[Archived] The General Election 2015

[Baz]

I get 28 days annual leave inc bank holidays, leave home at 6:30am, and get home at 6:30-7pm every day of the week, and later if work dictates it. The teachers I know wouldn't know what had hit them if they had to do that, and I don't count myself as unusual.

My cousin is home, changed and in the pub on a Friday, before I leave work.

Best of luck to them, and especially the committed ones who do go the extra mile, but as in every vocation there's plenty who don't.

[imy9]

I've got friends and relatives that are teachers, and not 1 of them is on over 30k, but the holidays are fantastic!

The figure you quote is more likely to be deputy heads or in this area actual head teachers.

The figure mentioned states Higher Education, I am assuming lecturers at Uni? Secondary teachers are listed further down at 35k and teaching professionals are listed at lower than that!

Average teachers are on about 30k and issue now is that there is no automatic progression so pay will be lower.

Easy life .. Good money .. amazing hols ..peace of pee ... I know teachers and its a doddle compared to real jobs

That would explain why 65% of teachers leave the profession after ONE year. Holidays are great and I love the job but you need the patience of a saint on most days! Would love to see you last an hour without blowing your top Abbey!

[ABBEY]

I know it's not the same but I coached kids for a few years . Had some from real deprived areas never blew my top once .

[thenodrog]

Golly gosh, poor souls, they must be worn out

Try working minimum 75 hours, every weekend and 6 nights,

Them that can do, them that can't, teach

I've just reckoned up and between him leaving school at 14 and retiring at one month short of his 72nd birhday that my late father worked 90-100 hours per week and for 52 weeks a year for all but a handful of years (I think he had between 6 and 8 holidays for less than a week in all that time). He never made much money but could always pay the bills in true Mr Micawber fashion and tbh I don't think I have ever met a happier and more contented man.

[Paul]

Golly gosh, poor souls, they must be worn out

Try working minimum 75 hours, every weekend and 6 nights,

Them that can do, them that can't, teach

That sounds to me like two jobs. Most sensible companies would employ an adequate number of staff or manage the tasks more efficiently.

There's more to life than working every hour God sends.

[Andyblue2]

That sounds to me like two jobs. Most sensible companies would employ an adequate number of staff or manage the tasks more efficiently.

There's more to life than working every hour God sends.

Some people work for themselves

[Paul]

I know. That then is an individual choice and one where I presume the financial reward is appropriate. If not the business model is flawed. It's not a badge of honour or tool with which to beat teachers.

Seems to me like current open season is teachers. What's next nurses, GPs, firemen, social workers, council workers, care workers, refuse collectors? After all these are merely people who as well as enjoying our society provide support to the rest of us.

[thenodrog]

I know. That then is an individual choice and one where I presume the financial reward is appropriate. If not the business model is flawed. It's not a badge of honour or tool with which to beat teachers.

Seems to me like current open season is teachers. What's next nurses, GPs, firemen, social workers, council workers, care workers, refuse collectors? After all these are merely people who as well as enjoying our society provide support to the rest of us.

Don't be so daft. Bin men are OK.

[jim mk2]

Stuff and nonsense on here about teachers. A good teacher is worth his weight in gold and earns every penny. They are some of the most undervalued workers in society. A decent headmaster gets rid of the bad ones and they normally don't last long in the profession anyway. Refuse collection is in the private sector so is a legitmate target for criticism.

[Biddy]

Ah, so it's ok to criticise private sector workers but not public sector.

On teachers, I agree we have been giving them an unfair amount of posts on here as in general they do a great job. I think the start of this chain of posts was the notion that they are under paid, which they are clearly not. This along with all public sector workers propensity to go on strike as they are not happy with their 2% payrise (or whatever it may be that year) irks a bit with the vast majority of private sector workers. Not only do we generally not get pay rises, or have to work "above and beyond" (ie 2 roles) to get one, we would also be fired for going on strike, not just docked a single days wage. And "how poor am I losing a days wage to strike" also does not help the cause. If teachers strike, I personally am affected as I suddenly have to lose one of my few precious holidays to look after my kids who should be in school. That and inset days!

Anyway, how did this topic get away from the election itself?

I wish David Milliband had won the leadership race, don't think we'd have been talking about the SNP at all then.

[yoda]

That sounds to me like two jobs. Most sensible companies would employ an adequate number of staff or manage the tasks more efficiently.

There's more to life than working every hour God sends.

it's called being self employed, like Theno's father

[Amo]

People died for the vote

No they didn't. They died for the freedom to think and act for ourselves. Voting for the sake of voting is the antithesis of free-thought.

[Stuart]

I wish David Milliband had won the leadership race, don't think we'd have been talking about the SNP at all then.

I'll never understand why he didn't. So much more credible a leader than his brother.

[Mike E]

No they didn't. They died for the freedom to think and act for ourselves. Voting for the sake of voting is the antithesis of free-thought.

Not voting accomplishes nothing. Registering a spoilt vote would do far more.

[Amo]

Not voting accomplishes nothing. Registering a spoilt vote would do far more.

And voting accomplishes what exactly? Democracy as we know it is just a confidence trick. It gives people the false belief that their choice actually makes a difference and a convenient scapegoat when it doesn't.

Be the change you want to see. That's what I do by voting with my feet.

[broadsword]

Registering a spoilt vote would do far more.

Would it?

I very much doubt it would achieve anything at all.

My guess is that no-one would take any notice of the number of spoiled votes and would instead point to the turn-out as a validation of whoever won.

[jim mk2]

Private sector complaints about the public sector don't wash. Private sector workers have only themselves to blame if they don't get pay rises or have poor conditions. They need to organise themselves into a collective and negotiate with management from a position of strength. They're called trade unions.

[Gav]

Ah, so it's ok to criticise private sector workers but not public sector.

On teachers, I agree we have been giving them an unfair amount of posts on here as in general they do a great job. I think the start of this chain of posts was the notion that they are under paid, which they are clearly not. This along with all public sector workers propensity to go on strike as they are not happy with their 2% payrise (or whatever it may be that year) irks a bit with the vast majority of private sector workers. Not only do we generally not get pay rises, or have to work "above and beyond" (ie 2 roles) to get one, we would also be fired for going on strike, not just docked a single days wage. And "how poor am I losing a days wage to strike" also does not help the cause. If teachers strike, I personally am affected as I suddenly have to lose one of my few precious holidays to look after my kids who should be in school. That and inset days!

.

I was working in the public sector until January and I've not had a pay rise for 4yrs. Vast majority of public sector workers are no longer on final salary pension schemes and wages are often much lower than the private sector.

I work in the public sector because I like the ethos, I like to feel I'm making a contribution to society not lining someone's pocket. In my experience the private sector is full of people trying to climb that ladder, earn as much cash as possible and they don't care who they shaft along the way, that's just not for me.

[Gav]

No they didn't. They died for the freedom to think and act for ourselves. Voting for the sake of voting is the antithesis of free-thought.

Have you heard of Emily Davison?

[yoda]

Private sector complaints about the public sector don't wash. Private sector workers have only themselves to blame if they don't get pay rises or have poor conditions. They need to organise themselves into a collective and negotiate with management from a position of strength. They're called trade unions.

Dinosaur,

the world has changed Jim

[Gav]

Dinosaur,

the world has changed Jim

When was the last time you worked in the public sector?

[Andyblue2]

Don't be so daft. Bin men are OK.

And in a lot of cases, work for private companies such as Biffa, Veolia et al.

[yoda]

When was the last time you worked in the public sector?

1982,

it was a doddle, like a holiday resort

[Gav]

1982,

it was a doddle, like a holiday resort

Over 30yrs ago, things have changed I can tell you!

[yoda]

Over 30yrs ago, things have changed I can tell you!

Yeah, in what way?