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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think teachers should give notice of strike closure!

246 replies

Geeds · 30/01/2023 12:12

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.

OP posts:
louise5754 · 30/01/2023 19:19

Sen and adopted kids can go to both.

Secondary all y7 and y11 have to go.

Primary only the classes who's teachers are striking are closed.

Both schools are allowing kids to have dinner if their meals are feee.

MrsHamlet · 30/01/2023 19:20

We've sent vouchers to the parents of those in receipt of FSM who won't be in.

JangolinaPitt · 30/01/2023 19:22

The heads who have already decided to close the schools don't know who would have been striking, so everyone gets paid including those who would otherwise have been on strike - because as has been endlessly pointed out, no-one had to say they roll strike ubt the actual day.

getreadyy · 30/01/2023 19:23

No. They don't 🤣

MrsHamlet · 30/01/2023 19:25

JangolinaPitt · 30/01/2023 19:22

The heads who have already decided to close the schools don't know who would have been striking, so everyone gets paid including those who would otherwise have been on strike - because as has been endlessly pointed out, no-one had to say they roll strike ubt the actual day.

No they don't.

User17498765 · 30/01/2023 19:26

They get pay from the hardship fund don't they

MrsHamlet · 30/01/2023 19:27

User17498765 · 30/01/2023 19:26

They get pay from the hardship fund don't they

No they don't

spanieleyes · 30/01/2023 19:27

But, even if they don't say until the actual day, they have to say on the day otherwise if they don't say they are striking they are expected to work, even if the school is closed!

User17498765 · 30/01/2023 19:28

MrsHamlet · 30/01/2023 19:27

No they don't

Show quote history

What is it for then

JangolinaPitt · 30/01/2023 19:30

Only if the head mandates actual attendance.

MrsHamlet · 30/01/2023 19:30

User17498765 · 30/01/2023 19:28

What is it for then

Show quote history

Hardship.
Boiler blew up and I can't afford to replace it.
Car blew up ditto.
Can't pay the bills.
Can't feed the kids.

Not strike pay. Unless it directly causes hardship.

MrsHamlet · 30/01/2023 19:31

JangolinaPitt · 30/01/2023 19:30

Only if the head mandates actual attendance.

Which they will - even if not on site - because they're not paying striking staff.

spanieleyes · 30/01/2023 19:32

If you are working, you work! It's not a day off if school is closed unless you are striking, in which case you don't work and you don't get paid.

itsjustnotok · 30/01/2023 19:32

@roarfeckingroarr I don’t think they are happy though are they? Ultimately, as much as it puts out parents they aren’t babysitters and the working conditions they have are crap. Our school are closing but they won’t know until the day if anyone is coming in or not, so decided to close. The students will be set work by teachers not on strike and it will be emailed though. If the teacher is on strike then they won’t get work. No one is obliged to tell the school and if they did know it makes the strike pointless because it won’t be as disruptive. So the schools are doing the best they can with the information they have.

VerbenaGirl · 30/01/2023 19:32

Both our schools gave about a week’s notice of which years will be out on Wednesday. Staff don’t have to tell the SLT, but there’s a pretty supportive ethos - so most have.

DuchessOfDisco · 30/01/2023 19:32

Do you also get upset when the weather decides to snow and close the school with zero notice? How dare Mother Nature mess up your childcare plans like that.
at least teachers are causing this disruption to better your children’s education (to have the py rise funded by the gov and not come out of existing budgets so there is more money for you dc to have rescources, TA’s, school trips etc. strike or no strike teachers are still getting offered a reasonable pay rise, we just want the funding for it too for the sake of our pupils )

5hj56 · 30/01/2023 19:33

No, the head can mandate working from home. If you intend to do it, you say so and do. If you intend to withdraw your labour, you must say so in order to do so.

louise5754 · 30/01/2023 19:33

Dd12 friends are going to the cinema. Dd hasn't asked to go but I've told her it's not a bank holiday and they will have work set.

5hj56 · 30/01/2023 19:35

louise5754 · 30/01/2023 19:33

Dd12 friends are going to the cinema. Dd hasn't asked to go but I've told her it's not a bank holiday and they will have work set.

They'll only actually have work set if their teachers are working...

SeeYouNextTLol · 30/01/2023 19:36

All the schools I know have given notice of closure or have said open to certain year groups so that is strange they are waiting to confirm. Just like not receiving mail, being able to travel by train or having a hospital appointment cancelled. Its part and parcel of strikes. You have to get on with it. It is what it is.

Greywhippet · 30/01/2023 19:43

There is such ignorance about strikes on here it’s scary.
Strikes can be called off if the negotiations are successful. Negotiations can go right to the wire.
Striking workers don’t get paid for the day they miss. Scabs do get paid, but they need to turn up to work on that day, school closure or not.
The hardship fund does not give out strike pay. Anyone applying to it needs substantial proof of hardship.
There is no obligation on any worker to say whether they are going to strike or not and though they can be asked, they don’t have to answer. Reps for the union give numbers anticipated and heads can work it out from there. However, some workers may turn back rather than cross a picket line so it’s impossible to know until the day.
Finally, strikes are meant to cause disruption. If it’s so appalling to not be able to send your child in for the day, maybe the system should be properly funded and teachers paid in line with inflation
Also:
schools are not child care!
Also:
Support striking teachers. At the very least listen to them.

Abraxan · 30/01/2023 19:46

I mean, they categorically are trying to be obstructive. So long as the teachers are happy though, bugger us parents.

I think the whole point is that a great many teachers aren't happy. Hence the strikes.

Have you seen the state of our education system right now? Lack of funding, lack of teachers, lack of resources - been going on for years and the government have failed to act. Even the latest pay rise offer was properly funded with schools expected to cover the increasing salary bill from existing funds.

Do you feel the same way about all the other strikes in several other sectors?

Greywhippet · 30/01/2023 19:47

SeeYouNextTLol · 30/01/2023 19:36

All the schools I know have given notice of closure or have said open to certain year groups so that is strange they are waiting to confirm. Just like not receiving mail, being able to travel by train or having a hospital appointment cancelled. Its part and parcel of strikes. You have to get on with it. It is what it is.

Any work that has been set for them to do in a lesson for which their teacher is striking should not have been set and should not be completed

Greywhippet · 30/01/2023 19:48

Sorry that was meant to a reply to the poster whose daughter is going to the cinema!

purpledalmation · 30/01/2023 19:50

the union advised member who were striking not to inform the headteacher etc. Really petty and disruptive. Lost my vote.