Parents - how do you feel about teaching unions?

[Musicaldilemma]

Following various exchanges in real life and on here, I was wondering what other parents currently feel and think of teaching unions? Do you know a lot about them? What do you feel their role is and should be in this pandemic? If you are able to, please clarify if you are a parent married to a teacher or teacher parent. Or just a parent like myself with a few friends who are teachers. I was interested to see that teaching unions in Switzerland, for example, really pushed the message that schools must be and stay open for children’s mental health.

why do you think the government were not willing to work with the unions?

Because they are literally shit at their jobs. It can't have escaped your notice that even the tabloids think Gavin Williamson is a useless tosspot.

I'm loving the desperate efforts to try to blame government incompetence on the unions though. The government aren't talking to any teachers, headteachers, unions or otherwise. They've been pulled up on it by the Ed Select committee. It's why their policies are so shit and they have to u-turn so often.

They managed the unprecedented feat of uniting every teaching body against them before Christmas with their bonkers mass testing plan. Governors, the independent schools council, the Church of England Education Authority, the headteachers unions, the teaching unions, all saying 'what the fuck, Gav?' www.nga.org.uk/getmedia/e3eee94c-24cd-47ef-80f8-fadd17cde832/Joint-Union-Advice-18-Dec-2020.pdf

As for parental support, a poll on MN by yours truly (a thread for every occasion) shows that 95% of 1219 Mumsnetters want Gav to fuck off.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4112530-F-k-off-Gav-Nobody-trusts-you

@loulouljh

Just ignoring questions, then? So you don’t know anything about unions and their behaviours?

I think I understand you are trying to help and you have a point from a PR standpoint but I think your position is massively oversimplified and glosses over the history of unions and the government and the nature of positioning. FWIW I don’t think the unions have acted badly (perhaps slowly), I do think the government has avoided addressing issues (for decades) which is why you can’t compare to other countries. And while I am on the side of both teachers and children, I do not think it is reasonable to expect anyone to knowingly work in an unsafe environment especially when measures can be put in place and I am confused at parents not supporting teachers in this.

why do you think the government were not willing to work with the unions

The Government is reluctant to work with anyone who knows what they are talking about. Because - well, experts.
(It just about tolerates medical experts, but then ignores their advice as it sees fit.)

Therefore if unions want government to listen they need the voting population to support them.

Once again, you’re mistaken in the remit and role of a trade union.

A union’s number one concern is the interests of their members.

You’ve got that wrong. A union’s only concern is the interests of its members. Nothing comes second, third, forth or any other ordinal number, because nothing else counts.

Fourth! Oh the shame.

When the Independent Schools heads are agreeing with and backing state school heads and the unions, you know it isn't about classic union activity.

The govt couldn't even rely on their mates in the Public schools to back them up, FFS.

Hold on a minute ...

OP, I'm never one to trample on ambition but ...

You're offering to help the poor, daft teaching unions with their PR?

Via a thread on MN?

• You don't work in teaching
• You're not, actually, very interested in teaching
• You don't work in politics/lobbying
• You don't work in marketing
• You don't know anything about unions

Unions employ qualified PR people.
Unions have established contacts in the press and in politics
Unions have acquired a lot of experience in both press management, strategy and political lobbying.

But you have realised they're missing a trick, you've figured you have the answers, and here you are.

Well.

I'll say this for you: you're not lacking in self-confidence.