Anyone In The Nut And Striking?

[Guest]

3 put of 4 class teachers at my school are striking. It will be hard losing a days pay as everything is so tight these days anyway. It is one way to have a voice that can be heard up and down the country. If people choose the NUT as a union they must realise that there is the chance they will have the opporutnity to strike more than any other union. I wonder if it would make a difference if it was only the strikers that could get a pay rise?

[HappyMaz]

I wonder if it would make a difference if it was only the strikers that could get a pay rise?

I've often wondered that - I come from a very pro-union family (my dad was a shop steward) but I've never worked in the sort of environment where union membership was common. However, I have benefitted in the past from payrises negoatied as a result of collective bargaining.

 

Going on strike does seem to be out of kilter with what most people would imagine motivates teachers to do a good job. However, there must come a time when personal, financial and the career security of individuals must take precedence, and after all a completely demoralised teaching workforce will ultimately provide a less than happy learning environment.

 

I'm sure there must be a feeling among NUT members that the Government has been trading on teachers' goodwill for too long - and no-one could believe that this decision to strike has been taken lightly. As Wolfie's description of her fears and worries show: they will be more than aware of the likely effects of this action upon individual children - making this decision even more difficult to take.

 

I think you are in an unenviable position: whatever you decide to do on 24th April, I wish you all well.

 

Maz

[fluffy]

i also wonder if it would present teachers in a better light to the public if all the unions sang from the same song sheet on this & presented a completly united front????

[Guest]

fluffy, it would make a lot of sense for the unions to present a completely united front - I can't see it happening though with unions as they curretnly are!

[Guest tinkerbell]

As already mentioned a few days ago.3 out of 4 teachers in our school are in the NUT and we have decided yes we are going on strike and will meet with all the other teachers in our area on the morning.

[Guest Wolfie]

That's a good idea Maz, hadn't thought of that!

[Guest]

I've never been in a union but were they not started as a voice for the workers. So surely if alot of their people that they represent don't agree or find the idea of striking wrong, then why are they striking? should it not be they represent the voice of the people that belong to them and not just the ones at the top that don't agree on something so they decide to strike.

 

Maybe I don't understand Unions thats why I've never belonged to one.

 

Steph

[Marion]

To call a strike members have to be consulted and balloted and the majority of people who voted said yes to strike action. Some people I imagine didn't bother to vote and some will have voted against but as in all things it was a majority decision so more people must want the strike than don't.

[HappyMaz]

To call a strike members have to be consulted and balloted and the majority of people who voted said yes to strike action. Some people I imagine didn't bother to vote and some will have voted against but as in all things it was a majority decision so more people must want the strike than don't.

This is why exercising your vote is so crucial isn't it: its your chance to have your say. Mind you: as a child I could never understand how anyone would be able to count the ballot papers being waved in the air when they voted. Presmably these days its a more formal affair?

[Marion]

I think it was a postal vote but I could be wrong

[Guest]

Our school will be closing on strike day as 7 out of the 9 teachers in that day are NUT and all are striking. They are joining a local rally. Their opinion (I'm one of the two in a different union) is that they should support their union as the union supports them. I'm anti striking really as I don't think it's beneficial, but the chance of my union striking is rare so I hope it never comes to that.

[Beau]

Is there any NUT members who will be striking on 24th

 

Gwen,

 

I've merged your topic with the existing one on the same subject.

[Chill]

Would it have been possible for the NUT action to have taken place in the holidays i.e. showing solidarity and making a show of strength but without disrupting children's education. Would the end result have been any different as shutting schools is not going to make any difference to government policy. Many many workers are on similar pay increases. Probably many early years workers are getting considerably less.

Just a thought!

[Marion]

I think the 24th is just the first of a number of days planned ...