Why do teachers at my primary school go on strike?

[Fiona2011231]

Next Thursday, teachers at my primary school will go on strike. So my child, even though she is only starting her reception class, will stay home.

Is this strike a normal thing? Or is it a sign that our local teachers are unhappy and should I worry about the education quality at my school?
Thank you

It's part of national action by two of the main teaching unions

Hardly Normal! I think the teaching unions have called a strike roughly 2-3 times in the past 20years! It is not a "local" thing but a series of national strikes. And yes, the teachers in your school are probably unhappy but I'm not sure why that would affect the education quality!
A poster elsewhere explained the strike thus:

• As of 2014, teachers' pay will be determined by the Head. There is no national guidelines as to what counts as performing at each level, so individual Heads will be able to choose their own terms and conditions. This will lead to discrepancies between schools, and schools do not have to offer a similar pay when you move job.

• Part of the pay scale will be determined by pupils' progress. This will lead to teachers teaching only what is required to push up levels, the possibility of teachers forcing / faking levels and won't allow for new pupils who 'mess up' data, children who are having family problems, SEN issues which affect progress etc.

• Gove wants to get rid of levels (technically sub-levels don't exist) but then how will schools decide if pupils have made sufficient progress for the teachers to earn their next pay level? It will lead to schools using their own system, which could easily be abused.

• Gove wants to get rid of PPA time. He also wants to shorten the holidays and lengthen the day, but without increasing pay and whilst reducing the protection of our terms and conditions

• Gove wants to increase the entry grades into teaching. At the same time, he's not going to increase the pay or conditions and is also getting rid of the requirement for teachers to have Qualified Teacher Status, meaning that any person could be teaching your child. He's downgrading the professionalism of the profession, but expecting a higher calibre of applicants (for lower pay).

• Our pension contributions have gone up substantially and will continue to go up, yet the pension we receive will happen later in life, and will be worth less. Very few teachers will make it to 68 and so very few will be entitled to their full pension.

• Gove insists on comparing us to eastern Asian countries, but in fact these countries have started changing their teaching policies to reflect our more creative approach. He benefited from his Victorian-esque education and therefore believes that this one size will fit all. His ideas are antiquated and not supported by any current research, yet he won't listen to those who disagree with him.

• He's not willing to discuss things with the unions. He is keen to dismiss all teachers as being moaners who don't care about standards, and says we all need a shake up. He has removed all respect for the profession and has no respect for the dedication shown by the vast majority

Excellent post yet again, spanieleyes - can never be posted too often!

What do you mean by "even though she has only just started Reception."
Do you mean that Reception teachers shouldn't be allowed to strike?

No, and they shouldn't be allowed to be ill/go on maternity leave/work part time/go on a training course/have PPA time/ ( add your own moan) either!!!!!!!

Wonderful replies, which help me understand the issue better. Thank you so much.

I personally think the unions misunderstand what a 'strike' is. A strike should hold the government to ransom, in order to achieve a positive result.

How can a strike have any effect when different parts of the country are striking on different days, there are no co-ordinated marches or demonstrations - and you are pissing off your stakeholders BIGTIME?

I DID contact my union with my concerns. I received no reply.

(I also pissed off all the dinosaurs at a union meeting with a comment about the method of industrial action. I didn't feel welcome...)

But there is going to be a national strike before Christmas

And when is that, Feenie? I don't seem to be informed.

Spanieleyes do you mind if I quote you on Facebook I response to the comments I get about teachers going on strike and the wish to charge them for the lost day of teaching?! You put it so much better than i can!

That was always the intention, iPad, rolling regionals then if Gove still refused to come to the table then a national one next half term - date tha after last regional strike.

Tba

Yes, I realise that was the intention (hence the reaction at my non-striking union meeting ) But how is that ever going to be effective? And isn't this all a bit late?

When will they realise that they need one strong union? There can't be a 'teachers'' strike when half the teachers' unions aren't striking fgs!

Amen to that. iPad

You don't need to charge teachers for going on strike - we lose a day's pay!

It's not my quote, but from a member called juniper9 ( in The Staffroom) I just thought it summed it up nicely!

spanieleyes thank you for posting so clearly - I had the gist, but now I understand.

Anything that brings Gove to the table has to have my support, but anything that tied him to his chair and opened his ears and brain would have even more...sadly, I doubt even a national strike can achieve that.

And thanks to juniper9, too

because people like this are in charge of children's futures.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/michael-gove-adviser-says-genetics-are-more-important-than-teaching-8876170.html

Look on the bright side - there won't be any more over-subscribed schools if we sift out the genetically disadvantaged at a young age. You'd need fewer teachers (which would be a bit of luck because most at the moment are intellectually inferior).

Pupil premium could be used to keep chromosome-lite toddlers in a holding tank until they're old enough to learn how to scrub and clean for the genetically superior.

I think someone over the Channel had similar beliefs back in the 30s...

at ipad but in a way because it is no longer completely unbelievable.

mrz - I read that. How much more depressing can it get?