School's out!

[pokemon_master]

Thanks to the striking teachers, our school is cancelled for tommorrow! That's good, I had no real interest in it anyway..

Anyone else off/wish to dicuss the strike?

 

[wideeyes]

Rubbish collectors are on strike as well so no rubbish collection tomorrow and my bin is full

 

[madmouse91]

no school for me either

 

[granmaz]

I don't think the teachers are on strike. Isn't it the caretakers, teaching assistants etc? Not that it matters if you are affected I suppose!

 

[mandymouse]

My girls are off tomorrow too, which doesn't bother me (I like having them off - but don't tell them), but what a pain that our bin won't be emptied for a week

 

[florida sun]

My daughter is also off tomorrow, but shes gutted, she was supposed to be doing a presentation for her English GCSE course work and has been worried about it for weeks, now it has been postponed until next week which means she has to worry for another week.

 

[catherine]

My eldest DD is of tomorrow. The youngest one still has to go. Needless to say she isn't very impressed!

 

[Frances999]

I guess I have missed something in the news - why are teachers striking? Does anybody have a news link?

Thanks

 

[florida sun]

I guess I have missed something in the news - why are teachers striking? Does anybody have a news link?

Thanks

Frances

I dont think its the teachers, I believe its the caretakers and cleaning staff, we had a letter to say that the school would be shut due to health and saftey reasons. Something to do with the pensions so Im informed.


ETA: Here is the only link I can find right now Frances.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30400-13513961,00.html

 

[wilma-bride]

Frances

As Sue said, it's not the teachers who are striking - it's the support staff. It's to do with the pension age being increased so my ex-MIL (an ex school cook) has informed me.

My girls are off tomorrow as well. What annoys me is the school kicked up a fuss about them having an extra day off next week, to fly out here a day early (as the flight prices were horrendous once the school holidays start). But they can have a day off school because staff are striking.

 

[Frances999]

Thanks for the info Joh and Sue

I hope it all gets back to normal soon, and that a resolution can be agreed quickly.

 

[Floridadreamlel]

My kids schools aren't shut but the nursery is!? I heard it was the dinner ladies (something to do with pensions). All the children that usually have dinners have to take a pack lunch. Doesn't effect mine as they take a pack lunch anyway, except eldest who is in private school and it doesn't seem to involve them anyway.
I didn't know about the binmen though, I will have to check that, as our bin day is tomorrow

 

[Minniespal]

Hope it all gets sorted soon

 

[shellbell]

I haven't heard anything about this. Is it going to effect schools all over the country?

How could i find out?

 

[Englands Disney Gang]

Hi

Hope this helps I work as a teaching asst in a primary school so these are the details!!

Its the NON Teaching staff that are striking if they belong to Unison....that includes teaching asst, kitchen staff, cleaners, caretakers, nursery nurses etc.

All teachers are at school. It basically been up to the headteacher if they think its viable for the school to open. All union members had the choice to strike. Our school is open but we are 1 of only 3 in our whole borough that decided not to strike!!

Other services will also be effected including dustman, libaries, lesiure centres, council offices etc (public sector employees)

Our problem is with our pensions as the goverment want to make huge amendments to it which cuts it!!

Although I decided not to strike (as a school we dont think the children should suffer so I will clean the toilets after school and make a few sandwiches for their dinners!!) I agree that its disgusting what they want to do with our pension....esp as we pay more that the average worker!!

If you have not heard from your childrens school I would guess they are open (you can check with local radio/paper though!)

 

[Cyrano]

Yes Teaching staff are not part of the strike, but most other public sector workers are. Class room assistants, caretakers and catering personnel will all be off.

My girls are off tomorrow too, which doesn't bother me (I like having them off - but don't tell them), but what a pain that our bin won't be emptied for a week

Later on this year, in order to reduce landfill and the penelties imposed by the Government, we are going on to fortnightly collections. Alternating between waste and recycling. We could happly go a fortnight between collections but I know it will not be popular with others

 

[wideeyes]

Later on this year, in order to reduce landfill and the penelties imposed by the Government, we are going on to fortnightly collections. Alternating between waste and recycling. We could happly go a fortnight between collections but I know it will not be popular with others

We already have this system, unfortunately it is our rubbish bin that is due to be emptied tomorrow so it is not going to be emptied for 2 weeks!!

 

[Netty]

It isnt just schools that this strike affects, our school is now closed tomorrow, teachers are not on strike, they still have to go into school. i work as an lsa i belong to unison i am on strike,
here is some more info

50,000 workers set to strike over pension age
Thousands of public sector workers in Belfast and up to 50,000 across the North are expected to take part in strike action on Tuesday.

Unions are expecting it to have a big impact on services, with public sectors including schools, public transport and even grave digging being affected.
The dispute is over the age at which workers can retire on a full pension.

The unions say that the British government’s plan to increase the retirement age from 60 to 65 is exploitative and unfair towards workers. More strike action is promised if the government continues to ignore union protests.
Among the unions expected to hit the picket lines on Tuesday are Unison, Nipsa, ATGWU, Amicus, TSSA, TGWU and Siptu.

Brian Campfield, of the Public Service Alliance (Nipsa), said staff from schools, council offices and the Housing Executive would be among those taking part and added that he expected it to have a major impact on the delivery of public services.

Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey expressed his support for the workers and asked people to be understanding of the reasons for the strike.

“Undoubtedly, the strike on Tuesday will cause inconvenience to some members of the public but I would call upon them to be understanding of the need for this strike and the reasons behind it.

“By refusing to pay out on the Local Government Pension Scheme, especially when they have given protection to every other government pension scheme, the British government are targeting what they see as the easiest target, namely the low-paid public sector workers.

“The underlying issue in all of this, however, is, where has all the pension money gone? Rather than the issue being the raising of the retirement age to 65, the issue is why workers are not being allowed to access their pension schemes when they reach 60 as they believed they would be able to when they joined the scheme.”

Mr Maskey added: “Clearly, the government are involving themselves in a pensions con. In essence, because of the financial mismanagement of their employers, the public service workers will now have to work an extra five years.

“Once again I would offer my full support to these workers and urge the public to be understanding of the need for this strike.”

 

[mrs-mac]

Our schools are open but the DS's have to take packed lunches as no meals will be cooked

 

[Ware Bears]

My DDs schools have all shut for the day. Eldest DD is off down town but the younger ones have been set work to day at home! Needless to say, this has not gone down very well with them.