the head master at our local Primary is a wet lettuce but does a terrific job of managing an eductaional establishment. I have to take my hat off to him ive just had an email detailing that although some teachers will not be working others will and XYZ years will be as normal but abc wont
good clarity plenty of notice and highlights the day off brigade from those who want to do a days work rather than placard wave over some of the most generous pensions available.. ( when was the last time you saw a 65 yr old teacher?)

I like wet lettuce, but I think white aspargus is my favourite at the moment.
Salads are ace.

The Mrs is a dinner lady, and they are expected to turn up to serve food, even though there will be no teachers nor children in attendance. Absolute joke.

when was the last time you saw a 65 yr old teacher?

Teacher in my daughter’s year at school is retiring this year having joined the school in 1973. She’s been teaching the third generation of kids from some families.

She’s not 65, but she looks it.

My 2p;

Most of the people who complain about the ‘day off brigade’ seem quite happy to take their kids out of school when it suits them so they can get a holiday 3p cheaper.

If you strike you don’t get paid.
If you don’t strike you do get paid.
If half the teachers strike the school will be closed.
Those off on strike will not get paid.
Those who are off because the school is closed will.

(Also not all teaching unions have voted to strike and their members would be at risk of disciplinary action if they don’t turn up for work as they will simply be absent)

Most of the people who complain about the ‘day off brigade’ seem quite happy to take their kids out of school when it suits them so they can get a holiday 3p cheaper.

I love it when people mix two loosely related issues together to try and make a point.

I thought I’d done quite well 🙂

highlights the day off brigade from those who want to do a days work

It was really this that got me – suggesting that people who are prepared to give up a days pay for a principle are somehow workshy fops seemed a needless implication.

Yes, not all teachers are striking but it doesn’t mean that those that are will be the ‘bad’ ones.

Those who are off because the school is closed will

The school will be closed to pupils, not other non striking staff. They will be expected to turn up as normal. I’m sure they will be able to do productive work (e.g. lesson plans, catching up on paperwork etc) despite not doing any actual classroom teaching.

It’s certainly a contentious issue which could be discussed at some length…………………..

””””’or we could look at a pic of a dog, who might have a child’s face off if they aren’t at school. Who would like that on their conscience!

when was the last time you saw a 65 yr old teacher?

Good point…….I hadn’t thought of that.

Teachers are indeed lazy greedy layabouts who don’t give a toss about children’s eduction and only want to retire early on a fat pension.

Rest assured that most of us teachers who are not striking are doing so as we would be breaking the law if we did, as our unions have not yet balloted members on industrial action.
I’ve been teaching 16 years and I’ve never seen this level of anger amongst my colleagues in all that time.

I’ve been teaching 16 years ….

Coming up for retirement no doubt.

If only…;)

nurse!!! more valium for totalshell.

My union is striking but fully intend to work – I think i might be in trouble?!? 😯

My union is striking but fully intend to work

So I take it you will be accepting the governments current kind offer on pensions even if the strikes managed to get them to change their position 🙄

anagallis_arvensis – Member

nurse!!! more valium for totalshell.

You called?

Striking worked really well for the miners; no doubt this will be another embarrasing defeat for the Tories.

I don’t think.

Accept that your pension will be less good from now on. It’ll be easier in the long run. It’s astonishing how many teachers are retiring now to seal their benefits before the rules change. Very smart.

I think i might be in trouble?!?

Nah you’ll fine………I’m sure those who are in dispute with their employers over their pensions will fully understand your reluctance to support them.

Why did you think you might be in trouble ?

Have you thought of leaving the union btw ? ……… or do you want it to be there for you should you need it ? ……..and you need/want all the other union members to back you.

Oh here we go, its started again. Supposition stated as cold hard fact.
Exactly how many extra teachers are retiring? And source please.

Striking worked really well for the miners; no doubt this will be another embarrasing defeat for the Tories.

I don’t think.

Now, if I had been a miner at that time and I was told that I was going to lose my job and my whole community was about to be shafted as a result, going on strike and at least fighting to save my job would have been one of two things that I could have salvaged out of the situation.

The other thing would have been the satisfaction in knowing that I
was one someone that had the balls to stand up and fight against the tyranny that was being brought down upon my class.

Personally, I think the miners achieved a lot.

It’s astonishing how many teachers are retiring now to seal their benefits before the rules change

really I’ve not noticed any

Well total..(not shell that springs to mind)we have already been told that we are working to 68,so give it 25 years and you will see at least one at my school.But don’t let facts get in the way of your rant. I mean most teachers can’t even spell you know.

Clink; I hope you can look everybody in the eye when they come back from fighting for your benefits. You will of course be returning any concessions won by your colleagues,will you not?

Haven’t seen all these extra teachers retiring, what difference would retiring a couple of years early make over a 40y career?

I mean most teachers can’t even spell you know.

I’d noticed that too. One or two have problems constructing coherent sentences aswell.

how many teachers at your kids school over 60 never mind 65? my daughters retired last year at 57 not a bad time to go with your half decent pension. so the issue cant be about the retirement age it must be about the reward whist retired or the age from when it can be paid

ScottChegg – Member

Striking worked really well for the miners; no doubt this will be another embarrasing defeat for the Tories.

You can’t possibly think there’s an equivalence here? Unless you think that the UK teaching industry will be abandoned and replaced with north sea lessons and imports?

Accept that your pension will be less good from now on. It’ll be easier in the long run. It’s astonishing how many teachers are retiring now to seal their benefits before the rules change.

So a strike once failed to achieve its hoped for outcome and all union members should just bend over and take what the government wants to give them regardless of the equity of it?

Smile as we get shafted, it will be better in the long run. What’s the reasoning behind that pearl of wisdom?

Some teachers might be choosing to retire and I know one or two that are. They are very good and experienced teachers so what does that potentially mean for the quality of education in the school system?

For the teachers striking they won’t get the pension contribution for that day either, which is what they are striking for in the first place.

For the teachers striking they won’t get the pension contribution for that day either, which is what they are striking for in the first place.

Yup and that one day will make a massive difference.

Shit, I bit.

Our lower school is not going out on strike as they told us in a letter, however they have told us they will be on teacher training day on friday instead???. Didn’t even have that one on the calendar.

I can understand the strong feelings on this, as a parent it is our responsibility to look after our children but it does irritate me having to try and cover the school hols with my hols or wifes hols or trying to swap shifts to do so, then the seemingly ever increasing amount of “training days” that need covering and chuck in a few “snow days” and we are left with not enough hols to cover or if the employers are generous (yeah right) they let you have unpaid leave. The potential time off with strikes is yet another burden that as parents needs to be filled but ending up out of pocket or time or even chucking a sickie which employers really don’t like.Hence not much sympathy from a parents perspective.

I also accept everyone in a union has a right to protest/strike or whatever but can it not be done in a different manner?. I remember all school teams/activities suffering in the 80’s strikes as all after school or lunchtime practices were cancelled and work to rule etc.

Clink; I hope you can look everybody in the eye when they come back from fighting for your benefits. You will of course be returning any concessions won by your colleagues,will you not?

I am more concerned with getting the Year 10’s coursework done.

Have you thought of leaving the union btw ? ……… or do you want it to be there for you should you need it ? ……..and you need/want all the other union members to back you.

Yes…and joining a different one. I don’t agree with striking due to it’s effect on others. I’m investigating changing unions at the moment.

The potential time off with strikes is yet another burden that as parents needs to be filled but ending up out of pocket or time or even chucking a sickie which employers really don’t like.Hence not much sympathy from a parents perspective.

You’re approaching this from the wrong side. You need to be supporting the teachers so they can achieve their objectives and get back to work in the full knowledge of a healthy pension, as soon as possible. God forbid you disagree with them or they’ll just get shirty with you. My suggestion is that you too go on strike to support the teachers, as I’m sure your boss has either and endless pot of money and/or the ability to simply increase prices to pay for your holiday strike. Everyone’s a winner.

The potential time off with strikes is yet another burden that as parents needs to be filled but ending up out of pocket or time or even chucking a sickie which employers really don’t like.Hence not much sympathy from a parents perspective.

isnt this the point of the strike?

What have the parents done to offend you?

Clink; I hope you can look everybody in the eye when they come back from fighting for your benefits. You will of course be returning any concessions won by your colleagues,will you not?

…and that , of course, is blackmail and totally goes against the freedom of choice which the poster is entitled to in this country, regardless of whther they are a union member or not.

It’s a choice which I sincerely hope I don’t have to make ie. to strike or not, if the dispute escalates to other public services.

What have the parents done to offend you?

voted in a Tory government, surely the point of a teachers strike is to make people realise teachers are kind of important to them and may be worth paying for. Its not designed to make friends.

Then you’re succeeding. As I’ve said before, I know who I’ll be voting for in the next election.

I have done this to death but this got my attention

Accept that your pension will be less good from now on.

married colleagues civil servants both worked for current employer for over 20 years.
the effect of the change on them is that [ collectively] they will be £120 per month worse off. He has to work 1 year longer she has to work 6 years longer. The pension they will each get is £4 k less per year.
40 + years and will retire with just under 6 K pension. I thought he was BS until we did the calculations together,
Would you really just go oh well thanks better than I can get in Mc donalds then if this was you?
That is not a huge pension by anyones standards so it is not as great as you haters seem to think.

The potential time off with strikes is yet another burden that as parents needs to be filled but ending up out of pocket or time or even chucking a sickie which employers really don’t like.Hence not much sympathy from a parents perspective.

thatcher thanks you for thinking only about what this means to you.
Ps how do you strike without striking? The whole point is to be disruptive

65 year old teachers?
When did you last see a 65 year old nurse? or a 65 year old jobbing builder?

As for strike action, surely that is far better than work to rule which would have a much greater impact on education. If not striking, h
what other ” better” leverages would you suggest?