Teachers Strike

[Guest MattP]

Are you seriously saying that teaching is not a real job, then you clearly have no clue, all the teachers I know do a lot more work than most office jobs and have a hell of a lot more responsibility and pressure, it is pathetic to dismiss it as not a real job, when it is one of the most important in taking this country forwards. Yes they get good "holidays", but what you don't see is the amount time spent during those holidays preparing for the following term.

 

I don't agree with the strike, but then I also think Gove is a dick and this is a culmination of many factors and not just one, but they have their right to do so.

 

Christ, we know different teachers, the two I know sit on facebook all day and have watched Breaking Bad usually by 10am on a Monday.

 

Though they both admit they don't really care about teh kids and do the job for the money and the holidays.

 

Although neither of them are on strike today I'll add.

[Parafox]

No it's a response to your eomment that everyone should be allowed to strike.

 

Do you express that right to the police force?

 

I would if they weren't prevented from doing so by Act of Parliament.

[Guest MattP]

I would if they weren't prevented from doing so by Act of Parliament.

 

Fair enough, personally I think it's the right call for them not to be allowed.

 

The right to strike is important and soem cases (unlike today) is very necessary for workers to be treated fairly, I don't extend that right over people's right to live in a society that has a police force though, imagine had they been on strike during the summer riots.

[Parafox]

Christ, we know different teachers, the two I know sit on facebook all day and have watched Breaking Bad usually by 10am on a Monday.

 

Though they both admit they don't really care about teh kids and do the job for the money and the holidays.

 

Although neither of them are on strike today I'll add.

 

 

Maybe they're primary school teachers and don't have to do marking, lesson planning, audit completion, after school activities, welfare calls to parents, extra-curricular learning for themselves, none of which can be done during the lesson hours.

[Parafox]

Fair enough, personally I think it's the right call for them not to be allowed.

 

The right to strike is important and soem cases (unlike today) is very necessary for workers to be treated fairly, I don't extend that right over people's right to live in a society that has a police force though, imagine had they been on strike during the summer riots.

 

I agree in respect of the police, but I'm not entirely sure of the point you're trying to make in relation to the OP?

[Guest MattP]

I agree in respect of the police, but I'm not entirely sure of the point you're trying to make in relation to the OP?

 

As I said I was responding to your comment everyone should be allowed to strike, threads often veer off from the OP.

[MooseBreath]

If you're striking about something which you knew was the case when you signed up, you're a cvnt.

If you're striking about a change in something which was always liable to change, you're a cvnt.

If you're striking about something which you were promised wouldn't change, but is now being changed, then I can sympathise, although I still find essentially using children's educational suffering as leverage to get a bit more cash to be pretty disgusting behavior.

[outfoxed77]

Maybe they're primary school teachers and don't have to do marking, lesson planning, audit completion, after school activities, welfare calls to parents, extra-curricular learning for themselves, none of which can be done during the lesson hours.

 

Would these be the lesson hours which are 9:30am to 3pm?

[Tommy G]

Are you seriously saying that teaching is not a real job, then you clearly have no clue, all the teachers I know do a lot more work than most office jobs and have a hell of a lot more responsibility and pressure, it is pathetic to dismiss it as not a real job, when it is one of the most important in taking this country forwards. Yes they get good "holidays", but what you don't see is the amount time spent during those holidays preparing for the following term.

 

I don't agree with the strike, but then I also think Gove is a dick and this is a culmination of many factors and not just one, but they have their right to do so.

 

HA Brilliant

 

The teacher I know watched the Ashes all summer, cycled to the east coast and spent the rest of the time on his sofa reading the paper

 

All this lesson prep is such flannel

 

What about when I have to prep for meetings outside of work hours? Should I be patted on the back for that like teachers do with lesson prep?

 

Also I dont finish at 3pm, and have a break after every hour of working. And my pension is crap.

 

I dont have an ounce of sympathy and I hope the govt stand tall against them

[Parafox]

Would these be the lesson hours which are 9:30am to 3pm?

 

Probably, although the school my daughter goes to starts at 8:35 am and finishes at 3:10 pm. Most of  the teaching staff are in well before the gates open and are there after the kids leave.

 

Not saying this strike is right or justified but, as usual, teachers are being branded idle layabouts who only work 6 hours a day.

 

Utter crap.

[fleckneymike]

You're all welcome to come and join us in the cushy world of teaching.

[leicsmac]

Would these be the lesson hours which are 9:30am to 3pm?

 

Yup, they would. Hence the fact that many teachers are in 'work' from 7-7.30am and stay there until 5-6pm. The actual standing in front of the kids to teach is only the tip of the iceberg. Add in basically having to be a performing clown for whatever Government is in power at the time mixed in with many parents thinking they know the minutiae of teaching theory and not actually being role models to their kids...I could go on. 

 

However this is a pretty contentious issue for people and the lines are already drawn in the sand, as can be seen here. With the usual suspects using this action as an excuse to bash the whole profession. 

 

That being said, if I were a teacher now I'd be going to the matresses over Gove's wholesale ideological changes to the profession, rather than a dispute over pensions that affects every other public sector worker too.

 

As an aside, the mainstream media is yet again doing a fantastic job of playing the professions suffering cuts against each other, so they bicker about who has the worst deal rather than actually being pissed off at those responsible for this situation in the first place.

[Captain...]

HA Brilliant

 

The teacher I know watched the Ashes all summer, cycled to the east coast and spent the rest of the time on his sofa reading the paper

 

All this lesson prep is such flannel

 

What about when I have to prep for meetings outside of work hours? Should I be patted on the back for that like teachers do with lesson prep?

 

Also I dont finish at 3pm, and have a break after every hour of working. And my pension is crap.

 

I dont have an ounce of sympathy and I hope the govt stand tall against them

 

I'm not saying they don't enjoy the good holidays, but they are not complete holidays, even at primary school level.

 

There are some shit teachers out there who scrape by doing the minimum (as there are in any job, and amongst the unemployed too) but it is not a cushy job, it is a very intense experience being in the class room, you can't switch off, you can't dick about on Foxes Talk when you should be working, or even go to the toilet when you want. You have 30 pairs of eyes staring at you waiting on your every word, looking for any slip or mistake that they can take advantage of, trying to prove you wrong and expose your ignorance. You get round that by preparing good lessons. This is without even considering having to deal with difficult/troubled/depressed/hyperactive/slow children and all the problems normal kids come with such as puberty. Seriously try it you will be very appreciative of your current job after a day teaching.

[hairy]

FT hasn't changed much over the years. Its still full of idiots claiming to know everything.

[Mack]

McDonalds was living hell this lunchtime. Rammed with grandparents with nothing to do with the grandkids.

[outfoxed77]

But presumably you knew all this before taking the job on?

 

Why bitch about it now?

 

There's not enough money in the pot to keep paying your cushy pensions, why can't you see that?

 

If my company has a bad year I don't get a bonus or a payrise, my pension has just been changed for the worst but I have to accept that times are hard for everyone and sacrifices have to be made, I can always look for another job.

 

Why do you think teachers are so special that the real world economics don't apply to you?

[Parafox]

McDonalds was living hell this lunchtime. Rammed with grandparents with nothing to do with the grandkids.

 

 

You must be a benefits claimant.

[Bellend Sebastian]

But presumably you knew all this before taking the job on?

 

Why bitch about it now?

 

There's not enough money in the pot to keep paying your cushy pensions, why can't you see that?

 

If my company has a bad year I don't get a bonus or a payrise, my pension has just been changed for the worst but I have to accept that times are hard for everyone and sacrifices have to be made, I can always look for another job.

 

Why do you think teachers are so special that the real world economics don't apply to you?

 

You should become a teacher.

 

I looked at it myself recently and, no word of a lie, I decided that it looked far too much like hard work

[Captain...]

But presumably you knew all this before taking the job on?

 

Why bitch about it now?

 

There's not enough money in the pot to keep paying your cushy pensions, why can't you see that?

 

If my company has a bad year I don't get a bonus or a payrise, my pension has just been changed for the worst but I have to accept that times are hard for everyone and sacrifices have to be made, I can always look for another job.

 

Why do you think teachers are so special that the real world economics don't apply to you?

 

You're not a banker then?

[ADK]

But presumably you knew all this before taking the job on?

 

Why bitch about it now?

 

There's not enough money in the pot to keep paying your cushy pensions, why can't you see that?

 

If my company has a bad year I don't get a bonus or a payrise, my pension has just been changed for the worst but I have to accept that times are hard for everyone and sacrifices have to be made, I can always look for another job.

 

Why do you think teachers are so special that the real world economics don't apply to you?

 

Just out of interest, if and when the economy starts to recover, do you think all public sector workers should receive generous pay rises?

[Alf Bentley]

If I striked I would be told to go home packing - there would be 50 people queing up outside my office to take my job.

 

Does your employer place no value on you or your job, then, if you're so easily replaceable? Perhaps you ought to work a bit harder or get a different job?

 

Whole thing is embarrassing, they should take their CV's out into the real world and see what they are actually worth.

 

Always nice to see them alinged with the SWP etc on these protests though, makes sure the nation can see them for what they are.

 

"Real world" = Spending all day on Foxestalk while supposedly managing gambling web sites

"Not real world" = Trying to educate 30 children, some of whom will have behavioural problems or be causing mayhem      

 

As you doubtless know, the SWP turn up at every rally with their placards, trying to exploit situations for their own "revolutionary" ends....the SWP are wankers, not teachers

 

 

Reply to Kitchandro: "You can't just down tools every time something happens that you don't like."

My daughter's been at school for more than 5 years and this is the first strike that I can remember!

 

I agree with them, why wouldnt i accept. A company is ran for profit, it has to get labour at a price that makes its product saleable. This is how most private companies are run, maybe its time to privatise education.

 

Yeah, great! How much would they have to charge to make a profit? I wonder what proportion of children would then go to school? Yeah, going back to Victorian values isn't enough, let's limit education to those whose parents can pay, let's all become serfs in the field, bowing and scraping to the lord of the manor for fear that he won't give us a crust of bread!!!!!

 

Public sector in strike while Tories are in power shock.

 

Private-school Tories in power attack public sector shock!

 

Are you seriously saying that teaching is not a real job, then you clearly have no clue, all the teachers I know do a lot more work than most office jobs and have a hell of a lot more responsibility and pressure, it is pathetic to dismiss it as not a real job, when it is one of the most important in taking this country forwards. Yes they get good "holidays", but what you don't see is the amount time spent during those holidays preparing for the following term.

 

Spot on! I'm not a teacher, but I know several that are and they all work very hard in a difficult, important job.

I did a 1-month TEFL course years ago and found it harder work than almost any that I've done (which includes public and private sector, manual labour, office, self-employment). 

 

Christ, we know different teachers, the two I know sit on facebook all day and have watched Breaking Bad usually by 10am on a Monday.

 

Though they both admit they don't really care about teh kids and do the job for the money and the holidays.

 

Although neither of them are on strike today I'll add.

 

As a responsible Tory who doesn't want public money wasted, I trust that you've reported these sponging idlers?

Before I went self-employed, I always noticed that the most unprofessional idlers were usually non-union members who idled on the job, but took the terms and conditions negotiated by the unions.  

 

Maybe they're primary school teachers and don't have to do marking, lesson planning, audit completion, after school activities, welfare calls to parents, extra-curricular learning for themselves, none of which can be done during the lesson hours.

 

Primary school teachers do many of those tasks, too; fewer than secondary teachers, maybe

[ADK]

I do think teaching needs reforms.

 

There are a hell of a lot of bad teachers out there. When I was at school a common complaint was that it was really difficult to get rid of shit teachers and that a lot of schools were writing rave reviews for shit teachers in a desperate attempt to get them to leave. The result that was a fair few people were rising up the teaching ranks by being thoroughly useless at their jobs.

 

Actually that happens in the private sector too.

[leicsmac]

But presumably you knew all this before taking the job on?

 

Why bitch about it now?

 

There's not enough money in the pot to keep paying your cushy pensions, why can't you see that?

 

If my company has a bad year I don't get a bonus or a payrise, my pension has just been changed for the worst but I have to accept that times are hard for everyone and sacrifices have to be made, I can always look for another job.

 

Why do you think teachers are so special that the real world economics don't apply to you?

 

Education (like health) is beyond monetary/material value, something that people who see the cost of everything and the value of nothing seem not to grasp. Money is not much good to an totally uneducated person, not much use to an unhealthy one, and no use at all to a dead one.

 

But that's a discussion for another time. 

 

Back on topic, I think some of the posts here highlight the difference between public and private sector work. Collective bargaining is key in public sector work due to its size, whereas if you're working for a small to medium private company you can go straight to the boss and have a conversation about exactly why the company is having cutbacks, and get an explanation from them. Communication is the issue.

[Zingari]

You should become a teacher.

 

I looked at it myself recently and, no word of a lie, I decided that it looked far too much like hard work

What do you do now then ? Test mattresses for slumberland ?

[Tommy G]

Does your employer place no value on you or your job, then, if you're so easily replaceable? Perhaps you ought to work a bit harder or get a different job?

 

 

Do me a favour - look at how many people are out there looking for Jobs? Especially in the industry sector I'm in the competition was fierce. We have taken on 7 graduates this summer, guess how many applications we had? 300 

 

So it is nothing to do with hard work or looking for a different job at all. You have got completely the wrong end of the stick probably due to your lack of education - do you even watch the news or open your eyes to the lack of employment in this country since the recession?