Why can't the unions do anything?

[monkeytennis97]

It feels like we have been left to it now schools have opened and now with the big uptick in cases today it's a worry. I fully support my union but wish they would ballot for something to help us out. I remember the last strike about 7 or 8 years ago but can't even remember what it was about, surely to goodness this situation is more pressing than whatever we went on strike for last time.

@Keepdistance

I dont think employees should put up with it. Are mps back? They are talking about daily tests for them. Tbh our gov disgust me. Im telling my dc never to vote conservative. Plus they have managed to ** the economy anyway plus huge debt. Im giving them a F. I think they will end up hugely sued. Because in a crisis it might be acceptable to make peiple risk their lives. But this shouldn't have still been that situation now. If people went abroad or just came here it could have been 2w quarantine for all. More mitigation could be done masks and smaller groups. Which reduces everyone risk.

Totally agree.

I have a risk assessment that says I must stay 2m away from everyone. I told the head this is not possible. I asked the union for specific vulnerable guidance and got a long but vague reply about school having to do a risk assessment. I asked what happens when the risk assessment puts it on to me to 2m distance when it’s not physically possible and got no reply.

Exactly the same as me Glittery. I've sent them a very testy reply back and i'm cancelling my membership. What's the point in it? Over the past decade they've failed me over academisation, part time rights and now covid.

If you're unhappy with your union, please consider joining a different one rather than leaving yourself with no protection.
With the risk assessment scenario, if your mitigation of risk is to stay 2m apart and you physically cannot (rather than that you're choosing not to, to teach better) then your employer has to come up with a different mitigation - up to and including you working from home. It's up to them to do this, they can't shrug and say there's nothing they can do - there is.

I'm already in both of the two largest unions... nowhere else to go really.

I have been wearing a mask for teaching and it's fine

Not for any child with even a minor hearing difficulty it isn’t. 1 in 7 of us has diagnosable hearing loss.

Nothing we're doing just now is good for children with additional support needs. I can't get in close to a child to support their learning. If they are in the front row I can provide more help, but there aren't enough front row seats for those who need it.
I have a see-through mask to use with a student I know has a hearing impairment, although I have been told he doesn't lip read I figure it's worth a shot. It's hot though and harder to use. So I end up not wearing a mask and delivering content from as close to the board as possible.
It would be best in some ways for the pupils if I acted like corona wasn't a risk to us. But if I am sick or even off isolating that would be worse for them than me teaching with a mask.

I agree @Whitestick. I have a severely disabled DC who lives in a care home. Sorry but I'm wearing a bloody mask.