[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by kizzy

I am not privvy to the thoughts and feelings of those teachers striking....They have their reasons for the timescale of the strike,I have attempted to bring them to your attention by posting the news items relating to the issue. Im not sure what else I can do .

I can empathise with them as I can see where they have a grievance, I support them on those grounds.

They are 'fortunate'? To be fair they have trained very hard and for many years to a standard the government has set to fill this role. To label them 'militant' is unfair.
In this economic climate is it right to expect anyone to effectively take a cut in wages?
As I said strike action is a last resort. It will affect me too but I can fully understand why they may feel it is necessary, due to failures in negotiation.

It's your reason for using the word to be honest i'm not sure about....

It's not really.... and why you have applied that saying to hundreds of well educated people who individually may not feel they have a voice but as part of a union do I don't know....

I disagree, I know many people who are 100% behind teachers and indeed all of the public services in the UK.

We don't seem to be getting anywhere here either, but it has been good to hear of opposing views to my own and I respect your opinion. Looks like we will never see eye to eye on this topic

If you aren't privy to the teachers' thoughts - the ones that you are supporting - how can you possibly back and support them when you don't know the real reasons behind it, when you are unable to quantify what the goals are, how liable they are to be reached, and the actual real impact on them achieving what they are demanding. Or are you happy in being led blindly by the parts of what is being regurgitated through the media from Unions and their little sheep followers who pay their union fees every month: but when the push comes to the shove and they need their Union for personal matters - they Unions tend to be a waste of time.

I also trained for many years to be in my profession - and the qualifications I actually have: allow me to teach if that was my choice. That took the form of both Uni qualifications and on the job training.

I'm in charge of a budget of £1m per annum and I can tell you now: some teachers get far more salary (and pension plan) than I do. These same teachers that often teach arithmetic / maths to appallingly low levels at times. Spare me the bleeding heart stuff please.

In this economic climate - one of the unions, NUT I think it was, revealed that the monthly wage cut which will show in wage packets next month is an average of £30 per month - they also quoted that it was the first time since 1930 , that public sectors had to take a 'cut' in salary. First since 1930 !!!!

Conversely: I had to take a cut by £4k per annum. I work at least 45hrs per week - more often than not, far more - I am paid for 40 hours. Does it piss me off? Sure it does at times - but I'm also taking home a healthy salary in comparison to many around me and for that I am thankful. I'm also aware that salaries are on the decrease on the job market - plus I enjoy the challenge of my work - regardless - it's how you focus on getting over the hurdles..... not how loud you bleat about them. It's about growing backbones and being made of sterner stuff - and not wimping out - that's it how I see it: it's a bunch of wimps moaning about nothing in reality - given the grand economic scale. We are all suffering: and someone, someone moaning about a pension contribution of £360 less going into their pension pot a year - compared to £4k net salary per year - they don't deserve any sympathy never mind empathy! Not a chance.

Starting to sink in yet - because of the economic crisis currently - private sector doesn't have the luxury of someone handing wads on money out to those who come from a 'grab, grab, take, take but offer little back'. That is what is coming over loud and clear.

We aren't going to agree - that I agree on.

Is your own line of work in the teaching profession Kizzy - or in public service?