Is it just me?

jennyfleur · #1 (**permalink**) 13-01-2009, 06:19 PM

I have finally got round to joining a union and got the stuff through for PAT/Voice. Rang up and asked if they were aware of supply situation, and liked their reply. Anyway, when I received their marketing brochure, they have a pictorial breakdown of all the people they support (anyone know where this is going yet???!) entitled "Who we speak up for"

Primary teacher
Secondary teacher
Lecturer
Student teacher
Early Years Worker
Support Worker

Now perhaps it's just me - but this annoys me a little. For heaven's sake, even students get a mention! But supply teachers are just lumped in with other teachers, even though we are not always paid to scale (particularly not for day to day), we don't always have access to professional development, many school based teachers are condescending and think we don't do a good enough job, we don't always have same pension rights etc etc etc................and the union KNOW all this and are very supportive!

Anyone else think this is really bad marketing? I don't think any other union is much better and so, on the grounds that I believe in negotiation rather than industrial action, and the fact that I need to be in a union, I suppose I will have to join but grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Perhaps supply teachers don't need to be spoken up for!

Sorry had to vent!!!!!

NuttySupplier · #2 (**permalink**) 14-01-2009, 10:53 AM

LOL It's not just you! Considering their (probably) biggest audience for marketing purposes are NQTs, they should reconsider this... about 40% of NQTs go straight into supply work!!

jennyfleur · #3 (**permalink**) 14-01-2009, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NuttySupplier
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LOL It's not just you! Considering their (probably) biggest audience for marketing purposes are NQTs, they should reconsider this... about 40% of NQTs go straight into supply work!!

Well yes! Rang them up this morning again as their fee system is complicated to say the least - what you pay depends on how many hours you work (very practical if you're on supply of course!) Anyway, they put me through to a rep who listened and promised to pass on my feedback to the marketing team (quite impressed I was!) He said that they had lots of supply teachers on their books and thanked me for ringing up, saying it was always good to get that sort of feedback! He also helped me to work out which fee too pay...and more important than anything else, he actually agreed with me!!!

So they might be the union for me after all!!

NuttySupplier · #4 (**permalink**) 14-01-2009, 02:52 PM

Good going! I always say I'm going to do things like this, complain, but never actually do, just moan to OH about it!!!

jennyfleur · #5 (**permalink**) 14-01-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NuttySupplier
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Good going! I always say I'm going to do things like this, complain, but never actually do, just moan to OH about it!!!

Me too usually, but I
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- someone has to try and get through!
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audrey · #6 (**permalink**) 15-01-2009, 10:40 AM

Well done Jennyfleur I'm proud of you for doing that, us british are not known for complaining are we
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I recently complained to my bank as they'd charged me for going o/d and OH had paid funds in to the bank in sufficient time (they actually took the huge charge off, couldn't believe it). Another time I complained to a credit card company about a charge and the poor girl on the other end got so
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with me ranting, she spoke to her supervisor and they decided to drop the charge also
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I have to admit I haven't joined a union yet and I had to seek advice recently from where I trained about a few things that were very wrong with a short term post that I covered, (horrendous if I'm honest). The training institute were
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that I'm not in a union and advised me to join one immediately (it is on my list-honest). Silly old me thought that as a supply teacher we weren't entitled to join a union as we weren't in f/t position
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But we do need to protect ourselves eh.

jennyfleur · #7 (**permalink**) 06-02-2009, 07:47 AM

Seems to me teaching unions need to get a grip and make sure supply teachers know they are entitled to join!!

Well, as I say, I went for Voice because I'm not a believer in industrial action, but I used to be a member of NASUWT and they were pretty good, too (not that I ever really used them). The membership charges for Voice are a bit complicated but the nice rep I spoke to at Head Office said to go for the cheapest one (ie average 10 or less hours pw) as it will even out over the year. So I did, and I can pay more if i ever find a more permanent post.

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