To think midwife’s get a rubbish deal compared to teachers?

[Midwifeacher]

Both should earn more than they do, obviously. My sister is trying to choose between midwifery and teaching. Both seem so different but she wants a guaranteed career and is trying to decide which route to take. I’ve been running comparisons with her.Whats shocked me is what a shoddy deal midwifes seem to get. Before taking into account that obviously, sadly, it carry huge emotional weight when things go wrong. Not entirely comparable in profession but why would anyone do this job?

Starting salary:
Midwife - £29,970
Teacher - £32,916

Highest salary without going into leadership
Midwife - £42,618
Teacher - £45,321

Holidays:
Teacher - 13 weeks plus term time bank holidays (though some unpaid, this is included in above salary) major holidays off, no flexibility to take term time off
Midwife - 27 days plus bank holidays, often work major holidays, can book time off when needed, though hard to get approval.

Pension (employer contribution):
Teacher - 28.6%
Midwife - 23.7%

Shifts:
Teacher - 6.5 hour shift mon-fri daytime (student facing) lots of reported overtime
Midwife - 12 hour shift inc evenings and weekends (patient facing) lots of reported overtime

AIBU to think midwives are getting a crap deal? Is it because they’re not as unionised?

also she’s obviously not basing which career she goes for on the above factors, but it has to be taken into consideration!

I don’t really get the point of this post. Both are incredibly demanding jobs which are hugely valuable to society and deserve much better pay and conditions. Both are immensely rewarding (in terms of making a positive contribution to society) and both get "a rubbish deal".

Thank you. That's surely what the main point should be.

Well... I work in software (programmer) and my salary (currently at market rate in the private sector), in spite of two payrises within 6 months doesn't get near the starting salary of a teacher, but is a little more than the starting salary of a midwife.

Then again, I WFH 80% of the time and I save a good amount of money in not commuting. I guess more value is put into educating kids than it is helping to bring them into the world. It's all very upside down.

Of course midwives get a raw deal.

Nurses too, and HCP's in general.

I know of no profession that gets six weeks off in the summer. None.

Not true. UPS is for experience, not responsibility. A common mistake though and a lot of teachers are tricked into taking responsibility for UPS. I’m UPS3 and am just a bog standard teacher- I am union rep though! So I know the pay scale very well 😂

Hardly anyone wants to be a teacher any more. a LOT of women want to be a mid wife.

I'd pick midwifery over teaching.
There isn't enough money in the world to attract me into teaching.

I left primary teaching last year after 21 years in. My only regret is I didn't leave for sooner.
Things I can do now that I couldn't as a teacher include:
Going to the toilet when I need to, having at least 20 mins for something to eat at lunch, going on holiday out of ridiculously expensive times, taking my own 5 yo to school and collecting her occasionally, attending her nativity and sports day, not working for many unpaid hours every day including a lot of weekends and holidays, not having the constant threat of observations and Ofsted.
Avoid!

Midwife - fear of litigation 100%
Teacher - fear of litigation probably 5% or less

Midwives do 12 hour shifts but then have more days off per week. And midwives get paid extra for picking up extra shifts, teachers often work a lot of extra hours but don’t get overtime pay. And of course, midwives can choose when to take their holiday rather than being stuck with school holidays. Not saying midwives have it easier, just some points you missed.

I think its more a parent might not sue for a birth injury thats well known, but a child becomes and adult and can decide they will. Its not necessarily about a new impact. Although I thought it was to 21 not 25. They get 3 years as an adult to file thier own claim.

School records are kept to 21.

Exchange and double it for those that work in social care

lots of jobs require you to keep records for a long time. Schools for example.

So let’s say Joe is diagnosed with a heart issue at 15. Are they really going to try and prove that something that may or may not have happened during his delivery caused it. Over, let’s say, his pre school booster. I can see they might want his medical history but not necessarily to point blame unless there is a glaring error.

Oh I don’t know. Has this happened do we know - perhaps I am talking bollocks.

You are confusing leadership role with managerial role….very different….band 5 is a leadership role.
when I was a band 6 I didn’t manage anyone …..band 6 top pay is over 46k

But you researched this before starting your career?

Well of course. The holidays are related to the schools being closed for children What other profession would this apply to?
I'd give a lot for the opportunity to work from home.

I work in a hospital but I have to say teachers are very restricted in having time off. Replacing a teacher is harder. Theres no bank staff like MW. I also wouldn't want to be restricted to only booking holidays in 1/2 term the prices are extortionate. 7 weeks annual leave but you will get 3 days off a week sometimes 4 so tbh MW get a better deal regarding holidays by far. I do agree though that the both jobs are very different and wonder why OPs Sister has narrowed it down to these 2 inparticular?

School nurse get 6 weeks off where I work

So different that the comparison is meaningless. My sister went from teaching and after her kids became a midwife. I think she arrived in her new job at a tough time but it gives her way more joy.

It’s a really strange thread.

I’m a teacher but I have absolutely no desire to be a playscheme worker. There’d also be very little point in paying qualified teacher rates to people running a holiday club. Total waste of money!

That's just wrong. A teacher in Scotland gets paid £34,938 in their probationary year rising to £52,614 at the top of the unprompted scale. That's a good salary for any new graduate and a decent salary progression too compared to other public and voluntary sector roles.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/general/salary-for-teachers-in-scotland-pay-scale

I think unless you've worked in both it really is impossible to compare properly.

Most teachers I know do at least 50 hours a week, if not more, and spend a good chunk of the holidays going planning, completing SEN work (the forms and processes for each child can apparently take hours) and the required cpd. I expect in the end they are pretty similar. Yes teachers technically get more holidays, but they aren't paid for it and have to take it at the most expensive times.

Probably much of a muchness, but I don't know any midwives to compare it to.

@piscofrisco I work for the nhs in community mental health with young people. Social care I could and never would do. I cannot even imagine handling the abuse received as the staff member and also the abuse uncovered / witnessed / dealt with. It’s shit out there.

@Yerdug Teacher - risks every day unsubstantiated accusations of gross misconduct (especially when on own with a class).

@WearyAuldWumman I'm really sorry that happened to you, that is unforgivable.