Teachers' strike this autumn

[EdithWeston]

BBC story here.

NUT (England and Wales) has voted for strike action (27% turnout, 82.5% in favour; so view in favour expressed by 22.3% of membership). Dates not yet announced, but would be this term.

27% turn out is very disappointing.Wonder what percentage of members will actually strike.
I support the action.

Phew, not in Scotland! Was worried there before opening up the thread!

I voted no to the strikes over pensions and so didn't t strike, but voted yes to these strikes over pay and conditions.

This is joint action with the NASUWT, who have yet to declare their result.

I think the Union will get a kicking for striking when only about a quarter of the membership voted, and there will be renewed calls for strike ballots to have a quorum.

NASUWT members haven't been balloted. (I'm a member).

I think the ballot for last year's NASUWT strike included the provision for further strikes without needing to reballot.

Ah, I see. Thanks, noble.

Teachers hate striking. They absolutely hate the chaos it causes, for the kids, for the parents and for themselves. They are trained, in the same way as nurses are trained, to put other people first. They feel they are betraying the trust of their students and their students' parents by going on strike. They dread the unrelenting negative publicity. Maybe that's why only 27% voted.

I don't see what else they can do, tbh. They are in a truly invidious position, as are the health sector workers. Either they put up and shut up (which will harm everyone in the long run) or they make their feelings known now.

In a way they are fighting our battles for us, because the effect this govt is having on the education and health systems is going to be disastrous. This is probably the only way to try to limit some of the damage, imo.

Will the schools tell us if they'll be affected in good time?

"They are trained, in the same way as nurses are trained, to put other people first."

"Trained" to put other people first?

Are you saying that teachers and nurses are reprogrammed to be selfless before they start work?

Teachers have no reason to dread striking.

Their work is important, so if they withdraw their labour it causes problems.

That's kind of the point.

Good pay and conditions for teachers is a public good.

I support them. I hate the way everyone gets all huffy and starts going off on one about about gold plated pensions and 'if they don't like it they can join the private sector'.

Maybe trained is the wrong word. But that's certainly what they do.

Another supporter here

Two Dc in school here and the teachers have my support.

The problem with letting parents know is that teachers don't have to inform schools whether they intend to strike. Most do as a goodwill gesture, but they don't have to. So headteachers can't ask.
Ours normally says 'oh, don't forget I'm not allowed to ask you if you're striking, but if anyone wants to talk to me about anything I'll be in my office!'

picnicbasketcase

I support them. I hate the way everyone gets all huffy and starts going off on one about about gold plated pensions and 'if they don't like it they can join the private sector'.

Why do you think people react like that, mentioning the pension scheme?

Oh, ok fairy. I didn't know that. DS gets the school bus, so presumably if he gets there and it's shut, they'll bring him home again.

Bring it on. Let's get them over and done with.

According to BBC News website first strike is 26th September with rolling strikes until everything is sorted.

BBC article talks also of rolling action other than strike action. Work to rule?

I would expect that teachers will want to keep the support of parents during periods of industrial action. Clear notice, though not obligatory, would help enormously in that (so parents can make the contingency plans they actually need).

I think teacher's will find that support for their strike will be wafer thin amongst parents.

It will evaporate quickly if they don't give parents some clear warning so we can make alternative arrangements.

I support their rights to protest even if personally I think their cause is stupid. But it would be common courtesy to warn those who will be caught in the crossfire.

NASUWT has been working to rule since last December.

TUC is talking about other unions having co-ordinated strike action in the autumn too, including UNISON - the union to which many teaching assistants belong.

The actual dates of any proposed strikes are published in advance, so all parents have some warning. Where it gets trickier is that individual schools don't know exactly how badly they'll be affected, as it depends what proportion of their staff are in the particular union.
But if I still had children of an age where I needed alternative cover, I'd organise a back-up plan that I could utilise at the last minute.
chickens you would certainly be informed before the morning of the day in question, so there should be no danger of your son trolleying around the countryside not knowing if his school was open or not.