Teachers in Cardiff said they are exhausted and are having to resort to limiting the amount of time they have the heating on in their homes as they go out on strike over pay and funding. With inflation continuing to increase, teachers have called the Welsh Government's proposed 5% pay increase a pay cut in effect and are demanding a better offer.
As with the rest of Wales, schools across Cardiff were either closed or partially closed on Wednesday, February 1, after the National Education Union announced four days of strike action. A biology teacher at Cardiff High School, Rodney Davies, said he and his wife are having to go without heating in their home from time to time to cut down on costs.
He said: "We have noticed with our budgets you have got to tighten your belts all the time. We have got it (the heating) on for a very limited time during the day, so we are sitting under blankets and using coats." A lack of recruitment, lack of funding and difficulties in retaining staff are all contributing to increased pressure on teachers everywhere.
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One teacher in Cardiff said that staff are often having to work between 50 and 60 hours a week. Computer science and ICT teacher at Cardiff High, John Amer was asked about the intensity of work that teachers are facing at the moment under the current climate. He said: "It is very draining. Emotionally as well as physically. I'm tired.
"One of the things that is levelled at teachers is that we have a lot of holidays and yes, that is true, but I feel I always need those to recharge so that I am ready to face another batch of pupils every September. Standing in front of pupils for up to five hours a day, up to 120 pupils a day if it is a full class is extremely tiring and that is, as I say, not to mention all of the other duties we have to do."
Outside the entrance to Cardiff High on Llandenis Road, drivers could often be heard beeping their horns in support of the striking teachers. Cyclists were also making their support heard by ringing their bells as they rode past. On the support, John said: "I have genuinely been smiling all morning because the vast majority of people who have driven past have either honked or waved or at least not thrown things, so I'll take that all day long."
However, one passer by did make it known to the picket that they were not happy about their child having to miss school for the day. Many people feel as though children have already had enough set backs in their education after the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. John, who said he had noticed the driver who was not in support of the strike, said: "I do appreciate the fact that the strike is causing inconvenience, but that is in the nature of strikes unfortunately and that is rather the point, that disruption to the normal order has to happen for positive change to be achieved."
Jack Desambrois, an English teacher at Cardiff High has been teaching for 12 years. He said: "I have got to be honest, I love teaching. Teaching is amazing. This school is a great school. The kids are lovely so I cannot fault the actual job that we do." However, Jack said the demand on teachers is high. He added: "The average teaching week is about 55 to 60 hours.
"And that is the only thing. It is about how much work is involved just outside the teaching." Ceri Thomas, who teaches maths at Cardiff High said: "There is more support for the strike now than I would have expected and a lot of the younger staff are supporting industrial action, which might have been a surprise.
"Pay is a very big issue... but the workload is also a massive issue and that is related to recruitment." When asked how the workload increase and lack of staff is affecting him as a teacher, Ceri added: "I think it is gradually increasing greater expectations on staff. Class sizes are still a major issue, discipline is an issue, lack of resources is an issue."
French teacher Stephanie Cuff was at the picket outside Cardiff Council in solidarity with her fellow teachers. She said: "I feel very lucky to work in our school. I love working with my department, I love that we are able to provide our pupils with lots of opportunities because of our particular school context.
"It is not without its problems. There are still stresses in the job, but I do feel that that is not a shared experience across lots of different schools UK wide. The message today, which is on the flags is 'pay up', and for me personally, yes I do think we should be given the pay rise that we deserve in line with inflation... I think it is important, but I am doing this today for all of the staff.
"Its not for me and my personal gain. I don't have children to support, so I can live quite comfortably within my means, but I know that some staff and support staff can't do that, so I think it is important that we all work together." The next three days of teacher and support staff strike action in Wales are due to take place on February 14, March 15 and March 16.
An industrial action notice on Cardiff Council's website states: "The decision regarding whether your child’s school will remain open on these dates will be made by your child’s school, based on the school’s individual circumstances and risk assessments. Your child’s school will communicate their decision and their plans at least three working days before each of these dates. Plans may not be the same for each of the individual days."
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