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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Teachers strike... what will actually happen in end?!

382 replies

SpringPop · 28/06/2023 18:55

My school is striking again next week with others that have teachers from the particular union.

All that is happening is parents are getting massively angry. Kids are missing out. I've used so much holiday on strike days as I have multiple children. I know my anger should not be directed to school but exactly where can I direct it to? I'm pretty sure my MP wouldn't care. He's completely useless.

The government don't seem to care.

I personally think something needs to change in that profession and funding in my area is shocking! It's probably not attracting the best people to the profession and certainly is driving people away.

However, am I right in thinking rishi and co don't care?! Teachers could do 5, 10, 100 days and it seems they won't budge right?

Parents don't seem to care or get angry enough, short of tweeting about it or writing to MP. It isn't really enough to get this resolved.

How do you think this situation will end?

OP posts:
Happyfluffball · 30/06/2023 18:53

Saywhatevernow · 30/06/2023 18:41

However, you are happy that teaching is so poorly paid for the work and qualifications needed- there is a huge teacher shortage. How does that work? Children are suffering already.

I am not happy that there is a shortage but the strikes are making it worse for everyone else and they never lead to any underlying problems being solved anyway.

Fairislefandango · 30/06/2023 18:58

I am not happy that there is a shortage but the strikes are making it worse for everyone else and they never lead to any underlying problems being solved anyway.

Teachers have the right to do what is in their power to change things. You can't guarantee nothing will change as a result. A few days of no school are not 'making it worse for everybody'.

TheSnootiestFox · 30/06/2023 19:02

Feenie · 30/06/2023 18:21

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣You had me going there, but you properly jumped the shark with that last comment! There’s no way you’re an ex-teacher.

Oh I absolutely am. 15 years man and boy. But as a card carrying Tory it was like being a square peg in a round hole. Anyone wanting to educate kids and support them in achieving their ambitions in life gets trampled over by the politics and bullying. My lived experience again so please don't tell me I'm wrong 🙄 my opinion is just as valid as anyone else's here. I'd go back tomorrow if I could as I miss the kids but there's redundancies being made at my old school right now, probably to put wriggle room in the budget for whatever pay rise you all demand 🙄 how to shoot yourself in the foot and you're all too busy frothing to realise you're doing it. It'd be hilarious if it wasn't so serious.

Saywhatevernow · 30/06/2023 19:08

Happyfluffball · 30/06/2023 18:53

I am not happy that there is a shortage but the strikes are making it worse for everyone else and they never lead to any underlying problems being solved anyway.

No they really aren’t. The government are making it worse. For a start, they have no intention of implementing the independent review bodies recommendation.

Saywhatevernow · 30/06/2023 19:10

TheSnootiestFox · 30/06/2023 19:02

Oh I absolutely am. 15 years man and boy. But as a card carrying Tory it was like being a square peg in a round hole. Anyone wanting to educate kids and support them in achieving their ambitions in life gets trampled over by the politics and bullying. My lived experience again so please don't tell me I'm wrong 🙄 my opinion is just as valid as anyone else's here. I'd go back tomorrow if I could as I miss the kids but there's redundancies being made at my old school right now, probably to put wriggle room in the budget for whatever pay rise you all demand 🙄 how to shoot yourself in the foot and you're all too busy frothing to realise you're doing it. It'd be hilarious if it wasn't so serious.

One has to ask why you have so much time to post on mumsnet or indeed care so much? Spinning more than a waltzer.

noblegiraffe · 30/06/2023 19:21

Happyfluffball · 30/06/2023 18:31

I don't agree with the teacher strikes. At the end of the day it's the innocent parents and children that suffer rather than the government. When the teachers get a payrise it comes out of existing school funding so the schools will be even more run down and poorly funded.

We're also demanding that the pay rise is funded.

The last offer was overwhelmingly rejected, partly because they were only going to fund 0.5% of it.

The DfE did some research that showed that the offer might have been accepted if it had been funded and then went and did a bunch of webinars with heads trying to tell them that it was actually funded. Heads basically told them they didn't know what they were talking about. The DfE then had to concede that it was actually unaffordable for many schools.

So don't pretend that teachers are demanding money at the expense of their school, we know what the consequences are.

Baconisdelicious · 30/06/2023 19:45

How much more money are teachers wanting? God I'm drawing September I think they will be more strikes ahead

we were offered 5%. Many of us would have accepted that if it had been funded. It wasn’t funded. The only thing that would have happened with that is yet more experienced, capable teachers were suddenly subjected to disciplinary proceedings, despite good exam results, based on one so-called unsatisfactory lesson observation.

Em2ds1dd · 30/06/2023 19:57

Of course if you reduced the 24% pension contribution the employers pay, then you could have a huge pay rise that is fully funded 🤷‍♀️but your pensions would be a more realistic eg 8% funded plus the same from the teachers giving you a still very generous 16% pension, still more than double what many non-public sector workers get.

noblegiraffe · 30/06/2023 19:57

We weren't even offered 5%, it was 4.5%.

noblegiraffe · 30/06/2023 20:09

Em2ds1dd · 30/06/2023 19:57

Of course if you reduced the 24% pension contribution the employers pay, then you could have a huge pay rise that is fully funded 🤷‍♀️but your pensions would be a more realistic eg 8% funded plus the same from the teachers giving you a still very generous 16% pension, still more than double what many non-public sector workers get.

The teacher pension scheme is unfunded, meaning that employer contributions are not paying for future teacher pensions (i.e. they're not paying into my pension) but they are paying for the pension of currently retired teachers.

Em2ds1dd · 30/06/2023 20:28

According to the DFE, the pension is one of the most generous public sector pensions worth £7k Pa to the teacher on average pay, and will provide an index linked pension to that same teacher of c.£30k pa on retirement.
There's plenty can be done to re-jig some of that money to support teachers now while they’re working. After all that’s your concern, that teachers are leaving because they can’t afford to feed their families etc in current pay.

Source
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/teachers-pension-scheme-protected-to-ensure-it-remains-among-most-lucrative

Teachers strike... what will actually happen in end?!
noblegiraffe · 30/06/2023 20:31

A typical career path for teachers is to quit within 5 years, so that's not exactly racking up a lot of pension.

There's plenty can be done to re-jig some of that money to support teachers now

How, when it is paying for currently retired teacher pensions?

Feenie · 30/06/2023 20:43

Tory-bots out in force on this thread. Which one of you is Gillian Keegan? #doyourjobgill

noblegiraffe · 30/06/2023 20:52

Doubt any of them are Gillian, she doesn't actually talk to teachers.

StarDolphins · 30/06/2023 20:57

I am a bit on the fence with this. I work for a company that supplies what could be described in cash strapped times asa luxury (that I didn’t have in my school growing up) & we’re absolutely run of our feet with orders from schools, but I have so much sympathy for the teachers that are so overstretched & stressed.

noblegiraffe · 30/06/2023 20:59

And what are these luxury items?

Em2ds1dd · 30/06/2023 21:00

How about the unions go to the government with a suggestion that they are prepared to review the pension scheme provision in return for better pay now?

Genuinely, you’ve been striking for ages, and have not achieved higher pay. Perhaps it’s time to start thinking creatively, there’s one pot of money, change how you spend it.

BeeHappy12 · 30/06/2023 21:01

I think a lot can be taken from today's announcement regarding the NHS and the introduction of lower skilled doctors and nurses to 'fill the gap'

Although i find it incredibly sad, i think the government will try to do the same thing to the teaching profession but they'll probably go further in that the majority of new teaching graduates will be based on an apprenticeship model (no fee tuition, learn on the job).
It will be unlikely that these qualifications will be recognised in other first world countries will tie new teachers to the UK and it'll mean there will be no need to give existing teachers a salary increase.

Please someone tell me I'm wrong 😭

Abbimae · 30/06/2023 21:02

All these people so up in arms you are inconvenienced due to strikes hate teachers so. Don’t worry, there will be none left soon, so you got your wish :) you didn’t think they were worth the pay, so they all quit. Enjoy home Ed

Em2ds1dd · 30/06/2023 21:04

Feenie · 30/06/2023 20:43

Tory-bots out in force on this thread. Which one of you is Gillian Keegan? #doyourjobgill

Try using your intellect not your prejudices.

Feenie · 30/06/2023 21:06

To spot bots? Doesn’t take any, too obvious.

NetflixAndGin · 30/06/2023 21:09

I'm a teacher and have been on strike every day I could. I agree with you, the govt do not care, but if we sit back now and do nothing, we firstly look very stupid and the govt get away scott-free with treating vital public services with zero respect or care. It will also mean all the money weve already lost (which is a lot, roughly 100 a day) has been for nothing. We feel useless. The govt have absolutely made us scapegoats atm, we do not want your children to miss out on education and that is exactly why we do what we do by working so hard for so many hours every day for little thanks and little monday. It's a stalemate and we are at a loss because the govt have now even refused to accept/release the "independent" review into teacher pay.

Em2ds1dd · 30/06/2023 21:24

Feenie · 30/06/2023 21:06

To spot bots? Doesn’t take any, too obvious.

Or you don’t have any. #notabot

StarDolphins · 30/06/2023 21:38

noblegiraffe · 30/06/2023 20:59

And what are these luxury items?

I’m not going to say as it’s very outing & quite niche but it’s definitely not essential to learning.

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