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/

@PaperHalo

I’m failing to under what is so horrifying about expecting teachers to continue to work... like bus drivers, prison officers, supermarket workers, pharmacists, care workers, vets, accommodation managers... all of whom would expect to come in to contact with 30+ people a day? Should all of these people refuse to go to work too? And expect to continue to receive 100% of their pay?

If any of those workers are in small rooms with the same 30 people all day, with no social distancing, screens or PPE, then they should also be demanding safe workplaces.

@PaperHalo true but they do have more opportunity to distance from their customers. But yeah they also don't have an I'm alright Jack Union behind them.

PaperHalo

Firstly no one has refused to work.
The unions are proposing that work is done remotely.
Secondly, teachers have very few of the safety provisions that those in your post have.

[quote motherrunner]@kowari Have they got phones with internet enabled? Students who I teach that didn’t even have a phone were offered a school laptop or a place in school to use IT facilities.[/quote]
Mine has a tablet, but my point was that many families wouldn't have one per person. I wouldn't expect a child to do school work on anything smaller than a tablet.

The hypocricy if teachers are willing to send their kids in to be cared for by someone if they're not willing to go onto schools themselves is staggering. 'But it's socially distanced' is a figleaf

Read the Union position carefully. They want a two week period of remote learning to allow safety measures to be put into place.

Oh, and I will still send my toddler to at least some part time childcare in the event of wfh home again, only because I got parental complaints during the last period of SI that she interrupted class Zooms.

You can’t win with some people.

running the risk of a disease with a comparable death rate to flu

More ill-informed nonsense.

DrRamsesEmerson

What makes teachers so special that they should have to work with no health and safety provision?

@FrippEnos

mrjuno Now, that's probably true. I just feel so frustrated to see people becoming unionised and refusing to work when there are people who are absolutely desperate to work and bring in some money (that's my situation, anyway). I'd run the risk of Covid in return for a reasonable salary.

So why are you not going back into the classroom?
There is still a shortage of teachers.
I am sure that you could get a job in teaching if you actually wanted one.

And also @noblegiraffe

Thank you, Noble, for the tes link.

I suspect that I am now unemployable as I left the profession over 20 years ago. Things will have moved on in every possible way. I don't even have a PGCE as they weren't necessarily required when I started. Then, a PhD was qualification enough for some schools. So while I was a pretty good teacher, I would now be regarded as unqualified. Which is why I thought that if teachers don't want to do the job, I could step in short-term and in return for money. If schools wanted to stay open, they might overlook the lack of a PGCE. I do realise, though, that this is pie in the sky.

Meanwhile, we're all stuck in the shit.

And who will support me when I lose my job because I won’t be able to work with two children at home.

@princessandthedragon ask the fucking government. We should not be expected to risk our health, children's health and the wider spread of Covid on society for the sake of parents' earnings. My family is affected too (my DH is not a KW and can't WFH).

The scandal is that we've got a section of society sitting in protected privilege working at home while others take it all on, on their behalf, for no thanks. It's parents who can't WFH who are going to have to pay the price for the time being - again - because the government has put nothing in place to support them financially and to protect their jobs. So campaign for this to happen and don't blame school staff.

[quote DrRamsesEmerson]@FrippEnos On the contrary, I blame the Government for a great deal, they’ve handled this appallingly. But that doesn’t absolve schools and teachers of any responsibility at all - DD’s school shouldn’t have needed government guidance to tell them to mark work and give feedback.

And I am phenomenally unimpressed by the attitude of the teaching unions, I’m afraid; there isn’t even a pretence of caring about kids’ education going on (or any recognition that a hell of a lot of other people are having to leave the house and go to work notwithstanding the risks). What makes teachers so special? As someone pointed out upthread, if NHS staff took the same approach, we’d all be stuffed.[/quote]
Less children in school make NHS workers safer (and by extension all of us safer as hospitals are less likely to be overwhelmed).

Teachers aren't special - all workers should expect their workplaces to be made safer. Social distancing, reduced capacity, PPE etc.

Our vets don't let anyone in the building. You have to wait outside and leave your pet by the door for collection. You have to stand by a window to talk to anyone or pay.

All supermarket workers I see wear masks and have screens by the till. There are constant reminders to keep 2m distance and customers have to wear masks. Bus drivers wear masks as do passengers.

I’m an NEU member but I’ll be going in on Tuesday (inset Monday, which is remote).

So while I was a pretty good teacher, I would now be regarded as unqualified

You're allowed to work in academies without a teaching qualification.

Nothing stopping you.

@mrjuno they don't know whether it's a sterilising virus. That's not the same as thinking it isn't. There is simply not enough data yet. Even if it doesn't prevent transmission, why would it be useless? Vaccinate the vulnerable and you're left with a minor illness, which only needs to be a problem if you decide to be really anxious about all health risks. This remains a mild illness for most people. That hasn't changed in spite of the insane panic.

[quote mrjuno]@Achristmaspudsskidu I haven't worked as a teacher for a very long time. I wasn't working as a teacher prior to the first lockdown. I moved into another sector that enabled me to be at home with the children before they went to school, and enabled me to work p/t after that (one of my DC has a disability and needed me to be around more than any teaching job would have allowed me to be).

However, I'd be very glad to return now.[/quote]
Fantastic! Which LEA are you?

MrJuno @Noellodee I'm glad you mentioned the vaccine. Where has it gone? Why was it being publicised a week or so ago, but now there's no mention of it? Other than that it might be bugger all use to anyone, because people might still be able to transmit Covid despite being vaccinated. Which means it solves precisely nothing. Though I would dearly love to be wrong about this.

Noellodee: Mrjuno, I suggest you read an online newspaper if you want to know anything about the vaccines. There are lots of articles, it won't matter which paper you choose.

Oh goodness, I read the newspaper endlessly (The Times, as it happens). That's where I got the information that people are still potential carriers even if they are vaccinated...

Why are you trying to say that newspapers have gone silent on the vaccine then? You know this is not the case. You also know that the Oxford vaccine has merits and drawbacks and you are cherry picking the worst possible interpretation of it. Please credit the people reading this thread with the same intelligence you credit yourself with.

And you know what, I’m not even going to read this thread because they few posts I’ve seen are mainly responding to people being fucking rude and I am honestly done with the amount of shit teachers get on here. Do the fucking job if you think it’s so easy. I can’t be bothered with it. Bunch of absolute tossers.

@mrjuno there is no longer the requirement to have any teaching qualifications at all in academy school settings. I suspect they would bite your arm off. I'd have a nose about and what academy trusts are your way. Mine are so desperate they'd employ anyone who could speak in full sentences. Seriously.

[quote mrjuno]@Noellodee I'm glad you mentioned the vaccine. Where has it gone? Why was it being publicised a week or so ago, but now there's no mention of it? Other than that it might be bugger all use to anyone, because people might still be able to transmit Covid despite being vaccinated. Which means it solves precisely nothing. Though I would dearly love to be wrong about this.[/quote]
Luckily you are wrong and not well read

[quote DrRamsesEmerson]@FrippEnos On the contrary, I blame the Government for a great deal, they’ve handled this appallingly. But that doesn’t absolve schools and teachers of any responsibility at all - DD’s school shouldn’t have needed government guidance to tell them to mark work and give feedback.

And I am phenomenally unimpressed by the attitude of the teaching unions, I’m afraid; there isn’t even a pretence of caring about kids’ education going on (or any recognition that a hell of a lot of other people are having to leave the house and go to work notwithstanding the risks). What makes teachers so special? As someone pointed out upthread, if NHS staff took the same approach, we’d all be stuffed.[/quote]
The job of a union is to care about the safety of their staff, not about people who are not their members.

Nonetheless, the NEU has done loads of campaigning around exams and free school meals for the benefit of students. It's just, this doesn't get the publicity of their current action.

I think the unions that represent NHS staff have done a woeful job of representing them so far- I'm sure some NHS staff could use the same legislation as the NEU are planning to use to refuse to work. But equally, they did take on a job knowing that there was a high risk of being exposed to fatal, infectious diseases. Teachers did not.

However, I don't think it's just about staff as such- I think the NEU believes that schools need to close until we are sure how the new strain transmits between and affects children. There are indications it could be more serious in children.

To those saying teachers shouldn't get special consideration when vets, bus staff, supermarket workers still have to work.

I work in a supermarket, I'm capable of socially distancing and wearing a mask. Have you been to a vets recently? They make you stand outside (wearing a mask) and you pay and collect medication outside the building.

All very different to a teaching environment.

mrjuno

As you left the profession 20 yrs ago, what the classroom is like now bears no resemblance to then.

But depending on your subject and that schools are crying out for teachers you could easily get a job as an unqualified teacher or instructor.

Or even as supply staff, it would take longer for the DBS to come through.

What a PP said:- What about?

bus drivers, prison officers, supermarket workers, pharmacists, care workers, vets, accommodation managers... all of whom would expect to come in to contact with 30+ people a day

Should all of these people stop work on full pay?

Teachers are key workers.

They need to be there. Perhaps restrictions are necessary. But they are key workers who need to be there. I have no respect for the teachers unions whatsoever anymore.

@ineedaholidaynow

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

That also requires adult supervision at home of course especially for younger ones, plus access to devices for all the children at home, there maybe some education offered online but there will be some children still unable to access or complete it for various reasons.

I suspect that I am now unemployable as I left the profession over 20 years ago. Things will have moved on in every possible way. I don't even have a PGCE as they weren't necessarily required when I started. Then, a PhD was qualification enough for some schools. So while I was a pretty good teacher, I would now be regarded as unqualified. Which is why I thought that if teachers don't want to do the job, I could step in short-term and in return for money. If schools wanted to stay open, they might overlook the lack of a PGCE. I do realise, though, that this is pie in the sky

There is an unqualified teacher scale-you can be paid on that.

You seem so keen to get back-I’m surprised you haven’t tried before now-there have been tons of jobs advertised since September.