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Original poster

Secondary teachers strike

242 replies

tocahairchop · 11/11/2022 11:10

Any other secondary teachers in Scotland who are not keen on strike action? I get the motives behind it but not at all up for striking at this point due to disruption and the fact that times are tough for everyone. Feel like I have to justify myself to non teachers by saying 'I don't agree with striking' as it's not going to be met favourably by the public in the same way as other sectors striking over pay.

OP posts:
Ruizy · 14/11/2022 14:01

Sorry for misinformation michellexxx thanks for clarifying

ScotsLassie322 · 14/11/2022 15:11

MrsR87 · 14/11/2022 13:52

I’m a teacher and I haven’t joined in with previous strikes. And whilst I feel striking now would be disruptive for pupils, I feel not making a stand against the current issues in education would be much more disruptive in the long run.

I am currently on maternity leave with my second child and am currently looking for a way not to have to return to teaching as I will have two under three when I do. For me,
the issue has never been about pay, this is not what will keep me in the profession. It’s ridiculous that the pay rises (that myself and many colleagues have asked for) have to come out of existing school budgets as this makes things worse for everyone.

What would make me stay is an overhaul of expectations and workload.

Pre children I always spent one whole day in my study doing paperwork and marking (10-5) and I am not prepared to do this anymore as when I wasn’t on mat leave, with my second, my then one year old
was in nursery 7am-6pm every weekday and is I would like to actually spend time with my child at the weekend, especially I am not paid to work weekends and on paper am paid for 32.5 hours a week!!!! I want a job where I am
not questioned by SLT as to why I don’t do a couple of hours work every day at 9pm once my baby is in bed. I’d like a job where if someone throws something at your 33 week pregnant stomach, they face consequences and at the very least are made to apologise.
I would like children to be able to
experience learning in a more productive environment; nearly all of my classes
are 36 and have been for 5 or 6 years. Even my groups of the very lowest ability have over
25 pupils in them now and they would have been 12-15 a few years ago. I want these massive groups to have more teaching assistant support, not less! I want those teaching assistants to have better pay and conditions.

Classes are capped at 33 though??

Whitestick · 14/11/2022 17:17

PP is not in Scotland (based on other things mentioned) though I didn't know they could go so big elsewhere either

MrsR87 · 14/11/2022 17:45

ScotsLassie322 · 14/11/2022 15:11

Classes are capped at 33 though??

Show quote history

Unfortunately not in England. The most I’ve ever had in a class is 37. That was a nightmare for moving around the room!

Endofmyteatherr · 14/11/2022 18:07

blackhandbagstrap · 11/11/2022 20:42

I'm primary and a bit torn. I feel very guilty that I'm making possibly twice what the parents in my class earn.

But as things stand we can't afford to TTC (DP is a teacher too). We can't afford nursery fees. That's swung it for me.

Following this thread. Out of interest your both teachers and you can't afford nursery fees? But people manage on less, a lot less

Whitestick · 14/11/2022 23:13

Endofmyteatherr · 14/11/2022 18:07

Following this thread. Out of interest your both teachers and you can't afford nursery fees? But people manage on less, a lot less

Show quote history

Do they pay for full time childcare though? Lots of my dc's friends were minded by a mixture of grannies, doing shifts with dh's etc.
My eldest is 14 and full time nursery then was £40 a day, £800 a month. Same as our mortgage payment was at the time. That's for one dc - add in an extra one and it's inconceivable. Of course it isn't as expensive as that for ever, but they need some form of childcare before and after school until the end of primary, if parents are teachers and therefore can't do pick ups or drop offs.

Endofmyteatherr · 15/11/2022 04:55

@Whitestick lots of people pay for full time childcare. I was just asking not being funny I personal don't know 2 teachers in one household. Other people I know would get help towards high childcare wouldn't you qualify? UC?

I can understand its expensive, I'm part time but also pay full time childcare in order to work at all.

At my DS school there's a few part time teachers. For drop off I guess you would need an after school club.

Whitestick · 15/11/2022 08:08

You need wrap around care of some sort definitely when they are at primary - the big expense is when they aren't at school yet and you're paying for ever hour!
Not unique to teachers (and some will have great family support with childcare) but you'd have to be on a very high wage for what is basically the cost of a second mortgage not to be a significant one!

Whitestick · 16/11/2022 18:48

How many regions are announcing school closures next Thursday? I heard the news that Edinburgh has.

FluffytheGoldfish · 16/11/2022 19:18

Glasgow is out. I’m assuming that the buildings will be open for me and my fellow non EIS members. I wonder how many of us will be there? I can think of just 1 other in my 10 person department that isn’t EIS.

Whitestick · 16/11/2022 19:41

Well what I'd heard from friends in Edinburgh is that non-striking staff have to work from home, don't know what Glasgow will decide to do though. Have heard Fife is shut too.

LoopyGremlin · 16/11/2022 21:30

SSTA also now have voted to strike.

Original poster
tocahairchop · 16/11/2022 21:35

All Aberdeenshire schools shut too...bit fed up about that, my kids missing out again. I just don't think it's the right time but hey ho. SSTA now too early December

OP posts:
Whitestick · 16/11/2022 22:19

When would be the right time, in your opinion OP?

Original poster
tocahairchop · 17/11/2022 08:06

Fair question @Whitestick but honestly, I don't know. From a purely personal point of view my two kids are finally settled and happy in school again after Covid, it has taken that long and I know of many more who are still not there yet. More disruption, 'we might be off, we might not' is not something I am keen on right now. Public support is not going to be great either, it's tough for everyone right now and speaking to my colleagues this week seems there's little support for industrial action amongst them (small pool of people, granted)

OP posts:
Allsnotwell · 17/11/2022 08:17

If you aren’t happy to strike - I assume you’ll decline the pay offer? Or move unions?

If you have children you may have to strike to look after them at home -

You have choices - but teachers pay has reduced massively over the last 20 years, based on 1950’s pay you should be in double what you earn now!

I’m a TA and expected to have whole classes for the day if teachers are off sick - however I won’t be taking them if a teacher chooses to strike.

ScotsLassie322 · 17/11/2022 09:56

Allsnotwell · 17/11/2022 08:17

If you aren’t happy to strike - I assume you’ll decline the pay offer? Or move unions?

If you have children you may have to strike to look after them at home -

You have choices - but teachers pay has reduced massively over the last 20 years, based on 1950’s pay you should be in double what you earn now!

I’m a TA and expected to have whole classes for the day if teachers are off sick - however I won’t be taking them if a teacher chooses to strike.

TAs cannot take classes for whole days.

If you're referring to a country out with Scotland please state that as this is relating to the strike in Scotland.

Also, re your comment re pay - non promoted would be £84,000 then ( if one has been teaching 7 years).

RaraRachael · 17/11/2022 11:53

Nobody should be covering for striking colleagues otherwise the strike has no impact.

canyouextrapol · 17/11/2022 14:31

Education it's on its knees. I'm at a good school but we can't recruit staff. Other schools are in much worse positions. Things can't go on as they are, it's a job no one wants to do. Better pay and conditions would help

Original poster
tocahairchop · 17/11/2022 15:45

I don't think it's the pay that puts people off teaching though...this is a pay dispute.
I also don't think any generation of teacher has gone into this profession based on how well/or not it pays!

OP posts:
Original poster
tocahairchop · 17/11/2022 15:47

And we have no issues recruiting staff at our school... I think we currently have one vacancy. Sfl fully staffed as are the PSAs

OP posts:
Original poster
tocahairchop · 17/11/2022 15:48

@Allsnotwell our local authority is closing all schools so no childcare will be required here.

OP posts:
Michellexxx · 17/11/2022 16:48

You do remember that another poster has said that you can’t strike over working conditions.

Also this isn’t technically a pay dispute. The 5% was rejected 3 months ago and since then there has been no attempts at any renegotiation. The only reason and conversation started now was because of proposed strike action. The govt have basically just sat around and cosla haven’t entered into any discussions since the rejection of the 5%.

Teachers absolutely deserve a pay rise- inflation is over 10% and I find it mad that you would expect not to have any action to gain a more reasonable salary. This has happened in just a year- you wouldn’t find someone in the private sector not requesting a pay rise because of how it might impact their clients. They would just ask and haggle. We, and the NHS, can’t have the burden of responsibility for futures/lives held over us every time we want a fair deal.

Although after the announcement of 1.5billion to Scottish govt doe education by Westminster today, I think it’s even more likely that the strike will be called off as another offer is made.

Michellexxx · 17/11/2022 16:48

Also, one day off is hardly going to through your children off.

Original poster
tocahairchop · 17/11/2022 16:53

@Michellexxx I didn't say it would throw them off to be off for one day but the industrial action is set to be over many days in the new year also, unless an agreement is reached by then. I just don't like the uncertainty of even one day off for my kids...Covid, storms, periods of remote learning last winter (right up until March this year) has all had an impact. Stability is what they need, sorry if you don't agree but yes, that's my priority right now.

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