Strike

 The NEU have announced two further strike days for the 5th and 7th of July.

I was shocked when I heard. I couldn’t quite understand why the unions had chosen these dates, as I thought it would put more pressure on teachers than they need at this time of year.

If you don’t know then in primary school (which is all I know about) we are in the manic phase. Even teachers who are like swans, gliding around but kicking like fury underneath, are starting to flap and break arms of anyone who comes too close. There is just too much to do and not enough time left to do it in. (Assessments, reports, data, teaching kids to tell the time, sports day, sex Ed, transition days and meeting the new class for next year, packing things up to move room, end of year concerts, PTA fetes,  parties, assemblies, church services) and then there’s the weather. If you didn’t know, then the weather is hot. 300 children a day will tell you. 

With only 22 days left to fit all of that in (less if you work part time) then 2 less days feels impossible.

“So,” you might be thinking, “just don’t. Why do you need to strike anyway. It’s been going on for ages. Isn’t it over yet?”

And that’s the problem. It isn’t resolved. Schools still don’t know what they will have to pay their teaching staff in September (even though their budgets have already been set). If you were generally anti-unions then you could blame them for not accepting the offer that was made but school leaders were already warning that the pay offer wasn’t fully funded for most schools. The government agreed that their calculations were based on the average school. 

Not only that but the pay offer of 4.5% was considered to be too low. The government agreed to take on the recommendations of a pay review body, which they haven’t yet published although that might not be as sinister as people lead you to believe because it’s always published in July. Rumours are, though, that the report has recommended 6.5%, which gives the unions a reason to demand the government go back into negotiation. 

Gillian Keegan has been too busy attending sports days and steel pan recitals. The end of term is tough for everyone.

Whatever the outcome of these strikes, if the school budgets aren’t increased to properly reflect any increases in pay then this is only the beginning. Head teachers are discussing their options next and when the leaders can’t take it any more then we really are in for a bumpy ride.

So, take the strike days. Cancel the extras because without proper funding they are going anyway. Or don’t because you can’t bear to see the children lose out. It’s a difficult decision and not one any teacher is taking lightly. 

Meanwhile, I will be trying to replan my difficult to plan summer music concert with several options because that’s what we do.