Why are teachers more willing to strike now than ever before?
Below are some presentations that briefly describe the journey to us getting here.
The antagonistic comments, the lies to the public, the threats, the reversal of decisions that were taken within a few years of then being agreed and more.
Within a few slides, you’ll see the unreasonable steps that have been taken already and you’ll read about others that are being threatened or perhaps, even promised!
A gist of the actions that are forcing us to stand against the Government are things like:-
- “It doesn’t matter if the good teachers leave because we’ll call the Army in.”
- The age of retirement has gone from 60 – 68 within 2 years.
- The Government doesn’t want us to retain our current salary if we move schools even if we apply for the SAME position. Does that happen anywhere else? Would the private sector tolerate it?
- ALL children are expected to make a certain level of progress each year or we won’t get an increase in pay. What about children who have huge absences, suffer a bereavement, are neglected or abused, have Special Needs etc.? How can we be expected to get them to achieve the same as the others who have less obstacles?
- The Government also wants us to teach longer hours. Do you know many children who could cope with that? When would children see their parents? When would teachers see their families? When would homework be done? After 7 p.m.?
- PPA is when a teacher gets 10% of the time they teach per week, out of class, during the school day. It’s a way to get some time to Plan Prepare and Assess for your class during school hours. The rest is done after the children go home or on the weekend. The Government thinks we no longer need PPA either!
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Nationwide, observations are being used to fraudulently label teachers as failing. They are then put on Capabilities and forced to leave. Older, more experienced i.e. more costly teachers seem to have been targeted! The Government recently made it easier to remove teachers using this procedure!
- Sir Michael Wilshaw: “If anyone says to you that ‘staff morale is at an all-time low’, you know you are doing something right”.
So that’s a summary of SOME of the reasons that are forcing teachers to Strike and seriously question whether to pursue a different career.
Here are two presentations (courtesy of the internet) explaining why we will feel that there’s no choice left, other than, taking Industrial Action.
So what has the NUT done so far?
- We’ve asked for meaningful negotiations to take place.
- We’ve waited.
- We’ve lobbied.
- We’ve pursued action which isn’t in the form of strikes.
- We’ve been on strike.
- We’ve held a march.
- We called off the last strike because the Government said they would enter meaningful talks.
- They went back on it so we’re left with no alternative but to take Industrial Action again.
Will it work?
Yes!
Here are some examples of why action CAN and WILL make a difference!
Stem 6 – Staff at a free school were presented with an unreasonable contract, which was amended and given to them after they’d been in post for 2 months! The amendment was worse! Management said that they wouldn’t recognise the staff’s membership with the NUT. The Union were ready to carry out SUSTAINED Strike Action when the School changed their mind. They now recognise the Union and they are negotiating the terms of their contract.
Brampton Primary School were facing a struggle with an unacceptable pay policy. A Regional Officer came to meet members and was asked to leave the school. The Head said she didn’t want the Officer and members to meet on the premises. So they spoke outside the school gates (so it wasn’t on site) and the head changed her position! Another success! They were invited in and they are entering meaningful talks.
Another school stood up to an unacceptable policy. The LEA, wanted to prevent action being taken across the Borough so they got involved and implemented the policy, which members wanted ACROSS the Borough! One school made a difference to all the schools in that Borough.
A school in Lambeth are protesting against a point about portability even though it doesn’t effect them! Their argument – teaching is a collective profession so we have to stand up FOR EACH OTHER.
Now this was all Regional.
National strike action is a step FORWARD from Regional Action. Imagine the successes we can achieve at this level! 🙂
So let’s all get involved and help roll this success out further.
When I say “let’s”, I mean teaching staff, parents, non teaching staff, Governors…EVERYONE!
So how can you get involved?
– share this article and inform others about what’s been going on
– lobby your MP
– support us when we go on strike
– join us on the protest
– write to the Government
– if you have children who are of school age, tell the head that you understand that our hand is being forced
– express your support to the Governors
These changes in Education are having a huge negative impact now and on generations to come!
It’s NOT just about teachers!
So let’s be aware, strong, united, alert, determined, brave and focused.
