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Scotty- your first comment was one of the most naive I've seen on this topic. I agree with you that the government made a lot of job titles that didn't need to be made, but why should teachers and police etc pay the price for it? Would you want to be picked up by a 68 year old paramedic? No I don't think so. How can you expect me to teach children to an outstanding standard at the age of 68? A 68 year old police officer? My dad was a police officer and completed his 30 years service saved countless lives and put a lot of criminals behind bars. I teach over 300 children per week and as already stated I could earn 4 times as much babysitting these children privately but I choose to work for the council. A hugely physically and mentally demanding job which carries a huge responsibility. I pay over £400 a month to the tax man and national insurance, and your telling me I shouldn't strike to make a point in protecting my and my family's future? Get the facts straight and opinions open before you slate people just because they work in a different industry to you. You chose to do what you do like all of us, but I'd gladly invite you to do my job for a week and see if your ill informed opinion changes then!



I must say that from my experience in the nursing profession, those approaching their 50s and 60s are now reducing their hours, not because they want to, but because they are struggling to cope with the long hours. I work 12.5 hour shifts, not accounting for travelling time. My typical day starts at waking up at 6am and not returning home until sometimes nearly 10pm. I am supposed to have x2 30 min breaks per shift, but often don't get the second one because I don't have time to - patient care comes first. As for finishing on time, if the unit suddenly becomes chaotic due to a new admission or transfer, none of us will simply walk out because it is time to finish the shift. Therefore I work several hours per month for free - time owing is almost unheard of in our profession. I know of a few teachers who are working unpaid overtime - is that the same for you, Stu? As for the tax man and national insurance, I paid well over £700 this month



Totally agree Steph, and yes it's exactly the same for me! As a PE specialist I obviously have to do a lot of school sport as an extra to my PE teaching time. Most of which is out of school hours. My working hours are 8am-4pm but 4 days per week I run before school cubs (Basketball, Football, Fitness, Tchoukball) which start at 7:15 so I don't get paid for this. 3 days per week I also run after school practices for school sports teams, those sessions are from 4-6. I have 2 lunch duties per week and 3 break time duties per week as per the school regulations. I very rarely get time to have a break most days, get time for a quick lunch which is about it. I also have school fixtures for Basketball twice a week and football EVERY Saturday none of the above I get paid for! At least 4 hours work on a Saturday morning for no pay whatsoever, but I don't complain about it as I do it for the kids that I teach, it's for them, not me! And before someone says "Yeah, but you signed up to do that", yes I did and I love my job, but I also work had and don't wish my hard earned pension to be spent by the government. And before the "you get lots of holidays" argument comes out, October half term this year I was away with a school tour for our new pupils, last easter I was in Paris with a school tour, feb I was away in America skiing with school, previous October I was in China with school and the previous easter I was in Florida again with school. Although this sounds like brilliant holiday time,each trip I have been responsible for the safety of 40 children at least. THAT IS NOT A HOLIDAY. I was working during all those trips and no I didn't get paid anything extra to my salary. I roughly do 20 extra hours per week that I don't get paid for. School holidays......if I'm away with school which I am every half term or end of term, that's 14 x 24 hours that I'm on duty x 8 weeks over an academic year that I don't get paid for in addition to that already mentioned.....you do the maths!
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