day.

School does not know how many teachers are in each union and/or striking. Hence not knowing if they can open safely with a 'reduced service' or cannot.

With the trains, where some lines shut altogether and some run a short timetable, the train companies have knowledge now of approx the number of workers who strike. Plus, with shifts, they can call in 'non-striking' workers on strike days - not possible with teachers.

Also...

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/30/last-minute-talks-national-education-union-teachers-strike-england-wales?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

So keep your fingers crossed. But your expectations realistic.

So one day is more important (for the convenience of parents I note, not for children's education) than working conditions for this and future generations of teachers? Cool cool.

Btw can I also point out that 75% of the teaching workforce is female. Would a 75% male workforce have been allowed to end up in this state? Would men be agonising over striking and desperate not to let people down? Would they even be expected to put parents first? Somehow I doubt it.

I’m a teacher but on maternity leave at the minute. If I were in school, I would strike and it wouldn’t be about the pay…and it certainly wouldn’t make me happy, as you suggest. I would be doing it for my pupils and their parents because quite frankly the provision you are currently getting is not good enough and not acceptable. We are already pretty much at the point of no return in many schools. Parents but more importantly the government need to realise this. As a teacher I am not against parents, I am trying to ensure you and your children get the provision you deserve! The current situation makes me anything but happy!

I am a teacher-it’s true (and legal) that teachers do not have to give notice. We came to an arrangement in our school. If teachers gave 5 days notice, our class would be closed as per our wishes, however, if we didn’t give notice, a TA would cover and children would be accepted in to school. I must point out that TAs are only allowed to teach from a qualified teacher’s planning so it would be more of a childcare situation as opposed to any formal lessons and work in books etc - certainly nothing assessed. There is no funding for supply. This meant that we could tell parents in advance as to whether their child could attend for the day albeit for childcare or taught curriculum. My friend’s school carried out this system too and parents seemed grateful for the notice. I must point out, I am a parent too and both my children will be off school. Things are very, very desperate. It’s not just the lack of resources, many staff supporting learning are on the minimum wage. Teachers can net just £65 a day and are working in excess of 12 hour days. Remember we must pay back our Uni fees (four years in higher education). It takes 6 years to become a fully qualified teacher including the 2 year probation period. I net below the minimum wage but want to teach-the role is colossal now as we must all write and coordinate plans from a wide range of health care professionals as well as continually assess progress and curriculum implementation. No teacher I know takes 13 weeks holiday!! I never take a half term (analysis and planning), nor Christmas or Easter. I ring fence three weeks of the summer. My friends in private industry think of me as a charity worker!! We just want our government to fund this profession sensibly and forget thinking it is a 6 hour a day, part-time vocational choice. I hope things work out well. I suggest your child’s head closes the classes of known teachers on strike and keeps all others open even if just for games/ support staff led activities.

Yes, but it's also all over news that until Wednesday morning some parents will not know if school is open or not. If someone who struggles financially booked a childcare, and school is open, that's not very helpful, is it?

On what basis do the Heads know which union each teacher is in?

They don't. But the union will inform them how many members they have called on to strike.

How will I know how many people will strike on the day?
The NEU is required by law to give employers 14 days' notice of the number and description of members it is calling upon to take action in each workplace. The NEU sends this information to each employer (the LA, governing body, academy trust) as required by law. You will therefore know how many staff are going to take action but not their names.

Its not really any more complicated than if you wake up one morning and your child is sick so you have to arrange childcare because they can't go to school. You just put in same plan of action as you would for that?

Is that into by school, or by LA?

*info

2 of the 3 schools our children are gave us a week's notice that they will not be open to some year groups. Third school is apparently unaffected.

You are best to assume they are closed - and suck up the unneeded day off/work from home if you can - if they are, in the end, able to teach some children that day.

Strikes aren't effective if they don't cause inconvenience of some sort - and frankly I want teachers pay and conditions to be the best they can be as this will improve children's experiences.

YANBU. Both DDs' schools gave us a week's notice of the closure.

The HT at one of our local Primaries has advised that the school will be partially open. Work will be provided for pupils at home, but the HT is planning this work as can't ask striking teachers to provide it. Also note that you can't make an employee cover for a striking colleague.

Is that into by school, or by LA?

I'm not a head or employed by union (or even a member of NEU). But that was from the NEU guide for school leaders. It says they WILL know how many teachers on their school have been called on to strike.

The Heads won't know which members of staff, and they won't know if any of those will decide not to strike. So it's a potential amount in which to do a risk assessment,

Ah, ok, thanks.

Maybe those that are waiting are just about OK, but will teeter over if they have anyone off sick, or similar!

We’ve been told they’ll tell us ASAP on the morning, but if school is open they expect children in.

Absolutely no recognition that 30 minutes isn’t enough notice for childcare or to actually get kids really for the day (especially since my DS should be in the school breakfast club from half 7, but the school have said they “hope” to let us know by half 8).

No.

I hope all teachers get a decent pay rise to recognise the (not 9-3 which some MN users think they work) amount of out-of-hours work they do.