NEU tells teachers not to go to work on Monday

[Workyticket]

skwawkbox.org/2021/01/02/breaking-union-tells-teachers-not-to-go-to-work-on-monday/

Well done. There needs to be something major done to highlight the unsafe workplaces that teachers and support staff are working in, it has been highlighted over and over again but no-one cares or does anything. Perhaps now they will.....

@CountessFrog

I suggest nhs do the same

If the nhs were to do this, how many deaths do you want on your hands? You do realise hospitals are at breaking point and are full to capacity? Let alone having to administer the covid vaccine. The nhs won't be doing this.

Teachers can still teach vulnerable kids and those of key workers
Like the staff and kids lives in those settings are worth nothing in this pandemic

@Juststopswimming

I dont understand people celebrating school closures. This won't be for two weeks. This will be for months. I would be amazed if kids are back by the end of Easter hols. The unions won't allow it. We are talking about an entire generation of kids effectively losing two years of education. It is utterly dire and there is absolutely nothing to be glad about.

It's not a celebration. But it is necessary to slow transmission and keep hospitals functioning (which is in all our interests - even children).

Children missed the summer term last year. They might miss spring term this year.
Yes, missing a 3rd of face to face schooling over two years is terrible, but it isn't two years of education.

@princessandthedragon I will support you. I will support a raise in Universal Income. I will support massive investment to reboot the economy and get jobs back. I will support a freeze in repossessions, a tax on wealth, opportunities for adult re-education in the wake of the virus. I will gladly pay higher taxes and vote for the party that will take care of all the people made unemployed by Covid.

It's fascinating to see how this will play out.

NEU made a mistake (in my opinion) with the #closetheschools hashing when the November lockdown was announced.

It will be interesting to see the reaction of other key workers etc.

I do think something needs to be done, but as I said fascinated to see how this plays put, even if it means my kids can't go to school in a relatively low risk area.

@DrRamsesEmerson Actually, if I do use section 44 to not teach my full class of 32 kids, I will still willingly go into school to teach a reduced sized socially distanced class of keyworker children on a rota system without sending my own children in. I will ask for some days at home working online and some at school and work out care with my partner at his house. Because I don't want them in as far as I can because - drum roll - it isn't safe.

I'm not considering this because I want to make things awkward for people. I'm considering it because rates are rising by approx 150% daily in my tier 4 area and I have 3 kids to a desk and windows that open an inch. My co2 monitor goes off about 5 minutes after 8.45am every day. And I have my class, my children, myself (vulnerable) and my elderly mum with dementia who lives with us to consider.

@StacySoloman you would be surprised. Given that in most families, both parents work and the "keyworker" industries are some of the biggest employers I can well imagine that being the case.

@Thatwentbadly

I can’t find anything on the neu website. Is it real? I’m nolonger a member.

I’m glad someone is taking it seriously.

Nothing on their webpage but it's on their twitter feed. @NEUnion is their twitter name

They have my support. If my son was still a child I would have kept him at home.

neu.org.uk/press-releases/neu-advises-primary-members-it-unsafe-return-work

And now on the webpage

I am terribly sorry for all the people who have lost so much from this shitty pandemic, in all the different ways it has affected people.

Am I only the one in the NEU that hasn't received a letter about this. I have a call tomorrow online with the NEU - I predicted it would ask staff to strike. I haven't received anything official yet about not going in on Monday from the NEU. ???

@StacySoloman, among the people I know there are a lot of key workers, but they’re nearly all the lowers earner. If only 2 keyworker households get a school place, a lot of those key workers will be resigning or taking unpaid leave, which rather defeats the object of keyworker provision.

It’s the right thing to do

@herecomesthsun

Maybe we should support them as parents

Definitely!

@noblegiraffe

It's not a strike.

It's a section 44 walkout.

Employees have the legal right to a safe workplace and the government is breaking that law.

@noblegiraffe is that part of the teachers red book ? Just wondering if it applies to all school staff or if it's from health and safety legislation

Excellent-about time! Teachers have been completely neglected in all this.

If you have teacher training then should teachers still go in on Monday? No kids just staff in school?
I’m not a teacher, asking for someone else.
Thanks.

Bloody brilliant. It’s about time we stopped expecting anyone to work in a Covid soup all day with no protection. Both teachers and DC deserve better.

For those saying it’s not ideal, no of course not. It’s a deadly global pandemic. Nothing’s ideal.

I do feel for parents whose work is not flexible and understand their worry. Sadly we really need to get on top of this virus before things get any worse. It’s fucked but we have no choice. It’s the government’s fault for letting it get to this point. “The science” recommended a circuit break lockdown in the autumn. Teachers have been raising the alarm since the summer and they were ignored.

Thank God. But the government will listen this time because at long last the headteacher's union have said enough is enough. I am pleased that the NEU is finally giving teachers the support they have needed for months, but ultimately it will be the headteacher's union that gets the government into action.

I think that teachers probably won't actually follow this. Going into work "for the sake of the children" is pretty ingrained into teachers, as is avoiding conflict with senior leaders.

I also think that having the more militant NEU do this will make Gavin Williamson dig his heels in. Ignoring scientific and public health advice is one thing, but a U turn with pressure from a union would go completely against the grain. Sadly I think this means schools are even less likely to close. It's ridiculous, but lives depend on playing games with egos.

It's fascinating to see how this will play out.

The NAHT legal action is the most interesting because it requires the government to show its reasoning that schools are safe to open.

Which it doesn't have.

Good for them, I hope are school staff do

Remote provision has to be provided now so children won't be missing out on education completely