Kitchen Garden Forum

A school I do supply teaching for has just asked me to cover for an NUT teacher who will be on strike in a couple of weeks time. Can I be asked to do this or is it strike breaking?
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Granny

it really depends on your point of view, on the one hand the teacher you are being asked to replace is taking part in industrial action and as a working person you should support their stand against the evil bosses. on the other the poor wee kiddies are being deprived of their right to an education, not being able to send them to school will cause difficulties for working parents, and you need the money. at the end of the day its your choice you must do what you think is right for you.

Richard, I was really interested in the legalities of it. Can someone be asked to do the job of someone on strike? I thought that was in some way undermining the entitlement to take industrial action and thought there were laws protecting that right. I don't know, and am genuinely in search of enlightenment!
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Granny

Asking as a shop stewart, would you like someone to do it to "YOU" what you would be doing to "THEM?"

Crossing a picket line is for the lowest of the low!

That is Thatcherism, break the workers,and pay them buttons.

As your asking, you must know in your heart. it's totally wrong.

Cheers!

Perhaps you also have to ask yourself whether or not you believe in the issue they are striking about.
Education seems to be one profession where reducing the productivity has become an objective. My junior school classes were always just about 50 with one teacher, now they can't educate 20 with an array of assistants. Perhaps they should be looking to their performance before they ask for more for less.

Hi Granny,
Under the circumstances I feel that you should politely decline the offer.
I feel that you are right to be worried about the legal implications.
I wonder how you could be paid. How would the money be appropriated. Under what guise would an education authority mask your payment.
I do not agree with strikes because I feel things can be thrashed out around table but there are occasions when this has been attempted and has failed.
I was educated during WW2 and our class in the Grammar School was 54 and some classes were even more.
JB.

I have to agree with Johnboy to some degree... Whether to cross a picket line or not...this puts you in a difficult situation that really shouldn't be.

I have come up against 'The Unions' several times in my working life and whilst I agree they have a part to play they do seem to abuse their positions so often....in much the same way as some of the the Employers/Politicians do.
As Johnboy as said.... the table is the place to deal with problems

You could always join the NUT and strike with your fellow teacher.

Thanks for replies. I am in the NUT and strongly objected to being asked to cover, on principle, and would never cross a picket line. I take people's points about why teachers are striking, should there be more negotiations etc.
But my question is, can they legally ask a teacher to cover for another teacher who is on strike?
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Granny

hi granny you being in the nut puts a whole different slant on your personal decision, its your union striking, i dont see how you can even consider being employed to replace a striking "brother"
as to the legality of the education authority employing day labour to cover for striking teachers, im no lawyer but it has been common practise in other disputes in recent years for management to employ non union labour to keep the business afloat during the strike.

Hello Granny

Sorry to read of your awkward situation.

Anyone who withdraws their labour in an official strike can be LEGALLY replaced by anyone, union member or not. It is the responsibility of the striking union to instruct their members to support a strike but management can ask whoever they like to cover the job.

If you are a NUT member and want to support the strike you should advise your union representative of your circumstances. If you do not want to support the strike and choose to work(which is your legal right) then your union may take discipline action against you for doing so, if they find out.

I would urge you to inform your NUT official for his advise.

Best of luck

Barney

Barney, thank you for your helpful reply. I was wondering how indignant I could be at being asked, but it seems I can't!
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Granny

Some years ago I was a Special Needs teacher in a secondary school and refused to cross a UNISON picket line. Then a particularly vulnerable kid turned up and had to go home again. I took her home and stayed for a coffee with her and her mum.
The flippin` Headteacher insisted on paying me for the day because he said I was deemed to be working!
I went in and complained but he smugly insisted that I had `pursued my duties off site`.
The rotter!