Schools in Thanet will be among those affected by National Education Union (NEU) strike action.
In an ongoing campaign for a fully-funded, above inflation pay rise, teacher members of the National Education Union in England and Wales and support staff in Wales have voted overwhelmingly for strike action/
For the ballot of teachers, in England a 90.44% majority voted yes to industrial action on a turnout of 53.27%.
The union is declaring seven days of strike action in February and March, though any individual school will only be affected by four of them. The first will be on will be on Wednesday 1 February, affecting 23,400 schools in England and Wales. Teacher members in sixth form colleges in England, who have already been balloted and taken strike action in recent months, will also take action on these days in a separate but linked dispute with the Secretary of State.
Projected strike days affecting the south east:
Wednesday 1 February: all eligible members in England and Wales.
Thursday 2 March: all eligible members in the following English regions: London, South East, South West.
Wednesday 15 March: all eligible members in England and Wales.
Thursday 16 March: all eligible members in England and Wales.
The action will mean some year groups at Thanet schools will not be able to attend school on strike day.
For example, on February 1 at St Georges in Broadstairs only Year 2, Year 6 and nurture pupils will be able to attend class in the primary school while in secondary only 6th form, Year 11 for exams only and alternative curriculum pupils will be catered for.
Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretaries of the National Education Union, said: “We have continually raised our concerns with successive education secretaries about teacher and support staff pay and its funding in schools and colleges, but instead of seeking to resolve the issue they have sat on their hands. It is disappointing that the Government prefers to talk about yet more draconian anti-strike legislation, rather than work with us to address the causes of strike action.
“This is not about a pay rise but correcting historic real-terms pay cuts. Teachers have lost 23% in real-terms since 2010, and support staff 27% over the same period. The average 5% pay rise for teachers this year is some 7% behind inflation. In the midst of a cost of living crisis, that is an unsustainable situation.”
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Bless. Expecting them to accept a 5% pay rise for working 38 weeks a year.
Outrageous I tell you !
Some of us worked evenings weekends and the so called holidays when many of us were also looking after own own children.
Working within the alleged contract hours for the majority of teachers does not reflect the reality of the job!
As with most front-line workers.
If teachers after a few years experience cannot live on £30000+ a year ,and most have a partner ,also earning,there is something wrong with their budgeting,people on minimum wage have to budget so why not them
Ray the Bread, have you been educated beyond the age of say 14?
Your view , dimples my view simples
Dimples should not be there
Have you tried teaching Thanetian Blind? Holidays are nice for sure, though I’d always sleep through the first two weeks of the summer break then spend a couple of weeks planning & creating resources for the term ahead. It is absolutely unrelenting, knackering work. By the end of my career I was working at least 60 – 70 hours a week. About 13 hours a day all week plus a lot of work over the weekend. And the actual teaching is just what you’re paid for – there are also constant pastoral tasks, meetings, being told to get 100+ reports written up ASAP and they were not to be generic etc. etc.
If you can’t stand the heat, get a job ,somewhere else ,working 48 a week, I used to work 6/7 twelve hour shifts a week with a 30 min drive each way ,and yes I have a very good standard of education,no thanks to schools but the British army
What a hero you are!
” I have a very good standard of education,no thanks to schools but the British army.”
But, Ray, you’re missing the one thing that the British Army trains out of ALL recruits…A functioning sense of empathy.
Let us not even touch on the piss poor grammatical choices you make that show off just how high of a standard your army education gave you…
Usual critics. 2 of my immediate family are teachers. They work bloody hard. Gone are the days if my youth when teachers were home and done by 4pm. My 2 start before 8am and even though home after 5pm with loads of paperwork- oh and let’s not forget student debt. It’s very difficult teaching now days with all the anti social behaviour, parents who don’t see their little darlings behaviour. That’s not to mention the strict rules and regulations and ofsted. No wonder teachers are leaving at the rates they do.
Are private school teachers also on strike?
If not, then striking only fosters an educational divide.
Why would you go to a private school ? Teachers dont need to be qualified to work there. Normally ex pupils !
Absolute crap!!
its a general strike we need in this country
Professional imperative. Private school teachers should be the best in their field of study.
But are they on strike? Laws of small class sizes and market pay rates suggests the ‘puter sez nah.
“But are they on strike? Laws of small class sizes and market pay rates suggests the ‘puter sez nah.”
Why not email the neu and ask for results of vote by Teacher demographics?
You would probably find that most private school teachers wouldnt last five minutes in a state school !.
The private school I worked at it was a case if the tail wagging the dog.
If the kids didnt want to do something they simply didnt do it. Nothing the teachers could do about it as why would you upset your customers ( the kids ). Upset the kids and they moan to their parents and just move the kids to another school !!
Might be smaller classes but you dont need to be qualified in the subject you teach. You dint need to be qualified full stop.
Simple Greed.