i’ve worked in both public and private , try working in private areas and find out what harsh employment is !!

if all you have ever done is work in the public sector you realy are not realising how fortunate you are

RAF, followed by 6 months on the sick due to a breakdown (aged 26), followed by working for a company which fixed wheelchairs, followed by Jobseekers allowance, followed by 2 years at university, then contracting in the aerospace industry – even living in a 14ft caravan 500 miles from my family over one of the harshest winters we’d had up to that point, then stumbled into a teaching job. So yes, I have worked in a range of conditions facing dire poverty and raising two kids. I KNOW how lucky I am to have a good and well paid job – THAT is one of the reasons I don’t strike and don’t join unions.

Nonetheless, you seem to assume that you have had it worse than everyone else. I’m interested to hear that ‘unions have lost you your job’. Firing someone because of their involvement in a trade union is illegal and cetainly a good case for unfair or constructive dismissal. Perhaps you should feel less sorry or yourself and do something about the harsh deal you have had.

Interesting news article: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/04/27/uk-strike-underground-idUKTRE73Q4JV20110427

By the way, welcome back GA! 😀

I bet they were offered redundancy though.

At the end of the day, if you were in a position where your employer was being forced by the government to vastly alter your working terms and conditions, to a point where you would stuggle to be able to afford to work, you’d kick off in whatever way you could too.

I am fortunate in so far as we were able to justify our existance, although one will take a fall. I am also in a position where I am being offered other employment by other companies, so I am less worried about my long-term prospects than many people. The crux of the arguement is still the fact that they are allowed to defend their jobs and conditions by strike action.

Teachers are in the same league as nurses, the Armed Forces, and many other professional trades – we provide vital services for little reward, and are the first to be criticised for defending what few rights we have.

edit: I have been on job seekers and hated every minute of it – my sympathies. What you need to do i what I did – take out a massive loan and re-qualify in a new trade. There are jobs out there – my employer is recruiting like mad, whilst firing (‘streamlining’) at a similar rate! I went to university to become a civilian aircraft engineer and struggled to support a family on nought but a student loan. People struggle, especially these days, and the time comes when you have to bite the bullet and move on to a new trade, usually starting at the bottom again. (done it twice after leaving the Forces). Whilst there are unions, employers often think twice before changing T&C’s.

Getting slightly sidetracked, there was a documentary some years ago where an MP tried living for 6 months on Jobseekers in Newcastle, and almost died….

If funding could be found, I’m sure the boss could be persuaded to paint this surviving -200 into Britannia colours……
C-GWJO, ex-Westjet, now at Newcastle Aviation Academy

PC147318 by jt442, on Flickr

Guaranteed position? beg pardon, but I’ve just been forced to re-apply for my own job to include longer hours, more responsibility and less pay.

It is a union member’s right to strike when fighting for better conditions, or in this case preservation of conditions. I don’t agree that striking is an effective means of achieving what you want, but hey, its their right.

‘The average lecturer faces an increase of around £90 a month in exchange for reduced benefits. Women who teach in further education retire on an average pension of just £6,000 a year’
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5616&from=5577

Naturally, I cannot comment on the following link, however it is in the public domain:
http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5545

To be fair, I have only glanced over this thread, but I have a couple of things to add to the pot here….

1: The ATL union are involved in the strike action on Thursday, and have prided themseves on the issue that they have not asked its members to strike in, I believe, its entire history. The cuts and changes to the working conditions are so severe that they have set aside their pride and have been forced into action.

2: Head teachers have a moral duty to close their schools when multiple members of staff are on strike where suitable (and legal) cover cannot be obtained. Parents looking after classes is illegal, uninsured and morally wrong.

3: Teachers get slated because of their ‘excessive’ holiday periods. Common misconception I’m afraid. I’m a college lecturer, so I’m not speaking for my collegues in secondary eduction here…. We get 40 days holiday per year plus bank holidays. Sounds great! However, the day job can last anywhere between 8 and 16 hours and always includes weekends. We have class contact hours of between 25 and 36 hours per week, but that does not include:

any lesson preparation (think 3 hours prep for every hour taught),

marking (the bane of all our lives – per annum – 25 students per class, 8 classes, 8 assignments per subject, 9 subjects, average 20 mins per assignment)

extra curricular activities – trips, clubs, additional teaching, re-sits….

4: They are only striking for the money…. No! I’ll almost own up and say that I get paid between £25k and £30k. No overtime, no bonuses. My week is regularly 8AM – midnight Sunday to Friday. Ask my wife…. whoever she is. Apparently I have children too….

5: Apparently, we are having our funding cut by 86% over the next two years…..

6: Speaking only for myself, I do the job because I enjoy it. I took a £15k pay cut to do it.

I am not part of a union and not on strike on Thursday – I’m ex-forces, and its an alien policy for me. I don’t pay into a teachers’ pension fund (other methods of funding retiremnt) . I 100% support the striking teachers, and I hope they achieve what they want (although I doubt the government will listen.

With reference to BR’s post….. http://www.sky-dreams.co.uk/experiences/aeroplane-flights/vintage-warbird-flight-experiences/chipmunk-flight-experiences/

I’ve done this, and it’s well worth it…. http://www.sky-dreams.co.uk/experiences/aeroplane-flights/aerobatic-flight-experiences/30-minute-pitts-special-extreme-aerobatics/