Is it me or is it a bit of a damp squib?
Not really heard/read anything in the media, bro and sis in laws kids still going in, however both our kids schools are closed?
Pain in the arse again for us to sort child care!

Had a text from my lad’s school that they are open for business.

I’m off up Snowdon thanks to the strike : )

The media won’t mention strikes as they fear it might stir the angry spirit of Bob Crow, who will be rise from the dead and lay waste to capitalism itself

My kids school is shut. The militant leftie bastards!!! 😀

How can you judge if it is a damp squib when it’s not yet actually happened?

You already know that there is some significant disruption, as such, it’s already had some success, and hasn’t yet started – so judging by the current state of play, it’s been successful so far.

It’s a bit of a nonsense as far as I can see. A third of my daughters school teachers are on strike. So two thirds of the kids are in as normal. Naturally, Sod’s law dictates that my daughter is off.

I wonder if these same teachers who decry the taking of holidays in term time see a little hypocrisy here..?

Maybe I can get a £12 refund from the £60 fine I’ll incur…

I certainly plan to bring it up.

Ours is shut too. **** annoying. I have every sympathy with teachers, I think they all do a brilliant job and should all be paid loads more and have better conditions and more holidays and get a medal and a pony and lots of gold stars. But it’s still **** annoying when they strike and I hate them for it.

Why can’t they protest by, say, clubbing together to pay an assassin to kill Michael Gove or something?

Well not really. It would appear half the schools around us are open as normal so even they can’t be arsed. Normally you’d see some stuff in the press as to why, who and what for.

What are they striking about? If its Health & Safety for the children, striking over lower education/development of the children then I’m all for it. i.e. issues with a direct impact on children or is it about a direct impact on teachers pay and conditions?

What are they striking about?

Pay and workload. Not enough of the former, too much of the latter.

I wonder if these same teachers who decry the taking of holidays in term time see a little hypocrisy here..?

Teachers don’t support the crack down on taking of holidays in term time, and in my experience were happy with the historic arrangements prior to the changes brought in by Gove, I’d suggest that on this score, you have a common enemy in the Education Secretary, rather than being on opposing sides.

direct impact on teachers pay and conditions

Low pay and being overworked has a direct impact on the quality of education delivered, pay and conditions are an education issue.

I’ve no idea but what does a qualified teacher on say 2yrs experience get paid typically? (secondary level of course) – any year.

I wonder if these same teachers who decry the taking of holidays in term time see a little hypocrisy here..?

They can probably educate you in how an industrial dispute with your employers is not like a holiday if you ask them really nicely, but not tomorrow.
then again they may just explain that they do not set govt policy

One of my kids is off one is in.

Not all of the teachers at my kids school are on strike, my daughter has to go in but my son doesn’t, happy days 😕

Edit – I see I’m not the only one with this problem. Well, the wife, I’ll ave hot footed it to work to avoid the fallout.

I’m gonna fine them for taking time-off during term-time – £60 per parent per child.

Back in the real world, it’s a good enough excuse to take the day off and spend it with my girls. 8)

SCAB!!!!

My kids school is closed, but even if it was closed then they would still be at home, important lesson to never cross a picket line.

Teacher strikes are so ineffectual, simply because there is more than one union, so it’s rare the whole school is shut. Even if it does who pays any notice. Waste of time IMO.

I’m gonna fine them for taking time-off during term-time

A day’s pay should be about right.

‘ve no idea but what does a qualified teacher on say 2yrs experience get paid typically? (secondary level of course) – any year.

about 23 or 24K I think.

Its less serious as last time as its only NUT the last one was NUT and NASUWT.
I shall be working but only 6th form will be in.

Teacher strikes are so ineffectual, simply because there is more than one union, so it’s rare the whole school is shut. Even if it does who pays any notice.

the piss is reaching a simmer here already, by tomorrow it will be boiling!!

Last strike only my daughters teacher was not working, this time none of them are, so we are not affected.

Does seem that too many unions not co-ordinating action does weaken their position?

loddrik – Member

I wonder if these same teachers who decry the taking of holidays in term time see a little hypocrisy here..?

I am not a teacher, but, there is no hypocrisy- going on holiday isn’t the same as industrial action so why try and spin a connection?

going on holiday isn’t the same as industrial action so why try and spin a connection?

It depends if the striking teachers are all huddled around a fire shouting at passers by to honk their support or if they will be doing something else given that they are to all intents “off” work. If they do something like er… lets think….. go up Snowdon then it is “similar” to a day off isnt it?

I’m no fan of teachers strikes, or unions in general tbh, but the connection with holidays in term time is cobblers.

Teachers may choose to withdraw their labour in a protest and they will lose a days pay. Same as the rest of us, who will inconvenience the people who use our service,.

Choosing to take your kids out of school for a week or two so that you can have a cheaper holiday and so keep up with the Joneses is a load of selfish First World tosh.

Though a head teacher should have some discretion to allow time off in term time for genuine reasons (family events or a visit to the Incan ruins etc) if the child’s academic performance would not be adversely affected. Which leaves plenty of scope for common sense to be applied, if the head has the balls to refuse the piss takers.

My Wife is a teacher, however she isn’t on strike tomorrow, and doesn’t believe the strikes will achieve anything.

She even refers to the Strikes as ‘Bluewater Days’ or ‘Pizza Express Days’ as most of the striking staff spend the day shopping or having lunch together.

Our Daughters School is closed, so we’ve got to pay the child minder to have her for the whole day.

Bit of a waste of time if you ask me.

Don’t think ours is closed, if it was then it would give the mrs something to do rather than going for lunch with friends…. 🙂 (its OK she never visits this site so im safe….)

Only way they will achieve anything is an all out indefinite length strike

Businesses and parents would whinge so much the government would have to act especially wth an election not too far off

Waste of time pissing about with a day here and there.

I’m a TA but I’ll be in school til 7/8 tonight getting mindless crap done so I have tomorrow off as its nice weather.

I think this ‘not paying them if they don’t go to work’ is a brilliant idea

I’d be willing to bet that we’d see the end of the six week summer holidays pretty sharpish if that became the norm 😆 (annual 28 days statutory paid holiday)

Got to put a days holiday in tomorrow as the boys school is closed, my college is still open though so had to get cover for my classes.

Bloody teachers…. oh wait..

She even refers to the Strikes as ‘Bluewater Days’ or ‘Pizza Express Days’ as most of the striking staff spend the day shopping or having lunch together.

Mrs Pondo is also a teacher – on the rare occasions her lot are on strike, it’s an opportunity to do more work.

surfer – Member

If they do something like er… lets think….. go up Snowdon then it is “similar” to a day off isnt it?

Of course it’s a day off. It’s just not a holiday. They’re not doing it in order to go up snowdon, that’s just what they’re doing as a result of being off.

Ironically, the UK’s draconian anti-strike laws actually make it illegal for most people on strike to picket.

it’s an opportunity to do more work.

Thats more like it 😀

As a teacher I had no idea it existed.

What’s the fine for one child out of school for one week?

Unless they go out for a few weeks, which is unthinkable in their eyes, then they will achieve nothing just agravate the workers who have kids to loook after or pay someone to look after them.

A proper strike is all out, picketing during working hours, turning suppliers and deliveries around and not crossing picket lines,perhaps they need to read some history boks tommorow while standing outside the school gates picketing.

Unless they go out for a few weeks, which is unthinkable in their eyes, then they will achieve nothing

Since the action started, the STRB threw out much of Gove’s proposals, Gove published the hours survey, and we won a 1% pay rise this year. That would count as achieving something, right?

A proper strike is all out, picketing during working hours, turning suppliers and deliveries around and not crossing picket lines,perhaps they need to read some history boks tommorow while standing outside the school gates picketing.

We decided not to picket the College, as we felt it wasn’t fair on the students who did still have lessons. In previous strikes, we’ve stood on the opposite side of the road with banners, leaflets, etc. with just one person at the main gate.

I don’t think we’ll have anyone outside tomorrow, because the local rally is up in Newcastle so most will be travelling up there.

On the first strike, I was outside the college, and went to the rally. Same on the second day.

Last time, my wife and kids were all off, so we had a nice day out as a family.

Tomorrow, I’ll be at home alone as my wife and kids aren’t off. Seems silly to spend the day doing nothing, so I’m going to be marking coursework. This’ll save me doing it when I could spend time with my family instead.

What’s the fine for one child out of school for one week?

£60 per parent per day, IIRC. So, £600 for a week if there are two parents. That’s Gove’s fault rather than teachers.