teachers on strike today

I have a challenge for any anti-strikers who are at home with the kids today. Seeing as you are so distressed about them losing a day of education, I challenge you to teach them Literacy between 9:30 and 10:30. You can do reading, writing or oracy but make sure you write down what you intend to do before hand- this will require searching documents online for curriculum orders and National Literacy Framework targets for their age. Give them 15 minutes play time after this.

10:45 - 12:00/12:10: Maths now. Same idea you will need to write it down before hand. I'm sure as you are so vehemently against your children missing a day you all have Maths work books at home for them to practice regularly anyway. Again do what you like but make sure it's suitable for their ability.

12:10 - 1:05: They can have lunch now. And whilst they have the right to eat, you can to! Yay aren't we lucky being allowed to eat!

1:05- :1:35: Reading time. Any book you want but make sure you set them some rich activities to ensure they understand the book.

1:35- 3: In my class today would have been Science project day. Good luck. Remember to check the documents to see what they need to do. My 9/10 year olds were going to be reading about the ear and how it functions. Then create an information poster using the features of the genre correctly and correct scientific vocabulary.

3-3:15 tidy up, collect your stuff, say the prayer send the kid off to play.

3:15 - 5:15 (minimum): Now you can do more paperwork/attend meetings/consult parents/run an after school club etc.

5:15. You can stop. You've done the minimum day and without half the heavier duty stuff you actually need to do. Now consider expanding this experience over a week. Now consider expanding it and on the next strike day invite your child's whole class around.
Has your child achieved his targets today? He might have. Well done you can have a pay rise. Oh what's that? Your child comes from a deprived home, is already 2 years below expected standards for his age and due to the National Literacy Test not being differentiated has failed to reach the target despite making great strides? Sorry no pay rise for you.

Don't worry it was only 1% anyway. Not like those meddling MP's who got 12K. Not worth being angry about.

Oh and by the way: because I knew I was striking today I merely moved all my planning forward a day, so your child has lost out on absolutely zip.

And remember now- NO DAYS OFF FOR SICKNESS OR HOLIDAY because that will put them behind. Additionally please make sure they complete their homework on time.

But nearly all the family's have missed out on a days pay due to parents not being able to work !
That one day can make a huge difference to some people .

By the way , cry me a river , a lot of people like Myself who are self employed work long hours , late into the night (sometimes through the night ) searching for equipment on line , looking for ways around certain problems . And guess what , that never stops the difference is we have to be out at 5 in the morning in all weather getting soaked to the bone , crawling round dark dusty environments all day , working in hazardous and dangerous environments most of the time for less money than teachers . Teachers get to do it from the comfort of there home or classroom .
People act like its the hardest job in the world

But that's the job you chose to do, if you don't like it do something about it

My sister is also a teacher but done a bunk from the uk a few years ago. She works in Qatar and earns 40k per annum....tax free, has been given a car and apartment rent free. In short, the worlds a big place for a teacher, whilst the terms they signed up for are being changed, the public sector is coming...slowly in line with private sector.

That sounds great what your sister has done but not all can do things like that, their family commitments and age might not let them, as you say it's the terms they signed up for so no reason why they shouldn't strike

A lot of private workers didnt sign up for pay CUTS in their terms and conditions but shit happens. Welcome to Britain 2014.

A lot of private workers didnt join a union who would have helped us negotiate cuts in the workplace?

If you arnt happy about somthing do somthing about it like the NUT are - rather than compare everything to some sorry state of affairs which you can have control over if you want to

Unions. Dont make me laugh.

7 Hours a day you are having a laugh mate Teachers will work into early hours in order to get marking and lessons plans done

Teaching is one of the most stressful jobs going! - They are underpaid and have to deal with so much shit from Kids with next to 0 power to actually control them in lessons and then get constant pressure from parents as to why their kids are misbehaving?!

Good on them for striking

Funniest post of the day........

They live in a bubble, in a world, private sector employees can only imagine!

7 Hours a day you are having a laugh mate Teachers will work into early hours in order to get marking and lessons plans done

Teaching is one of the most stressful jobs going! - They are underpaid and have to deal with so much shit from Kids with next to 0 power to actually control them in lessons and then get constant pressure from parents as to why their kids are misbehaving?!

Good on them for striking

Funniest post of the day........

They live in a bubble, in a world, private sector employees can only imagine!

Clueless all you see is 13 weeks hoils start at 9am finish at 3.30pm you haven't got a clue

7 Hours a day you are having a laugh mate Teachers will work into early hours in order to get marking and lessons plans done

Teaching is one of the most stressful jobs going! - They are underpaid and have to deal with so much shit from Kids with next to 0 power to actually control them in lessons and then get constant pressure from parents as to why their kids are misbehaving?!

Good on them for striking

Funniest post of the day........

They live in a bubble, in a world, private sector employees can only imagine!

Clueless all you see is 13 weeks hoils start at 9am finish at 3.30pm you haven't got a clue

WRONG, I see my sister in law, brother in law, other brother in law and next door neighbours x2. Never ceases to amaze me how oblivious to the real world these people are.Probably because they've been in school(education) non stop since the age of 5 So no wonder really!

I have a challenge for any anti-strikers who are at home with the kids today. Seeing as you are so distressed about them losing a day of education, I challenge you to teach them Literacy between 9:30 and 10:30. You can do reading, writing or oracy but make sure you write down what you intend to do before hand- this will require searching documents online for curriculum orders and National Literacy Framework targets for their age. Give them 15 minutes play time after this.

10:45 - 12:00/12:10: Maths now. Same idea you will need to write it down before hand. I'm sure as you are so vehemently against your children missing a day you all have Maths work books at home for them to practice regularly anyway. Again do what you like but make sure it's suitable for their ability.

12:10 - 1:05: They can have lunch now. And whilst they have the right to eat, you can to! Yay aren't we lucky being allowed to eat!

1:05- :1:35: Reading time. Any book you want but make sure you set them some rich activities to ensure they understand the book.

1:35- 3: In my class today would have been Science project day. Good luck. Remember to check the documents to see what they need to do. My 9/10 year olds were going to be reading about the ear and how it functions. Then create an information poster using the features of the genre correctly and correct scientific vocabulary.

3-3:15 tidy up, collect your stuff, say the prayer send the kid off to play.

3:15 - 5:15 (minimum): Now you can do more paperwork/attend meetings/consult parents/run an after school club etc.

5:15. You can stop. You've done the minimum day and without half the heavier duty stuff you actually need to do. Now consider expanding this experience over a week. Now consider expanding it and on the next strike day invite your child's whole class around.
Has your child achieved his targets today? He might have. Well done you can have a pay rise. Oh what's that? Your child comes from a deprived home, is already 2 years below expected standards for his age and due to the National Literacy Test not being differentiated has failed to reach the target despite making great strides? Sorry no pay rise for you.

Don't worry it was only 1% anyway. Not like those meddling MP's who got 12K. Not worth being angry about.

Oh and by the way: because I knew I was striking today I merely moved all my planning forward a day, so your child has lost out on absolutely zip.

And remember now- NO DAYS OFF FOR SICKNESS OR HOLIDAY because that will put them behind. Additionally please make sure they complete their homework on time.

You don't think parents teach kids outside of school? I see mine at weekends and even though that's our time to have fun etc i still teach my child. Don't make out like your some kind if super hero, you chose to teach KNOWING the stress and long hours involved.

I've had to travel 3 hours each way to work some days, that's 6 hours a day 30 hours a week out of my life I've not been getting paid for but I did it as it meant money in the bank..

7 Hours a day you are having a laugh mate Teachers will work into early hours in order to get marking and lessons plans done

Teaching is one of the most stressful jobs going! - They are underpaid and have to deal with so much shit from Kids with next to 0 power to actually control them in lessons and then get constant pressure from parents as to why their kids are misbehaving?!

Good on them for striking

Funniest post of the day........

They live in a bubble, in a world, private sector employees can only imagine!

Clueless all you see is 13 weeks hoils start at 9am finish at 3.30pm you haven't got a clue

WRONG, I see my sister in law, brother in law, other brother in law and next door neighbours x2. Never ceases to amaze me how oblivious to the real world these people are.Probably because they've been in school(education) non stop since the age of 5 So no wonder really!

Comedy gold

May anti-strikers use the phrase: "It's the job you signed up to if you didn't like it don't complain". With this very phrase you nullify your whole argument.

For many teachers today it ISN'T the job they signed up to. Many are being screwed pension wise. EVERYBODY should be up in arms about that. You should all be striking. Life isn't a race to the bottom.

When I started there was no performance related pay, annual pay raises were more than 1%, pay portability between schools was protected and children weren't being subjected to endless testing.

Teachers are striking because the government keep moving the goalposts.

I have a challenge for any anti-strikers who are at home with the kids today. Seeing as you are so distressed about them losing a day of education, I challenge you to teach them Literacy between 9:30 and 10:30. You can do reading, writing or oracy but make sure you write down what you intend to do before hand- this will require searching documents online for curriculum orders and National Literacy Framework targets for their age. Give them 15 minutes play time after this.

10:45 - 12:00/12:10: Maths now. Same idea you will need to write it down before hand. I'm sure as you are so vehemently against your children missing a day you all have Maths work books at home for them to practice regularly anyway. Again do what you like but make sure it's suitable for their ability.

12:10 - 1:05: They can have lunch now. And whilst they have the right to eat, you can to! Yay aren't we lucky being allowed to eat!

1:05- :1:35: Reading time. Any book you want but make sure you set them some rich activities to ensure they understand the book.

1:35- 3: In my class today would have been Science project day. Good luck. Remember to check the documents to see what they need to do. My 9/10 year olds were going to be reading about the ear and how it functions. Then create an information poster using the features of the genre correctly and correct scientific vocabulary.

3-3:15 tidy up, collect your stuff, say the prayer send the kid off to play.

3:15 - 5:15 (minimum): Now you can do more paperwork/attend meetings/consult parents/run an after school club etc.

5:15. You can stop. You've done the minimum day and without half the heavier duty stuff you actually need to do. Now consider expanding this experience over a week. Now consider expanding it and on the next strike day invite your child's whole class around.
Has your child achieved his targets today? He might have. Well done you can have a pay rise. Oh what's that? Your child comes from a deprived home, is already 2 years below expected standards for his age and due to the National Literacy Test not being differentiated has failed to reach the target despite making great strides? Sorry no pay rise for you.

Don't worry it was only 1% anyway. Not like those meddling MP's who got 12K. Not worth being angry about.

Oh and by the way: because I knew I was striking today I merely moved all my planning forward a day, so your child has lost out on absolutely zip.

And remember now- NO DAYS OFF FOR SICKNESS OR HOLIDAY because that will put them behind. Additionally please make sure they complete their homework on time.

You don't think parents teach kids outside of school? I see mine at weekends and even though that's our time to have fun etc i still teach my child. Don't make out like your some kind if super hero, you chose to teach KNOWING the stress and long hours involved.

I've had to travel 3 hours each way to work some days, that's 6 hours a day 30 hours a week out of my life I've not been getting paid for but I did it as it meant money in the bank..

But that is the job you picked KNOWING what it involved

My sister is also a teacher but done a bunk from the uk a few years ago. She works in Qatar and earns 40k per annum....tax free, has been given a car and apartment rent free. In short, the worlds a big place for a teacher, whilst the terms they signed up for are being changed, the public sector is coming...slowly in line with private sector.

That sounds great what your sister has done but not all can do things like that, their family commitments and age might not let them, as you say it's the terms they signed up for so no reason why they shouldn't strike

A lot of private workers didnt sign up for pay CUTS in their terms and conditions but shit happens. Welcome to Britain 2014.

A lot of private workers didnt join a union who would have helped us negotiate cuts in the workplace?

If you arnt happy about somthing do somthing about it like the NUT are - rather than compare everything to some sorry state of affairs which you can have control over if you want to

Unions. Dont make me laugh.

You just proved my point..

May anti-strikers use the phrase: "It's the job you signed up to if you didn't like it don't complain". With this very phrase you nullify your whole argument.

For many teachers today it ISN'T the job they signed up to. Many are being screwed pension wise. EVERYBODY should be up in arms about that. You should all be striking. Life isn't a race to the bottom.

When I started there was no performance related pay, annual pay raises were more than 1%, pay portability between schools was protected and children weren't being subjected to endless testing.

Teachers are striking because the government keep moving the goalposts.

Some on here just haven't got a clue what you are striking about, all they see is the 13 weeks hoils and the hours their kids are in school, they can't see past that

Yes, and I get on with it mate. Not like this super hero above that sounds like the woman in Greg's giving him the wrong pasty could make him jump off a bridge.

I chose to teach because I want to make a difference to youngsters lives.
The constant government meddling is ruining education and therefore these young children are suffering.
I'm no superhero. I'm just a hardworking guy who backs up my complaints and gripes with action.
If nobody else wants to strike to better things for themselves and children- fine.
But don't criticise those that do when most have no idea of what the job actually entails.
Even as student teachers, we had no idea of what the job entails.
I won't stop teaching, but I'll always fight to make things better for me and the kids I teach.
The challenge is there merely to highlight a one day snap shot. Just do it and try and empathise with others instead of constantly making irrelevant comparisons to other occupations.

Yes, and I get on with it mate. Not like this super hero above that sounds like the woman in Greg's giving him the wrong pasty could make him jump off a bridge.

On a related note - when the government wanted to add a tax on pastys - Gregs and other bakers unionised, protested and the tax was waived - another example of unhappy workers unionising and getting a result

I chose to teach because I want to make a difference to youngsters lives.
The constant government meddling is ruining education and therefore these young children are suffering.
I'm no superhero. I'm just a hardworking guy who backs up my complaints and gripes with action.
If nobody else wants to strike to better things for themselves and children- fine.
But don't criticise those that do when most have no idea of what the job actually entails.
Even as student teachers, we had no idea of what the job entails.
I won't stop teaching, but I'll always fight to make things better for me and the kids I teach.
The challenge is there merely to highlight a one day snap shot. Just do it and try and empathise with others instead of constantly making irrelevant comparisons to other occupations.

If your aim is to make a difference then surely hours an pay/pension shouldn't come into it.

They aren't the only reasons for striking. You see this is the problem. People are quick to tell teachers that they are out of order and comment on teaching without any inside experience or knowledge of what's going on. I don' tell others how to do their jobs or criticise firemen or tube workers because I don't do that job.

The main reason I'm striking isn't pensions- I'm young enough where I've gone in knowing it was coming and it will have little real term effect.
The pay is considered good and I'm not losing sleep over my pay. But I do believe it's unfair that we only receive 1% raises when MP's can find the money for a 12K rise. However, this isn't my main reason for striking.
My main reason is the workload. The amount of paperwork and testing and nonsense the government puts upon us is ridiculous. It's draining physically and mentally and as a result the children suffer.
Also, performance related pay. It just doesn't work with teaching. There are too many external factors at work that can affect "performance". There is no fair way to correctly measure it in teaching. Children develop at different rates/respond differently to different teacher/do or don't perform well in tests/ can make substantial progress without meeting targets. Name one other job where your performance success is actually measured against the performance of a child? It's ludicrous in writing it's even dafter if you were to see it in practice.
All I ask from anti-strikers is to go and talk to teachers/spend a week in a classroom and witness it. Then a little empathy might develop.
We aren't unaware that others are worse off money wise etc etc..
We are merely standing up for what we see as an attack on our profession.

I ain't reading all that. You said you were doing it to make a difference, well go and make a difference then if that's your sole reason for goin into that profession then get on with it. I chose mine as it pays well.

I ain't reading all that. You said you were doing it to make a difference, well go and make a difference then if that's your sole reason for goin into that profession then get on with it. I chose mine as it pays well.

Lol. Argue away but can't be bothered reading the other side of the argument.
I will be making a difference today by heading to the N.U.T rally down the Bay.

I ain't reading all that. You said you were doing it to make a difference, well go and make a difference then if that's your sole reason for goin into that profession then get on with it. I chose mine as it pays well.

Lol. Argue away but can't be bothered reading the other side of the argument.
I will be making a difference today by heading to the N.U.T rally down the Bay.

You said you do it to make a difference. People volunteer to make a difference mate, you do it to get paid.

I don't need to read your side of the argument I know enough teachers.

Long hours yes, welcome to the real world.

I ain't reading all that. You said you were doing it to make a difference, well go and make a difference then if that's your sole reason for goin into that profession then get on with it. I chose mine as it pays well.

Lol. Argue away but can't be bothered reading the other side of the argument.
I will be making a difference today by heading to the N.U.T rally down the Bay.

You said you do it to make a difference. People volunteer to make a difference mate, you do it to get paid.

I don't need to read your side of the argument I know enough teachers.

Long hours yes, welcome to the real world.

You are so ignorant to not even value an argument enough to read the other side. I haven't used the words 'long hours' once.

I ain't reading all that. You said you were doing it to make a difference, well go and make a difference then if that's your sole reason for goin into that profession then get on with it. I chose mine as it pays well.

Lol. Argue away but can't be bothered reading the other side of the argument.
I will be making a difference today by heading to the N.U.T rally down the Bay.

You said you do it to make a difference. People volunteer to make a difference mate, you do it to get paid.

I don't need to read your side of the argument I know enough teachers.

Long hours yes, welcome to the real world.

You are so ignorant to not even value an argument enough to read the other side. I haven't used the words 'long hours' once.

Not ignorant, know first hand the other side. People I was at school with now teach and other people in my social circle also teach they all seem to have plenty of spare time, must manage their work load better. Odd one does moan they have to stay in the odd day on the weekend marking.

I said long hours, as you work long hours, like I said..welcome to every other worker in the uk long hours, pissed off with working conditions, travel etc. GET ON WITH IT.

Last edited by TripleD on Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

I ain't reading all that. You said you were doing it to make a difference, well go and make a difference then if that's your sole reason for goin into that profession then get on with it. I chose mine as it pays well.

Lol. Argue away but can't be bothered reading the other side of the argument.
I will be making a difference today by heading to the N.U.T rally down the Bay.

You said you do it to make a difference. People volunteer to make a difference mate, you do it to get paid.

I don't need to read your side of the argument I know enough teachers.

Long hours yes, welcome to the real world.

You are so ignorant to not even value an argument enough to read the other side. I haven't used the words 'long hours' once.

Not ignorant, know first hand the other side. People I was at school with now teach and other people in my social circle also teach they all seem to have plenty of spare time, must manage their work load better. Odd one does moan they have to stay in the odd day on the weekend marking.

I said long hours, as you work long hours, like I said..welcome to every other worker in the uk long hours, pissed off with working conditions, travel etc. GET ON WITH IT.

My missus works in the public sector and as I told her last week, and when she was moaning about she had to put more in her pension as the government wanted to pay less, I told her welcome to the real world.

Doesn't make it right though

Well, thats a matter of opinion.

They are still getting a pension private workers can only dream of, and contributing very little towards it.

The governments contribution is still crazy compared to what private sector workers get from their employers.

The pensions dished out to public sector workers are absurd, and they rightly needed looking at.

My missus is a civil servant, and my sister is a teacher, so there is no axe to grind im just talking logic here.

Talking logic? Really?

Why should it be a race to the bottom? Don't you think it would be better to aim to bring the private sector in line with the public sector?

I'm sure private sector workers think that the public sector spend their retirement sipping champagne on their private jets. In reality the only people who really have a comfortable retirement are the fat cat bosses of... Wait for it... Private sector companies!

Before lecturing public sector workers you should take a long hard look at the way money in the private sector is filtered down the ranks!

Im not lecturing anybody, just got no sympathy whatsoever with the public sector apart from the emergency services.

Everyone should wake up and smell the coffee as you say at the moment it's everyone out for themselves and not giving a shit about others jobs etc. good old divide and conquer rule and we all know where that gets you. Everyone one thinks they know the ins and outs of others jobs inc teachers which they don't nearly every school is going to be laying off a couple of teachers each soon with the cutbacks and good old austerity. The emergency Services do people realise where their local copper is now coming from to their local area ie Bridgend/Aberkenfig now covers from porthcawl ,maesteg ,pencoed . Fire service loads of Stations closing Porthcawl,Kenfig Hill ( one replaced station to cover both with longer turn up times. Barry losing a pump, Pontypridd losing a pump , Porth closing ,Blaina closing ,Cwmbran, Cowbridge I can go on and on .

I ain't reading all that. You said you were doing it to make a difference, well go and make a difference then if that's your sole reason for goin into that profession then get on with it. I chose mine as it pays well.

Lol. Argue away but can't be bothered reading the other side of the argument.
I will be making a difference today by heading to the N.U.T rally down the Bay.

You said you do it to make a difference. People volunteer to make a difference mate, you do it to get paid.

I don't need to read your side of the argument I know enough teachers.

Long hours yes, welcome to the real world.

You are so ignorant to not even value an argument enough to read the other side. I haven't used the words 'long hours' once.

Not ignorant, know first hand the other side. People u was at school with now teach and other people in my social circle also teach they all seem to have plenty of spare time, must manage their work load better. Odd one does moan they have to stay in the odd day on the weekend marking.


You don't know anything "first hand". I know a dentist- doesn't mean I can comment on dentists. I know a fireman, a nurse a lawyer and a driving instructor. I know self-employed and private workers. Doesn't mean I know first hand what their jobs entail. It's just a ridiculous argument.

Once more, I have not complained about long hours. I also find a way to make time for myself. If you read my reasons for striking instead of being arrogant you would see why I am striking. Then maybe you can comment on those reasons.
I said long hours, as you work long hours, like I said..welcome to every other worker in the uk long hours, pissed off with working conditions, travel etc. GET ON WITH IT.

7 hours a day and 13 weeks holiday.......wake up please and look around at others.....i have a duty to make sure my children go to school...i think teachers have to set an example

My ex wife is a teacher so I am not likely to defend her But 7 hours a day is a joke it is more like 11 hours with all the work they do at home Also I can't remember a time that during her holidays she did not have to work

I will agree they have excellent pension benefits which Mose can only dream of and the pay is way above the average salary She had worked in the private sector for 15 years before being a teacher and she would not go back She always said those who had gone straight from Uni to being a teacher did not have a clue About the real world and jobs

My missus works in the public sector and as I told her last week, and when she was moaning about she had to put more in her pension as the government wanted to pay less, I told her welcome to the real world.

Doesn't make it right though

Well, thats a matter of opinion.

They are still getting a pension private workers can only dream of, and contributing very little towards it.

The governments contribution is still crazy compared to what private sector workers get from their employers.

The pensions dished out to public sector workers are absurd, and they rightly needed looking at.

My missus is a civil servant, and my sister is a teacher, so there is no axe to grind im just talking logic here.

Talking logic? Really?

Why should it be a race to the bottom? Don't you think it would be better to aim to bring the private sector in line with the public sector?

I'm sure private sector workers think that the public sector spend their retirement sipping champagne on their private jets. In reality the only people who really have a comfortable retirement are the fat cat bosses of... Wait for it... Private sector companies!

Before lecturing public sector workers you should take a long hard look at the way money in the private sector is filtered down the ranks!

Im not lecturing anybody, just got no sympathy whatsoever with the public sector apart from the emergency services.

Everyone should wake up and smell the coffee as you say at the moment it's everyone out for themselves and not giving a shit about others jobs etc. good old divide and conquer rule and we all know where that gets you. Everyone one thinks they know the ins and outs of others jobs inc teachers which they don't nearly every school is going to be laying off a couple of teachers each soon with the cutbacks and good old austerity. The emergency Services do people realise where their local copper is now coming from to their local area ie Bridgend/Aberkenfig now covers from porthcawl ,maesteg ,pencoed . Fire service loads of Stations closing Porthcawl,Kenfig Hill ( one replaced station to cover both with longer turn up times. Barry losing a pump, Pontypridd losing a pump , Porth closing ,Blaina closing ,Cwmbran, Cowbridge I can go on and on .

My heart bleeds.

I said long hours, as you work long hours, like I said..welcome to every other worker in the uk long hours, pissed off with working conditions, travel etc. GET ON WITH IT.

Well all workers should exercise a right to protest against working conditions that they are pissed off with. By not doing so is ultimately undermining the work of the fantastic people who advanced (what were obviously much worse) working conditions post-Industrial Revolution. Surely we should always be working to better our society. Obviously striking isn't the ONLY way to do this, but if many teachers see this as a last resort to get their message across to a government who are undermining the good work that they do, then let them exercise their right to protest.

Perhaps the passing of time has led many people to forget the sacrifices that those in the past made for us to have the working conditions we have today. But this certainly shouldn't stop people making more 'sacrifices' in order to continually improve working conditions FOR ALL in the modern day.

My missus works in the public sector and as I told her last week, and when she was moaning about she had to put more in her pension as the government wanted to pay less, I told her welcome to the real world.

Doesn't make it right though

Well, thats a matter of opinion.

They are still getting a pension private workers can only dream of, and contributing very little towards it.

The governments contribution is still crazy compared to what private sector workers get from their employers.

The pensions dished out to public sector workers are absurd, and they rightly needed looking at.

My missus is a civil servant, and my sister is a teacher, so there is no axe to grind im just talking logic here.

Talking logic? Really?

Why should it be a race to the bottom? Don't you think it would be better to aim to bring the private sector in line with the public sector?

I'm sure private sector workers think that the public sector spend their retirement sipping champagne on their private jets. In reality the only people who really have a comfortable retirement are the fat cat bosses of... Wait for it... Private sector companies!

Before lecturing public sector workers you should take a long hard look at the way money in the private sector is filtered down the ranks!

Im not lecturing anybody, just got no sympathy whatsoever with the public sector apart from the emergency services.

Everyone should wake up and smell the coffee as you say at the moment it's everyone out for themselves and not giving a shit about others jobs etc. good old divide and conquer rule and we all know where that gets you. Everyone one thinks they know the ins and outs of others jobs inc teachers which they don't nearly every school is going to be laying off a couple of teachers each soon with the cutbacks and good old austerity. The emergency Services do people realise where their local copper is now coming from to their local area ie Bridgend/Aberkenfig now covers from porthcawl ,maesteg ,pencoed . Fire service loads of Stations closing Porthcawl,Kenfig Hill ( one replaced station to cover both with longer turn up times. Barry losing a pump, Pontypridd losing a pump , Porth closing ,Blaina closing ,Cwmbran, Cowbridge I can go on and on .

My heart bleeds.

Polo doesn't change, your up your own arse so far you cant see any daylight any more,

My missus works in the public sector and as I told her last week, and when she was moaning about she had to put more in her pension as the government wanted to pay less, I told her welcome to the real world.

Doesn't make it right though

Well, thats a matter of opinion.

They are still getting a pension private workers can only dream of, and contributing very little towards it.

The governments contribution is still crazy compared to what private sector workers get from their employers.

The pensions dished out to public sector workers are absurd, and they rightly needed looking at.

My missus is a civil servant, and my sister is a teacher, so there is no axe to grind im just talking logic here.

Talking logic? Really?

Why should it be a race to the bottom? Don't you think it would be better to aim to bring the private sector in line with the public sector?

I'm sure private sector workers think that the public sector spend their retirement sipping champagne on their private jets. In reality the only people who really have a comfortable retirement are the fat cat bosses of... Wait for it... Private sector companies!

Before lecturing public sector workers you should take a long hard look at the way money in the private sector is filtered down the ranks!

Im not lecturing anybody, just got no sympathy whatsoever with the public sector apart from the emergency services.

Everyone should wake up and smell the coffee as you say at the moment it's everyone out for themselves and not giving a shit about others jobs etc. good old divide and conquer rule and we all know where that gets you. Everyone one thinks they know the ins and outs of others jobs inc teachers which they don't nearly every school is going to be laying off a couple of teachers each soon with the cutbacks and good old austerity. The emergency Services do people realise where their local copper is now coming from to their local area ie Bridgend/Aberkenfig now covers from porthcawl ,maesteg ,pencoed . Fire service loads of Stations closing Porthcawl,Kenfig Hill ( one replaced station to cover both with longer turn up times. Barry losing a pump, Pontypridd losing a pump , Porth closing ,Blaina closing ,Cwmbran, Cowbridge I can go on and on .

My heart bleeds.

Polo doesn't change, your up your own arse so far you cant see any daylight any more,

I am sorry that fact I have little sympathy for your wife having to work longer, pay more into her pension, and be judged on performance. They are hardly draconian measures, they are measures the private sector have had to face up to as well.

The cuts in the public sector, not just teachers, will have a direct effect on me and my family but im not blindly going to agree with something I dont agree with just because it means my household will be worse off.

I am sorry that my difference of opinion makes you so angry.

I have a challenge for any anti-strikers who are at home with the kids today. Seeing as you are so distressed about them losing a day of education, I challenge you to teach them Literacy between 9:30 and 10:30. You can do reading, writing or oracy but make sure you write down what you intend to do before hand- this will require searching documents online for curriculum orders and National Literacy Framework targets for their age. Give them 15 minutes play time after this.

10:45 - 12:00/12:10: Maths now. Same idea you will need to write it down before hand. I'm sure as you are so vehemently against your children missing a day you all have Maths work books at home for them to practice regularly anyway. Again do what you like but make sure it's suitable for their ability.

12:10 - 1:05: They can have lunch now. And whilst they have the right to eat, you can to! Yay aren't we lucky being allowed to eat!

1:05- :1:35: Reading time. Any book you want but make sure you set them some rich activities to ensure they understand the book.

1:35- 3: In my class today would have been Science project day. Good luck. Remember to check the documents to see what they need to do. My 9/10 year olds were going to be reading about the ear and how it functions. Then create an information poster using the features of the genre correctly and correct scientific vocabulary.

3-3:15 tidy up, collect your stuff, say the prayer send the kid off to play.

3:15 - 5:15 (minimum): Now you can do more paperwork/attend meetings/consult parents/run an after school club etc.

5:15. You can stop. You've done the minimum day and without half the heavier duty stuff you actually need to do. Now consider expanding this experience over a week. Now consider expanding it and on the next strike day invite your child's whole class around.
Has your child achieved his targets today? He might have. Well done you can have a pay rise. Oh what's that? Your child comes from a deprived home, is already 2 years below expected standards for his age and due to the National Literacy Test not being differentiated has failed to reach the target despite making great strides? Sorry no pay rise for you.

Don't worry it was only 1% anyway. Not like those meddling MP's who got 12K. Not worth being angry about.

Oh and by the way: because I knew I was striking today I merely moved all my planning forward a day, so your child has lost out on absolutely zip.

And remember now- NO DAYS OFF FOR SICKNESS OR HOLIDAY because that will put them behind. Additionally please make sure they complete their homework on time.