This strike isn't actually related to single status- its about the annual payrise settlement, which is below inflation. Of course, the official inflation figures do not actually represent the real rise in costs for all in UK this year- which affect the low-paid most- food, petrol, fuel etc. Low-paid workers who do not drive still pay higher costs as a result of petrol price increases, because food goes up by so much... or should they not eat?
If a school is just closed during lunch hour, then childrens' education is not being affected- support staff do not teach them.
Schools' staff in particular actually have quite a bad deal in terms of hours/pay- they almost always arrive well before, and leave well after their allocated hours, which they aren't paid for. At least admin workers in council offices where they clock in and out get paid for the actual hours they do.
Its all the little things though- in our authority, Social Workers (ie not a desk job, out visiting homes/schools all the time, often in extremely dodgy circumstances, alone) do not get work mobiles. If they wish to make a call when out and about, they have to use their own, which is not re-imbursed. There is ONE work mobile phone per area office.
Buildings staff (ie cleaners in old money) often work split shifts, which isn't horrific if you live close to work (ie round the corner), but when you have to get 3 buses to work each day, it gets beyond a joke.