To refuse to stay at work late?

[Onlyyours]

I’m a teacher. Due to strikes a parents evening has been rearranged, but I had plans for that evening.

Am I within my rights to refuse to do it, given the circumstances?

I thought the whole point of the strikes was to 'disrupt', wasn't it? OP doesn't want to lose money but lots of patents have lost income due to the strikes.

4 weeks is entirely reasonable notice.

No it isn’t. She was available and they changed the goalposts.

YANBU OP but only you know the possible implications for you at work if you say no.

these things happen my kids have both had teachers be sick at parents night, it’s not the end of the world. In primary it was rescheduled, in secondary another teacher took it instead

I wasn't striking either but I'm still out of pocket because of teachers striking!

In my mind, the fact you were available and happy to work that evening makes it different.

let your head and hr know you can’t do the new date, be clear you were available on the original date and have booked tickets that can’t be refunded. State you are happy to be available another evening for video calls with parents.

Yanbu. Don't miss your concert.

That’s the point of striking. That due to the inconvenience caused to people the government back down

The whole point of the strikes is to make school better. For children as well as staff.
On paper it is about pay as that is the only reason we are allowed to strike. However

Current requirements are not sustainable. We are losing staff left right and centre. There are not enough teachers. More people are leaving than are training. We canny recruit science and maths teachers

There is not enough funding.
The last payrise was not funded so schools had to cut other things to afford it.
Fucks sake look at the big picture.

Op, you haven’t told us what the response was from the Headteacher/SLT when you explained your dilemma.

So what's the OP's point? She doesn't want to attend the parents evening because she's spent money on tickets. Why should the strikes not affect teachers as well? Don't vote for them if you don't like the consequences.

4 weeks is plenty of notice YABU

Don't vote for them if you don't like the consequences.

OP didn't vote for them so why should she lose out. Just give parents the option for school cloud consultation a different time.

She already said she wasn’t striking and in any event, teachers also lose pay for striking.

She’s entitled to a life outside of school and reading the other thread on the go just now about the abuse teachers get why should she give up an event she’s been looking forward to to appease arsehole parents.

so everyone who thinks OP should go to the parents' evening: what you are saying is that a teacher should never ever arrange something for outside of their regular work hours, even if it was on the calender, because... why?

Stop being so bloody precious, no wonder you lack support from the public, always moaning, always badly done too. Get a grip and get on with it, 4 weeks is plenty of notice.

@Onlyyours as PPs have said, offer to give feedback to parents on a different evening / by email / phone etc. The school has changed the goalposts; you booked your tickets in good faith. If they are awkward, contact your union.

Andecdata, I know, but in 2010 when William and Kate got married and an extra BH was announced, our then HT changed the Easter holiday dates to fit around that. One teacher had a holiday to Berlin already booked, and there was no problem about them having the time off.

Oh, and get this thread moved to the Staffroom so that the trolls don't see it. FFS, no wonder the recruitment and retention stats for teaching are so appalling!

I had plans for the strike days which I had to change and rearrange. Many parents did. We had to suck it up.

Now your parents have got to fit in round your theatre plans?

😳

i don’t think the 4 weeks notice is an issue, concert tickets can be sold over a year in advance, you can’t be expected to make no plans, ever, in case something comes up at work.
the point is the op has paid for tickets for an event that they can’t change the date of and also can’t get a refund for, why the hell shouldn’t they be able to go??
this is an event that is outside of usual working hours and on a date when nothing was on their school calendar at the beginning of the year when the calendar was confirmed.
OP, there is no way I wouldn’t be going to that concert. Offer to do the parents eve another night, video/phone calls.

Tricky one - first stop should be your union rep. Offer to e-mail all parents and be available for phone calls after school on one specific day if parents want them.

There is deliberate provocation on here which is best ignored. Staffroom not the most active of places so I’d rather it stayed as i would like to know my actual legal position, if anyone knows!

"Many hourly and salaried workers have to work late and don’t have a months notice."

Not true. I have done hourly paid and salaried (not manager) work and my boss cannot force me to do overtime, paid or not. My hours are in my contract.

I wouldn't be cancelling a concert for anything other than a family emergency. A parents' evening isn't that big a deal. You'll make yourself available at a different time for anyone who desperately needs to speak to you, presumably?

The calendar is agreed prior to the academic year so you are well within your rights to have made plans. You can refuse to do the changed evening on that basis.
Speak to the head and ask what they suggest.

Go to your concert! You planned it months ago and you’re looking forward to it. Speak to you union and ask their advice on how to approach your head?