The annual Teachers threaten to strike thread

You haven't a clue, teachers agreed to the government's pay deal in 2010 and they promised no paycuts if we agreed not to strike.

They then changed it to 'no paycuts for current teachers' in the Dáil subsequently, and teachers couldn't strike...

Would you have supported teachers if they had gone on strike then???

I too always have a laugh when I hear this one from the uneducated.

Yes, I'm haggling.

Would you trade your exceptionally short working year for better conditions elsewhere?

Would our contracts be amended to include admin in line with our UK counterparts and would the promotional oppertunities there be applied to here? (Cherrypicking by me obviously, there's a lot of their system I'd hate to see here, selfishly and because of how poor their system is).

If just the calendar and we retain our current weekly teaching hours I think both teachers and students will be wrecked. Would also pose issues for SEC recruiting examiners and supervisors, let alone turning around results. I think I'd go with it if the pay increase was in line with the extra work but I think it'd be a bad idea overall for education.

Me? No , I have family and elderly parents here.

But there are a lot of younger teachers who do go abroad for better pay. Hence why you might find your son or daughter in 3rd year has had more than 10 maths teachers since 1st year, like in our school, plus NO home ec teacher for 2 months, and 2 languages killed off because it's too hard to get teachers (every student has to do Spanish whether they like it or not).

Quite unusual, considering its such a great profession according to every man and his dog.

But I'm sure I'll be told.

PS Unions just doing what they get paid to do. I don't think teaching is an easy career, and it must be repetitive as hell. However, I think the pay looks commensurate with the hours / training. I understand their gripe but nobody can afford housing a few years out of uni.

The second level hols always seemed overly long but are part of the contract.

What I can't get my head around is how primary schools close on half days every mid term, Easter, Halloween, Xmas, summer etc. Wasn't that the type of civil service 'bank time' that was done away with decade's ago?

My long retired mother in law former primary teacher thought it harked back to teachers getting back 'home' around the country. If so, ffs, time has moved on. I've seen most of the teachers in my little ones school hop into their cars and head off once the kids are out the gates so it ain't to hang back and confer from what I've seen. The optics are poor but those halfers seem to be a gimme. Are they counted as full teaching days? Is it in a contract? (Genuinely asking. If it is, grand. If it isn't, then the Government should have those lost halfers calculated into any new deal).

Modern foreign languages, Irish, Home Ec and Physics are also virtually impossible to recruit for in certain parts of the country.

Any teachers on here ever wonder why were always 'told' what our job is…?

Reminds me of that time when Trump came up with a COVID cure in 10 seconds , then doubled down and discovered another one.

See that doctor sitting down.... That's teachers right now.

Fair enough. The points are going up for teaching ( I know there was plenty of grade inflation) so it seems to be still popular for students to get into. Maybe more course places are required so.

Good job we had a teacher around to teach PHK how to use Google.

When did teachers threaten strike, btw PHK?

Physics might need to be grouped in with Maths in terms of the need to attract graduates who would have a lot of other options. I feel we could reduce the demand side with Irish by making it optional after the JC.

Jesus they've some neck. Given that's for about 6 months work and zero requirement to over achieve. Presumably anyone in before 2011 is even better off?

Greed is some drug.

I honestly don't know any teacher who doesn't do grinds/tuition for cash. Weird.

Wow that was big of you not to strike back in 2010 when the economy was on the floor, companies were going to the wall and people were losing their jobs left right and centre.

If you don't ask, you don't get.

I think the linked salary scale is more than fair. 52k after 10 years on the job? Almost 40k straight out of college? All for 70% of everyone else's working year?

Only greed would make you think otherwise. But it's human nature. So I'm not surprised that teachers can't see it for what it is.

I'm just jealous they get to go on stage every year and beat their chest like a scene from wolf on wallstreet screaming for more money. I'd fcuking love that too. I'd be biting the head off a pigeon for the baying mob.

But its pure delusion thinking you're being hard done by. You're being paid considerably more than the average PAYE worker, who is essentially the one paying your wage.

Seems to be a metric pulled out of some Union Rep's arse to justify the longest holidays in Europe.

I dunno when you last watched Wolf of Wallstreet but it's a far cry from the mostly mundane business of congress! 🤣 as for the rest of your post... teachers don't typically start on full pay and 52k after 10 years working full time and 6 years in college isn't outlandish.

Jesus, on one hand your ilk are saying we shouldn't be striking for better pay... and then you're saying we should have.

... and BTW we did strike for pay equality a few years later.... So are you in favour of that or what?

I thought they were all on part-time? 20 hours a week for a few weeks of the year

😋

*runs away*

I'd be just as happy teaching the old level course as the new stuff, but it was imposed upon us with much fighting and bashing from folk on here.

BTW teachers went on strike opposing this shite new JC curriculum, unions warned of what would happen when project maths was brought in (matrices and vectors killed off ) and hopefully we will strike again when the department of education further dumb down the Leaving Cert.... Will you support us then?

Exactly .

Same when the bonus was mooted for healthcare workers..all the usual anti public service / anti union commentators came out with their ill informed comments and bitterness.

The coverage on RTE was not proteacher , but was predictably anti union emphasising any mention of strikes or ballots but little mention of what was actually discussed otherwise.

I am not a teacher and as a parent of a LC student would be aghast if a strike was called as students have suffered enough over the last couple of years . But I know a union move on an agenda when I see one and that is what the teachers unions are doing , and more power to them!

Bashing teachers or other public servants seems to be a ( blood ) sport on boards and most of the posts do not deserve to be replied to , as they are just pure bile ..

The most ridiculous was the 40 year old ' pharmacy worker ' on €100, 000 a year !

What is your problem ,man ? If that is really true , be happy, you're lucky , move on and leave those , on half your salary with probably as much at least , education and college degrees , alone .

Believe me if you invest some of that lovely dosh you are earning in AVCs you will come out well ahead of any ps pension without breaking a sweat .

Teachers are well paid to be fair , and have great terms and conditions, I won't lie, compared to nurses and other public servants , but they teach our children very very well and that to me is worth the money/ holidays.

As for the unions, all down to the strength of the workers, fair play . That is what our forefathers fought for after all , the right to organise and join a union .

Private sector workers really should stop bxxching and moaning and get organised instead .

And for the poster that looks forward to the next time Leo comes out and says , " stop looking for more money ".... just know that is so he and the other tds will have plenty in the pot for their next ( very considerable) payrise .

Go teachers , we are behind you ..😉

I think most people understand that more pay to teachers means either more taxes, less pay to other public service or less investment in infrastructure. This is pretty much the reason why public service pay deals exist.

The annual nature of it makes it farcical.