rules on crossing a picket line.

[mumnosbest]

If you Don't want to cross a picket line at school, do you loose a days pay?

Maybe it has changed then, my mum used to work in trade unions organising strikes, and their whole strike could (at least in theory) be ruled illegal if there was a typo in the postcode of one of the employees they had informed would be striking. And all sorts of bizarre rules designed to make it nearly impossible to legally strike. Five days notice certainly isn't the only legal requirement!

That's weird catsofa! I never give names in case of management intimidation, but postcodes? Well weird. Mind you, remembering how life wss under Thatcher, anything is possible. ...

Out of courtesy I let school admin know that I have chosen to strike and won't be in.

We never have a picket line at school. Many striking members go to the rally in town though.

I do have a question if anyone can help...

I am a HLTA. My role is to cover PPA in an afternoon - so next Tuesday, I am due to cover PPA for a class teacher. It is a lesson I plan, prep and deliver every week.

As far as I know, I should not be required to move this PPA time and do it for the teacher at another time.

However, the PPA is a legal entitlement for the class teacher.

Also, if the teacher is striking - no one is allowed to cover her duties. This includes her teaching of classes and any duties. But what if it is me who is supposed to be teaching - is anyone else allowed to cover my class?

And what about my morning break duty - I have one (an inside First Aid duty) every Tuesday morning break?

I have alerted the HT to this issue and she said she will contact HR for clarification for herself so she can plan accordingly.

But does anyone here know the answer?

Are you in Unison/Unite/ATL/GMB? These are TUC affiliated unions. Members of TUC affiliated unions should not do the work of striking colleagues.

But will they have legal protection if they refuse?

Hulababy you are not required to move your duty day/ppa to another due to striking on the original day. The teacher should not teach the class during their timetabled ppa cover as they will be doing the job of a striking member of staff.

Yes. Their unions should have written to the employer that it is unlawful to use TUC affiliated union members to cover striking colleagues.

I'm in Unison.
Teacher is in NAS or NUT.

Thanks - we were not quite sure how it works. It would make sense that the teacher shouldn't cover my class, or that I shouldn't have to redo it at another time. But wasn't sure on the offcial line from unions/HR.

Check with your union rep to be sure.

In a secondary school, a cover supervisor could be directed to cover your lesson. If there is someone in your school who is employed for the purpose of providing cover, then they would do it. Otherwise the Head?

Interesting about being able to join the union on the day. Last year, when NUT were striking, I was in NASUWT - had previously tried to join NUT but the website was so rubbish I gave up. Anyway, spoke to the (NUT) union rep a few days before the strike as I felt strongly in favour of the strike and he said it was too late to join.
So I went to work - school was closed and non striking teachers had to sign in. They said that if anyone was sick without a doc note they would be disciplined.

TheFallenMadonna - it is my job to provide cover (PPA cover) and another HLTAs job. We are both on strike, in same union. We never swap lessons - we have our own individual timetables. It is a regular planned for lesson always the same time and same day, and same subject.

In my class a cover supervisor may not clover the lesson of a striking member of staff because that lesson should bow covered. Why don't you send an email to your union?

If you have no cover supervisors, then nobody else should be directed to cover it.

A cover supervisor, or other member of staff directly employed for the purpose of providing cover can by directed to cover a lesson by a striking member of staff provided that they are not taken away from their usual duties to do so.

I didn't think other members of staff could cover for a striking staff member.

Hence why TAs/HLTA, and also SMT, can't cover the class when the teacher is on strike and the class has to close.

The class teacher would have to miss her PPA in order to cover the class.
The HT and DH would have to divert their duties in order to cover.
No other "spare" staff in school.
And AFAIK supply agencies don't provide cover for striking staff either.

Union rep is querying with union but not heard back, not heard back from HR either yet,.

Any body can cover for anybody if they volunteer. Teachers and other staff cannot be directed to cover the class of a striking teacher, unless they are employed wholly or mainly for the purpose of providing cover eg a secondary school cover supervisor. I suspect in primaries, there aren't members of staff who are employed to provide cover as the main part of their job. Timetabled PPA release wouldn't count as cover.

And agencies cannot provide cover, but schools can employ someone independently to provide cover.

Sorry - meant be directed to.
Our teachers are all very supportive of the TA strike so will not cover us.
Likewise we did not cover for them when they were on strike.

So our class teachers are ok to refuse to cover on Tuesday afternoon you think? They do not want to - and obviously they do not want to lose their PPA either.

Yes. They absolutely are. Don't worry, strikes are supposed to be inconvenient!
While you're on strike make sure you go to a local rally. Don't be catching up on school work!
(Wondering now what our TAs are doing. Might go and ask them)

Yes. They should not be asked to cover under any circumstances.

That's good :)

I'm not sure if I am going to the rally (lots of our TAs are though) though I do promise not to do my planning and catch up for the day! Infact I plan on staying in bed late and then doing some family tree research in my PJs :D

I have told DH I am on strike for the day, and have extended that to include strike at home too - no housework, no cooking, lol!

No one should cover your strike- highly immoral. Your class should be sent home.

Strike is suspended, I'm reading. ...

Yes it is.