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Original poster

School closures next week - how are you going to manage?

49 replies

daffodill6 · 09/07/2008 23:30

I work part time and have to manage things finely as it is top pick DD up from school. Just wondering how others will cope next week?

OP posts:

pinkteddy · 09/07/2008 23:33

haven't been told that dd's school will close (yet?). I also work in a school and haven't heard about that either!

Original poster

daffodill6 · 09/07/2008 23:39

Had to sign and return a form this morning acknowledging understanding of closure . Obviously could be different where u are . I'm talking e mids

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gigglewitch · 09/07/2008 23:43

we have got a letter today to say that the infant department is closed both weds and thurs but the junior dept is open [wtf?]
Back to persuading grandmothers, i think - as have booked all my remaining hols out to cover the remainder of the 6 wks which is like a major military operation with three dc

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 10/07/2008 08:48

?????? had not heard about this?????
Our school term ends next Fri - so if school is closed can't see man people turning up for the last day, which is a half day...
GW, are you also E midlands?
Will ask at our school today...

bozza · 10/07/2008 08:56

It is a major PITA. So it is a case of off Weds and Thurs, back in Fri and Mon (except we are off to Spain on Sat) and then off until 2 Sept. I have 5 weeks of the holiday without childcare - everything happening at once, DD leaving day nursery, starting school nursery, childminder on holiday, me being TUPE'd to new company on 1 Aug etc.

DH seems to think that he can take 1 day off, and work at home one day. I had thought about working Friday (I do Tues-Thurs) but I have arranged for DD to leave her day nursery on Thursday, and we go on holiday early on Saturday morning. Can't work Monday because that is sports day.

bozza · 10/07/2008 09:00

Unison (so support staff) are on strike. It's not the teachers.

whitetulips · 10/07/2008 19:34

It is a shame we can't get the school to knock off these 2 days against all the inset days in Sept. My 2 don't go back until sep 9th
So difficult when you are working.

And whilst I fully support anyone's right to strike, I can't see how losing 2 day's pay, and getting a tiny increase in the offer from the government, is going to be worth it.

I have worked in the public sector all my life. You trade good payrises for job security, and a decent pension.

mrz · 10/07/2008 20:54

Our school is open as usual. Support staff some caretakers dinner ladies secretaries etc. on strike if UNISON members.

Blandmum · 10/07/2008 20:56

The unison members in schools don't tend to have good pensions though, do they? and there have been concented attempts to change what provision they do have in the past

Whizzz · 10/07/2008 20:58

whitetulips - I am giving up 2 days pay because I want a decent payrise in line with everything else that has gone up. I don't want to loose 2 days pay but my union has asked me to - I support them as I'd expect them to support me.

saffy202 · 10/07/2008 20:58

Ours is still open - only the lollipop lady won't be there.

mrz · 10/07/2008 21:07

No UNISON member's pension rights have been eroded which is one of the issues along with an attempt to change their contracts so they are only paid term time effectively cutting wages.

whitetulips · 11/07/2008 20:54

Ok I stand corrected on the pensions issue, sorry.
I worked in a school, and yes the school hols were great, but I only got paid for the terms. However, I wanted to change jobs, and now only get 7 weeks hol a year, which I have carefully planned.
It is very difficult to find extra childcare at short notice, and I find it a PITA tbh.
I respect others right to strike, but I really do feel that schools should make up the time, just like I have to if I am absent from my work. What are the teachers going to do next week, bet they won't be planning for next year!!

There is nothing to stop the non teaching staff going on strike now, and the teachers benefit from extra days off, and then later in the year the teachers do the same, so the nonteaching staff get a day off. Nice if you can get it.

And each time I have to pay £25 extra for childcare

fizzbuzz · 11/07/2008 21:12

We won't benefit from days off. Staff would be expected to go in as normal.

Very interesting poster up in our school from UNISON. Detail price rises for mortgages, milk, bread fuel etc. Then puts govt settlement at the bottom saying it doesn't add up. Too right it doesn't. Is it 2.3% thy are getting?
I'll support them, and as a public sector worker I do not think it is right trading pensions and benefits for wages. We should get it all, we all have to live somehow.

Hopefully the teachers will be planning their strike for next year, on their "days off"

Whizzz · 11/07/2008 21:31

"so the nonteaching staff get a day off" - but we loose pay for this - already very low pay....we DON'T WANT to loose this pay, we don't want the days off. I am really peeved that I dont get to see the classes I have supported all year before they move up a year. I'm not doing this for the fun of it

fizzbuzz · 11/07/2008 21:38

Well said Whizz.

whitetulips · 11/07/2008 21:42

I am just putting another point of view across. I work in the public sector, and will get a below inflation pay rise, as I have for most of my working life.
My living costs are high too, and this term I will have had to find 3 days extra childcare due to strikes, that I have no control over. That is why I am frustrated.

I am not sure that such action will work, look what happened to the Police last year.

I know the staff who are not striking will be in work, but they won't be doing a full days work. When I was working in a school in a support role, the teachers were all gone home by 2pm on inset days.

If you are in a support role and go to work next week will you get paid?

fizzbuzz · 11/07/2008 21:42

Why should people make up the time. It's not a sodding holiday.

The right to strike is one of the cornerstones of a democrcy surely...and now they should make up the time........Jesus Wept......WTF

fizzbuzz · 11/07/2008 21:45

AND all teachers would be expected to do full days work. It's only in the private sector where people can slide away for an afternoon.

But public sector workers should be soooooooo grateful for their pensions and working conditions shouldn't they?

bubblerock · 11/07/2008 21:48

Our School isn't closing, just shutting early and they've had to cancel infant and junior sports days - DS is gutted

Original poster

daffodill6 · 11/07/2008 21:54

I respect everyones right to strike - but I am really confused - as a "consumer" of public services, in this circumstance. (as if i or most others have a choice)

My child goes to a school which is closing, but why are other schools still opening?

OP posts:

Whizzz · 11/07/2008 22:00

daffodill6 - not all support staff are in unison. It depends on who won't be working & how many pupils will be affected.
In actual fact the school I work at is still open as far as I know, although DSs is closing

badgermonkey · 11/07/2008 22:01

I'd just like to point out that on an INSET day it is often the case that teachers can leave at 2 - BUT we start at 8 (whereas the normal day starts at 8.45) and take only half an hour for lunch, instead of the normal hour, and work through what would normally be break. So we do the same amount of hours as a normal day, just compressed into a shorter time.

Our school isn't shutting because our support staff are not really unionised. I think it is a shame, not because I want a day off, but because I support the union's fight for decent pay. Support staff really are shockingly paid.

Dottoressa · 11/07/2008 22:03

School closures next week?! Ooh, you don't know you're born. My DCs broke up for summer last week, and don't go back until mid-September...!!

Original poster

daffodill6 · 11/07/2008 22:23

yes Dot but you knew all about your holidays months ago but the effects of this strike were only confirmed in the last 2 days. If you work, you have to plan in advance and this hasn;t been easy to plan around. Obviously if you don't work you don't need to plan as much.

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