Secondary teachers strike

[tocahairchop]

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.

I'm starting to think we might be in it for the long haul with this strike. I don't think a couple of days is going to make a difference to the government.

£42k isn't too bad as quoted by a PP teacher on the thread.

Top of scale, full time. Starting on £28.
42 wasn't "too bad" as you put it last year. If you adjusted for inflation, this year that has gone down to 37. Where will it be next year? In the same time period my mortgage interest has doubled, my utility bills have doubled, wouldn't say the food shop has doubled but it's certainly increased a lot!

39 week year and a contractual 35 hour week (I know that lots of teachers work more, but that is not unique to teaching) That £42000 if you look at an hourly rate is a much higher pay than a lot of other graduate professional jobs, both in private and public sector.
I’m sorry but I don’t support it.

This was the point I tried to make but didn't articulate myself very well. It's absolutely not a race to the bottom and everyone has right to strike and try to improve pay.

Comparing other public sector graduate jobs (health, policing, local government) the t&cs for teaching are very favourable. I would like to see the pay for other professions brought in line with teaching salaries first. If SG has access to unlimited money pot obviously would love to see everyone get proper cost of living pay rise but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be possible.

I'm assuming if you don't support the strike you aren't too bothered about whether your dc manage to get a qualified maths teacher in secondary school (hard to attract candidates) or whether their teachers don't stay much longer than 5 years (retention rates are poor).
It's not that some or many teachers work more than 35 hours a week either, I have never met one who managed to stick to contract in a couple of decades in teaching. I wouldn't advice any of my children to go into teaching.

Anyway we aren't asking for more pay than other professions. We are asking for a cost of living increase that takes into account the very high rate of inflation.

Still wondering if it'll be called off at last minute if there's an improved offer. Mixture of people striking and some coming in (crossing picket line) in my school. School will be shut but non striking staff to come in

Someone in our union said a new pay offer was being put forward today. So I guess it could be called off tomorrow.

ssta.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/22-11-22-COSLA-Offer-to-SNCT-Final-Draft.pdf

seems likes it’s still a 5% increase for top 2 of the scale. So most teachers who have been in for the long run.

I'm sure the media will make much of the new "6.85%" offer, but that level goes only to probationer teaches (in first year of teaching). The majority of teachers would receive the exact same amount that was rejected back in September. (5%)

Surely we are not going to accept this offer. We have rejected 5% and now they are offering 80% of teachers...5%

Strike is confirmed to be going ahead.

As it should!

Just caught this in the news.....

Good luck all of you!

I'm going to strike tomorrow as I do think I should stick with my union otherwise what's the point in being in one. Most of my department are going in though - not wanting to lose a days pay

Did they vote against it? Because it looks like hardly anyone did.

Yes, either voted against or didn't return ballot

But presumably they'd take the pay rise (if we get one!). They should join a non striking union if they don't accept the result and act accordingly,

I'm in PKC and striking tomorrow (Primary).

I think it’s shameful that those teachers intend not to strike!

Id tell them they get nothing and negotiate their own pay rise and work conditions!

Good luck to everyone striking tomorrow. Stay strong!

In our primary school only 2teachers are mof striking. Both almost retirement age and say they can't afford to.
They say they're only in a union in case they get accused of anything.

Well they would’ve been teaching in the 80’s when I was at school. Wonder how they felt when others didn’t strike then?