Who is/isn't striking among the NUT members here?

[lifeissweet]

Facing a dilemma. My beliefs about unions are based on the fact that united we have a voice. People fought to have the right to unionise. If a union calls a strike, then I believe all members have a responsibility to stand up together. Otherwise, we come across as divided, not united and it weakens us all.

Not for a long, long time has the teaching profession been under so much threat and we need to be united now more than at any time. Our terms and conditions are facing changes which will make teaching a far less stable and desirable profession (and not really a profession at all if unqualified teachers are allowed to take classes all over the place).

However, I am currently the only member of staff at my school who is prepared to strike on Thursday. Half of the other staff are NUT. Lots of the support staff are in striking unions, yet no one is striking (including the NUT rep). The Head has told me that if I strike I will be the only one and that he will have to close only my class that day and keep the rest of the school open, so everyone will know it is only me withdrawing my labour and am I 'prepared to take the flak for that?'

I'm not sure I am, but I believe really strongly in supporting the union. The thought of ignoring deeply held principles and breaking a strike sit uncomfortably with me.

My DS's school is closed on Thursday. Other local schools are too.

So is it just my school where there are no striking staff at all? And if you are NUT, why are you not striking? Is it just so as not to disrupt end of year activities, or because you think striking isn't helping? (I don't, incidentally, but will vote with my feet on that one and change unions when this is done.) How do you square that with yourself?

Not preaching. People have all manner of reasons for not striking. I just think I want to feel a bit less out on a limb!

[ravenAK]

OP, I'm with you too. (& will be striking).

There's no shame in finding yourself out of sympathy with your Union & switching to a different one (on striking or anything else), but if you're happy to take the benefits of membership, you strike when called on to do so, so long as you're a member.

Your NUT colleagues should be ashamed. The rep, doubly so.

Is there a rally near you?

[LuvMyBoyz]

I'm striking but in my case there are so many NUT members on the staff that the Head has closed the school in advance (secondary) so I do not face the OP's issues. My feeling is that this strike is less supported than the others because the NAS are not involved. I'm thinking of changing union...

[CatKisser]

Could I please clarify something?
Our caretaker and cleaner are striking, which means we need to clean.
Our Head is trying to draft on the cleaner and caretaker from the other village school to cover. Please tell me this is illegal - I'm sure it is, but he's desperate to remain the only school in the area open. He is announcing to is today, but if he's done this and it is illegal I will ring the union myself.

[PickledPorcupine]

I am striking and there's only 2 of us out of 12 doing so. Our classes will be closed. I have felt a lot of pressure not to strike this time but I'm not backing down. It's about the bigger picture and standing up for education.

Performance related pay is completely ruining my school. We are in a very deprived area where parental support is zero and nobody (and I mean nobody!!) has applied for our last 3 job adverts. Why would you work in a school where you have to work 10 times harder to move up the pay scale?

[PickledPorcupine]

CatKisser Do not be any part of breaking their strike by doing their job for them and contact their unions (or ask them to).

[CatKisser]

I wouldn't dream of covering a striking colleague! That's why I thought it was illegal. He's going to tell us his plan this morning...

[Asleeponasunbeam]

I am striking. I don't have a class though so won't affect parents. I still would if I did have a class!

Only one of five NUT members striking (again). They're all scared of the academy head.

I haven't heard anything about the support staff!

[JJsleeping]

This is a very depressing thread, most comments seem to be of the ilk, 'I am striking because I am doing what I am told'. At my DS's school, every teacher who will admit they are striking says the same thing.

The majority of teachers who dont want to and aren't striking are afraid to speak out in case they are 'bullied'.

As far as I can tell teachers want more money, reduced workload, and dont feel loved.

Who is going to pay these demands, our children and grand children? Or staff redundancies? I think parents will have to start voting to ban teachers strikes.

As for the CatKisser suggesting she would try and stop a head from getting a cleaner to keep his school open is one of the most petty and pathetic comments I have ever read on mumsnet.

[TheLateMrsLizCromwell]

It is interesting that people are striking, even though this is not specifically a teachers strike. I have had no info from the NUT (am a member) explaining the reason for the strike, and why teachers should be striking.

[TheLateMrsLizCromwell]

For the poster who said she is standing up for education - how so? Have seen nothing to indicate this strike is about education.

[sanfairyanne]

how it works JJ is . .

every member of the union has the opportunity to vote
they can argue their case
they can vote how they like

once the vote is cast, you go with the majority decision

so now people are supposed to strike, or change their union. otherwise there was no point voting and no point being in a union if you wont work together (clue is in the name)

[TheLateMrsLizCromwell]

Have just discovered that this ballot was 2 years ago - how can anyone vote meaningfully for something as open-ended as that. Smacks of gerrymandering. Will not be striking on that mandate!

[cricketballs]

I have had to bite my tongue re colleagues who are NUT but are not striking - we are very much so the minority union in my school, but out of 9 NUT members, only 2 of us are striking. One even said that he thinks the NUT strike too often - so change bloody unions then!!!!

[TheLateMrsLizCromwell]

cricketballs - yes several of us are intending to just that - how can you have a ballot that is 'valid' in perpetuity - nuts!

[CatKisser]

As for the CatKisser suggesting she would try and stop a head from getting a cleaner to keep his school open is one of the most petty and pathetic comments I have ever read on mumsnet.

Thanks for your input JJ but I think you'll find it's illegal to cover for someone on strike.

[TheLateMrsLizCromwell]

But a very antiquated 'illegality' - ripe for repeal. I joined the teaching profession to be a professional, not some kind of 70s throwback.

[CatKisser]

So, striking teachers are not professionals?

[CatKisser]

Or professional, should I say?

[cricketballs]

So I take it Liz that you agree with everything that this government has done re public sector workers?

You agree to having a pay freeze, then only 1% pay increase despite inflation being higher? You agree with having your pension contributions vastly increased, having to work for longer and receive less? You agree with the terms and conditions that you agreed to when beginning your empl oyment being vastly changed without you having a say?

[sanfairyanne]

why did you join NUT then, Liz? it is known for being the more vocal union? why not just change union?

[Goblinchild]

I'm striking, and I'm a supply teacher. It just means that I turn down work on that day and lose a day's pay. No one is inconvenienced except me, but it's the principle of the thing in my mind.

[JJsleeping]

"do you agree with everything that this government has done re public sector workers" - the government hasn't done this, the country has run out of money, there is no money, none, we are in debt over, £1400 BILLION. Why are 'educated' people so financially illiterate?

Two years ago one in five NUT teachers voted to strike against the government. The vote was run by the NUT so was inherently bias. Any member who disagrees with the minority is told to join another union. I cant see any democracy in this.

About time Unions were forced into the 21st Century eg 50% of ALL members have to vote for a strike, mandate to strike reduced to 1 month, vote carried out by an independent body, heads allowed to hire supply teachers to cover, parents allowed to vote, a record of how often teachers strike on record so parents can avoid that school if desired... etc

As for teachers losing a days pay, that is peanuts compared to the thousands of pounds they are blackmailing parents to get.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

About time Unions were forced into the 21st Century eg 50% of ALL members have to vote for a strike, mandate to strike reduced to 1 month, vote carried out by an independent body, heads allowed to hire supply teachers to cover, parents allowed to vote, a record of how often teachers strike on record so parents can avoid that school if desired... etc

How is this bring the unions in to the 21st century?
(funny that this is what the twat gove is pushing forward at the moment)
Do you support this for the government as well?

If you support a first past the post voting system then you shouldn't be able to change it just for the unions.

[sanfairyanne]

what a lot of old rubbish JJ

[Feenie]

That's fine - as long as general election voting is also brought into the 21st century so that a party who is unelected cannot put into post someone to totally decimate education at his behest ever again.