Lots of empty classrooms on strike day September 12
Many classrooms in Zeeland and South Holland will remain empty on 12 September. More than eighty primary schools in Zeeland are closing their doors. The same is happening in The Hague and Rotterdam. Many school boards pay their striking teachers and supporters.
Picture: Fred van Diem
Op September 12 lay South Holland and Zeeland the last two provinces are down to ask for extra money for primary education. More than eighty primary schools in Zeeland will close their doors. That says Pim van Kampen, director of the Coöperatie Primair Onderwijs Zeeland (CPOZ), which includes almost all Zeeland boards, and the Albero School Group.
Van Kampen: “We have carried out an inventory. Except for a few one-pits and the reformational schools, everything is closed. ” According to the Zeeland driver, the willingness to take action for the summer holidays was a lot lower than at the moment. “After the interview in de Volkskrant With Education Minister Arie Slob and the new CLA for secondary education, which means that there is still a difference in salary with primary education, the willingness to take action increased. Slob just doesn't want to understand. ”
Flatten
The staff working at the Albero School Group will simply receive their salary on the day of the strike. “We didn't want to cash out, because it's the third strike. But it is a pragmatic decision because it means a lot of hassle. ” The Zeeland school boards are behind the strike, reports Van Kampen, even though not every board continues to pay. “More money is definitely needed for extra hands in the classroom and for a better salary to attract new PABO students to the subject. Just like in France, we should break things down and teach on the highway. But we are too good. ”
Also in The Hague, the major school boards, such as the Haagse Scholengroep, Lucas Education and Stichting Christelijk Onderwijs Haaglanden, continue to pay their staff. It concerns more than 130 primary schools. Ewald van Vliet, director of Lucas Education and chairman of the primary education platform Haaglanden, says there is a great willingness to take action. “A large majority of schools are closing, but it is not unanimous. All parents are informed. ” The large school boards also continued to pay in previous times. “We think this action is proportional and justified. We notice that the teaching profession must become more financially attractive. For example, there are now thirty vacancies at Lucas Education. The work pressure among colleagues is high. Slob has taken a first step, but it must be continued with a second step. ”
Ewald van Vliet, director of Lucas Education: 'We think this action is proportionate and justified. We notice that the teaching profession needs to become more financially attractive'
Insufficient commitments
The Rotterdam Association for Catholic Education (RVKO) also continues to pay. Like school board Boor, with more than sixty primary schools, from Rotterdam. "The availability of sufficient, well-trained and motivated teachers, school leaders and support staff is of great importance for good education," said RVKO in a letter to the school leaders. Primary school De Mare from Rotterdam is also closing its doors, they report on their website. The staff at that school also think that insufficient commitments have been made.
President of the Board Saskia Schenning of the Laurentius school group for Catholic education with schools in Delft and The Hague also has the impression that her foundation's schools are closed. “It is appreciated that we continue to pay. Many people also went on strike the previous two times. ”
Do not continue to pay
School board Perspecto in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen chooses not to pay employees. Stan van Alphen, chairman of the Executive Board, emails: 'If we continued to pay, the strike would be invalidated. After all, employees get a day off to take action instead of teaching. If there was a campaign on an extra day off, that would send a completely different message to the government and society.' Nevertheless, half to three quarters of teachers will strike. 'We support the objectives, but doubt whether this is the right means.'
In the Leiden region, not all school boards pay out either. Director-director Marton de Pinth of PROO Leiden and OBSG Leiderdorp says that he did pay out during the previous strikes. In a letter to employees, he wrote that the previous actions have been successful and have had a major effect. 'The power of the strike mechanism is that each individual employee shows how much it is worth to him or her to achieve the strike target. I think that paying again in the event of a strike negates the effect of the conscious individual choice.' The money remains available for education and can be used by the joint participation council.
AObmembers get from the union their wages from the strike day back if their wages are withheld by the school board. This is 62 euros for a day in a full-time job.
