PT teachers - working on days off and pay??? Help!

[Hulababy]

Hi all, any part timers out there who know the score on doign INSET, etc. on days off and pay arrangments. What I thought was the case (message 2 years ago from NASUWT union) my school is saying is wrong

I have contacted headquarters of NASUWT this afternoon and sent them this message:

Dear Sir

I am a member of the NASUWT and have been since starting working as a teacher in 1996. For the past three years I have been working part time, 3 days a week, and now 2 days a week. Until this acandemic year I have not done any INSET sessions on my days off, as I was unable to get childcare. This did not seem to cause any problems with the school for the past two years.

This year my circumstances have altered slightly, and childcare can be provided for INSET days. I work Tuesday and Wednesdays. This year's our INSET days on on either Mondays or Fridays. Therefore I have agreed to attend INSET days on my days off - there are 5 in this year. I have already done two of these. I claimed for pay for the first one. However when I went to claim for yesterday's INSET day I was told that there may be a problem and I may not be entitled to pay for some of these INSET days.

According to school I am contractually bound to do a percentage (40%) of these INSET days at no extra pay, even though they are not on my normal working days. This is not what I was led to believe and it of a a big concern to me. I have so far done two extra days and now face the prospect of getting no pay for these days, despite having to pay our childcare costs and travel expenses to attend.

Could you clarify for me whether this is indeed the case, and that I should be expected to work, without pay, on my days off?

Many thanks.

Anyone here have any experience, etc. of this. At the monet I am really fed up and aggrieved. I am doing INSET for the school's benefit - no HoD, attainment is very low in some KS3 classes, school in special measures, etc. - but it just isn't worth my while doing it for nothing. Infact I am losing out here. DH is going to go mad when I tell him this later on.

Grrr... all this after a Y10 lad telling me to f* off when I asked f he would like to turn his computer on this lesson, and a Y9 class from hell revisited

Can anyone help?

TIA

catan- nasuwt say that if they expect you to attend inset or meetings on days which you would not normally attend then the school has to pay wages, childcare and traveling! sounds like you were ripped off- unless the head gave you paid time off when you needed time off with the kids

Thanks (again) Pixiwfish - that is fab and even more ammunition. They won't no what's hit them!!!

Catan - for the past two years I have worked PT (60%) and not done any INSET days at all, as they were on my days off and I had no childcare vailable. No one questioned this at all.

I will obviously update everyone with my resuklts, including any Union feedback.

I'll send a copy of the letter i got from the union about meetings etc hulababy- if you use it with your school can you tippex my name and address off it?

You are a star Pixiefish!

As fantastic as the union were with me it took them a week to get back to me when I wanted to know about the meetings issue because I emailed them. However when i first emailed them about going part time the guy phoned me up straight away- I think he sensed I was going to do something daft like hand my notice in. nasuwt are really super when it comes to this you know. let us know how you get on hula . Will post stuff tomorrow

catan- don't let them walk all over you either... apart for anything you'll be setting a precedent- if you're happy to do it fair enough but if you don't want to then don't- contact your union

OK, some progress today. Deputy head asked me to see him this morning. They will "honour the first two INSETs" so I will get paid for them, and then we will see wha happens with the others. He still kept to the whole pro rata arguement, I directed him to the NUT and NAS documentation and he seemed a bit taken aback and thought it must be new stuff. He has asked for copies. I printed out the document from The NUT site - thanks Pixiefish - and highlighted the key bits. It's fab as the final page has a 0.4 example And when I have the NAS one, I'll go and see him next week further. Not willing to just let it go as I feel aggreved niw!!! Thaks again everyone

Had a reply from NAS:

Thank you for your e-mail.

Under the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document a full time teacher is required to work for no more than 195 days, only 190 of which are ?pupil days?.

As a part time teacher working 0.4 of a full time contract you should be required to work for 78 days. It will be important to establish how many days you are already required to work before looking at the INSET day issue.

If you are timetabled for 78 days or more then you are not required to attend any further days and you should be remunerated for the extra days worked. If you are required to work less than 78 then you should seek the advice of the NASUWT Doncaster Negotiating Secretary, Terry Cooke in trying to find an agreed way of making the days up to 78. I have copied this e-mail to Terry so that he is aware of the situation.

I hope the above is helpful and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance.

Yours sincerely
Yorkshire & Humberside Regional Centre

Well, according to my diary at the moment I work 2 days a week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And there's 39 weeks in the year = 78 sessions. None of the INSETs are on my work days. Therefore, it looks like I am right . More evidence for the deputy head to mull over.

The info is photocopied and in an addressed envelope waiting to be posted out hula. It was pouring with rain this afternoon so i couldn't get out- will post it tomorrow morning. let me know if there's anything else you need

Thanks Pixiefish; that'll be great