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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

for the welfare to be on srike next week at school for 2 days

87 replies

dmo · 11/07/2008 20:46

got a letter home tonight from school to say school will be closed on weds and thurs from 12pm till 1pm as there are no welfare staff to supervise the children. all children must be taken off the school property WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so cross

OP posts:
1dilemma · 11/07/2008 21:20

comeon guys the fact that someone else will be along shortly who can do the job doesn't justify treating staff as you wish.
we're all replaceable at work but we still hope our employer will treat us decently

Original poster
dmo · 11/07/2008 21:21

btw not mad for me my sons are at high school and are not at strike
mad for all the working parents in the school that will cause upset at their work (think of it as a spider web) all for 1hr

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 11/07/2008 21:22

yes, god forbid anyone be inconvenienced for a paltry thing like working conditions and pay.

Original poster
dmo · 11/07/2008 21:23

in the primary school (that i pick up from)

OP posts:
23balloons · 11/07/2008 21:30

expat in the borough my kids go to school in theirs is the ONLY school closed on Wed & Thurs do you really think that will result in a pay rise/better working conditions for everyone in the whole boroug?

What is annoying my a lot is that no other school is striking so what is the point? I would support the strike if every school was on strike, if all of the unions had joined forces and decided to make a real impact but this strike is only affecting one school in my borough - what is the point in that?

I am lucky as I have managed to arrange cover (although am running out of favours) but a friend who recently managed to find a full time job after a long search is going to be really stuck as her husband is using all of his holidays to cover the summer holidays to which start the next week. She really cannot afford £50 in childcare/day to put her kids in the kidsclub while the teachers are in the school doing who knows what?

expatinscotland · 11/07/2008 21:31

yes, 23, i actually think their going on strike is worth it.

SaintGeorge · 11/07/2008 21:33

I am a lunchtime supervisor.

Pay is shite, conditions are shite.

I am not striking but I support fully all my colleagues who choose to do so.

dmo/23balloons - try walking a mile in someone else's shoes, see how you like it then eh? Not all of us have choices.

Original poster
dmo · 11/07/2008 21:33

its only the people in the union that can strike
true it would be better if all the schools did the same and closed as it would be a bigger inpacted

OP posts:
Original poster
dmo · 11/07/2008 21:34

tell me about your working cond

OP posts:
HonoriaGlossop · 11/07/2008 21:40

i just think how incredibly important all these staff are to my ds. The lunchtime supervisors take them for packed lunch picnics on the grass, sort out upsetting world shattering 5 year old's disputes and help with a plaster and a cuddle for scrapes....the TA's are AS important to DS as the teachers....the office staff know all the kids by name and have looked after many in the office while parents turn up to pick up ill children, plus do first aid, plus many sit on the PTA and that's on top of all the work of running a large institution...

It's not 'all for the sake of an hour' what these people do in schools is HUGELY important.

23balloons · 11/07/2008 21:41

I don't for one minute believe this strike will result in a pay rise over what has already been offered but if it does who is going to foot the bill? Are you happy to pay more council tax?
Beleive me there are very good pension deals in schools and from what I have seen very few admin staff remain beyond 3pm. So 14 weeks off/year, a good pension and short hours are the trade off for poor pay IME. As I said before if I wanted more pay then I could get a job in a private company but who would look after my kids before, after school and in the holidays?

SaintGeorge · 11/07/2008 21:44

I get sworn at, hit, kicked, spat at on a regular basis - I can do nothing in return.

I get paid for exactly 1 hour and 20 minutes per day (the length of the lunchhour) despite having to remain until every child in my care is safely back in the classroom, regardless of how long that might take.

I have to work outside in all weathers, yet get no wet weather payments or clothing allowance (other similar grade staff do).

I have to attend compulsory training sessions, outside of my normal working day, yet have no automatic right to pay for my time or time off in lieu.

Shall I go on?

DanJARMouse · 11/07/2008 21:45

ok back again.

it isnt JUST primary schools though, its hig schools too.

my dad works in a high school.

he gets to work at 7.50am, and is lucky to be home again by 5pm

he often brings work home too.

it isnt as black and white as you make out.

you have NO IDEA.

Good for Unison for doing what they are doing.

1dilemma · 11/07/2008 21:54

23balloons
if asked of course I don't want to pay more money but my children attend school (or will) and I really believe that people have a right to decent pay and working conditions so if that's what it costs then we must find it.
personally there are millions of pounds 'wasted' so I'd rather some savings were made there.

Similar in London where Boris has just announced that those in city hall will be paid the London living wage, I don't really want to pay for it but if that is what is needed then I must, shame on Ken for being all talk about this but no action

(it is one of my beliefs that we have been living in a fashion where we are not paying the true cost of our actions for some time and the chickens are coming home to roost, I don't know whether we can undo all the damage but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try-hijack over)

1dilemma · 11/07/2008 21:55

oh and pensions for most public sector staff are deferred salary gov. recognises this

Nemoandthefishes · 11/07/2008 21:57

isnt just dinner ladies is across the board from traffic wardens to caretakers to council workers.

1dilemma · 11/07/2008 21:59

Yeah traffic wardens
Hope you're right!

Original poster
dmo · 11/07/2008 22:03

I have to work outside in all weathers, yet get no wet weather payments or clothing allowance (other similar grade staff do).

i walk the children to school in all weathers

I have to attend compulsory training sessions, outside of my normal working day, yet have no automatic right to pay for my time or time off in lieu.

so do i, i normally attend one work shop (be it eveining or weekend) once or twice a month

i work 7.15am until 6.15pm (50weeks a year)
dont get paid on time (sometimes not at all)
paperwork after hours
messy house to clean (in my own time)
extra overtime when parents run late for no extra money
put up with gieve from parents/children and can do nothing about it

all i am saying is we all have grot bits in our jobs but we do them, when i do get fed up i will change jobs but as i am i love my job, i do hope they raise your wage but the other things you talk about will prob never change

OP posts:
23balloons · 11/07/2008 22:04

I think I have said all I need to really. Of course I would like better pay but in this economic climate do you think the shop workers etc are getting a pay rise?

My husband works in a private company and does get paid well but 2 people are getting made redundant next week because the company can't afford to keep paying them - they can't bill the tax payer for extra pay. Most staff in schools are fantastic but some are rubbish and I think the problem is that everyone gets the same pay rise regardless of performance ( at least that is what I am lead to believe - not worked there that long?)

I can sympathise with the dinner ladies and don;t know what the solution is but I don't think disrupting children's education and burdening working parents barely coping as it is is the answer.

bozza · 11/07/2008 22:07

I can actually see both sides - although I think it is less of a big deal as a childminder. It is a very tricky time (planned?) because of being so close to the holidays. I have five weeks of childcare to sort out (have childminder for last week) and now two extra days. I am in turmoil at work - tupe transferring etc and so is a real PITA>

bozza · 11/07/2008 22:09

And in the last 3 years I have been late to collect DS from the childminder once and it was on my birthday. Never late for nursery in the 7 years I have used it. I always pay on time and am always polite to her. Can't speak for DS but he is quite a good lad - just a bit dreamy.

Original poster
dmo · 11/07/2008 22:10

your one of the good ones

OP posts:
SaintGeorge · 11/07/2008 22:12

dmo, I suggest since your work conditions are also not all that great you should talk to the management about a payrise. If they offer a rise that is in effect a cut since it is way under inflation AND they are unyielding and will not make improvements in conditions, then you should seriously consider industrial action.

Original poster
dmo · 11/07/2008 22:16

i work for myself
my boss is mean and wont give me a payrise

OP posts:
Original poster
dmo · 11/07/2008 22:17

on mondays i only have 1 child so am on £3 per hr
but i love my job so much

OP posts: