Next Weeks Public Sector Strikes

**Jeebo72** · 24 November 2011, 16:12

Originally posted by kaiser78 View Post

Just been informed that some classes in the kids school are postponed next week and some are not due to the strike.

So question, if a teacher is in a union and the union decides to strike, does that mean they have to strike or can they choose to go in to work regardless ? And vice versa, if the union decides not to strike (which 1 is), can the teacher choose to strike anyway ?

They can be a scab. It's free will. All teachers are work shy ******* so they will strike.

**d000hg** · 24 November 2011, 16:17

They can choose freely. So some classes might be as normal, others closed, depending which classes the staff are there for. Typically those not striking have to turn up and do admin if the kids don't come in.

It sounds like about 50% are striking at my wife's school.

Jeebo is a tool who doesn't know anything about anything. I must know a dozen teachers and they are amongst the hardest workers I know, putting in extra time and caring about their job.

**Jeebo72** · 24 November 2011, 16:21

Originally posted by d000hg View Post

Jeebo is a tool who doesn't know anything about anything. I must know a dozen teachers and they are amongst the hardest workers I know, putting in extra time and caring about their job.

As do I, and they are the ones who didn't get an honours degree and just layabout doing f'all. Including my best man.

But yeah, start off your message with "idiot", "tool", "cretin" just to help give yourself gravitas....numbnut.

**TheFaQQer** · 24 November 2011, 16:40

Originally posted by kaiser78 View Post

Just been informed that some classes in the kids school are postponed next week and some are not due to the strike.

So question, if a teacher is in a union and the union decides to strike, does that mean they have to strike or can they choose to go in to work regardless ? And vice versa, if the union decides not to strike (which 1 is), can the teacher choose to strike anyway ?

As with any employee, they can choose not to strike. However, in certain circumstances, that puts your union membership at risk - when I was at a government site during a PCS strike, they were taking photos of people crossing the line, since they seem to want to get the best of both worlds. They want the union protection and bargaining power, but they aren't prepared to follow the union policy.

Legally, the head teacher is not allowed to ask whether a teacher is going to strike or not, and they do not legally have to tell them until the day of the strike. So it may be Wednesday morning before schools know whether they will be in a position to remain open or not - ours has said that it would not be wise to assume that school will be open on Wednesday.

**d000hg** · 24 November 2011, 16:43

Originally posted by Jeebo72 View Post

As do I, and they are the ones who didn't get an honours degree and just layabout doing f'all. Including my best man.

That says more about the kind of people you befriend than the education system. Tarring teachers with the public sector brush is totally unwarranted in my experience... obviously there are bad and good ones but the average teacher works harder and cares more than the average contractor, that's for damn sure.

**russell** · 24 November 2011, 16:46

Originally posted by d000hg View Post

That says more about the kind of people you befriend than the education system. Tarring teachers with the public sector brush is totally unwarranted in my experience... obviously there are bad and good ones but the average teacher works harder and cares more than the average contractor, that's for damn sure.

Wonder how teachers would react if it were proposed they had the same holidays as most other workers.

**d000hg** · 24 November 2011, 16:49

Originally posted by russell View Post

Wonder how teachers would react if it were proposed they had the same holidays as most other workers.

Wonder how contractors would react if they were told they had to do an hour or two of work once they got home for no extra money, and were expected to run after-work clubs.

**SneakySimon** · 24 November 2011, 16:50

Quiet

My train will be lovely and quiet on Wednesday as will the office with parents forced to take the day "working from home".

I feel for the strikers but since the turnout and vote percentage was so low, can't help feeling that the strike is unwarrented.

**DodgyAgent** · 24 November 2011, 16:50

Originally posted by d000hg View Post

That says more about the kind of people you befriend than the education system. Tarring teachers with the public sector brush is totally unwarranted in my experience... obviously there are bad and good ones but the average teacher works harder and cares more than the average contractor, that's for damn sure.

These strikes epitomise the fact that public services are run for the prime benefit of the people that run and work in them. In the private sector if you dont like your job the saying is FIFO. The same should apply to the public sector.

Next Weeks Public Sector Strikes