Supporting teacher strikes

[vindaloopy]

Another thread has got me thinking. I'm a cover supervisor in a primary school and a member of Unison, not a teaching union. If teachers go on strike, presumably I would be obliged by my role to cover striking staff? How could I show my support while fulfulling my contracted role?

You refuse to cover striking staff. This is perfectly reasonable and a head shouldn't ask you to do it.

Interesting - I expect that is what I will do if there are strikes. In theory though, if the Head wasn't happy with my refusal, could I be disciplined for it?

My understanding is that if you are a member of any union, you can refuse to cover striking staff. I would obviously confirm with your union first- but my understanding was that you couldn't be required to cover striking staff.

In all honestly, I'd probably suggest you join the NEU- I'd rather be part of a union that was actively campaigning on my pay and working conditions?

But if you're generally happy as part of unison, then do contact them and ask about this.

As I'm support staff, unison is one of the ones actively campaigning on my pay :)

Thanks both, that's really helpful advice.

I’m a TA and Unison have given guidelines of what we can and can’t do . We are open despite the strikes, not sure who is covering 90 children all on google classroom , the lunch times and managing behaviour…..

Do you think there will be picketing outside some schools and what does this mean for staff going into school that day?

Our Unison members have been advised that they should not be covering for striking members of other unions.