Frequently asked questions about the November 6 strike
Contrary to previous reports, the strike will continue on November 6. We call on all members in primary and secondary education to stop working and take action. Read what you need to know about this strike here.
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Will the strike fund reopen?
Yes. The AOb heeft support for the covenant was withdrawn, the strike coffers will reopen. We go on.
Are the regional meetings taking place?
The meetings in Amsterdam (De Dam), Leeuwarden (WTC Expo) and Eindhoven (Effenaar) will continue. Just like the traveling manifestation from Almere to Arnhem, via Zwolle and Enschede. There are pop-up meetings in many places. Go to invest-in-education.nl for the program, that site is updated daily.
Who can strike?
De AOb calls on all members working in primary, special and secondary education to leave work on November 6. We strike for a fair salary and less work pressure. The members of the AOb have already received a strike call at home, this call remains. If you want to be eligible for benefits, we ask you to register when you leave your work on 6 November. That can be done in different ways. The easiest way is digitally on the strike day itself, via invest-in-education.nl. This form can only be reached on Wednesday November 6.
Did the education support staff (oop) in primary and secondary education also strike?
Of course! We advocate an investment plan to give the entire sector a significant boost. This also applies to OOP in both educational sectors. We want to make it clear on the day of the budget debate that the cabinet must come to terms with investments in the whole of primary and secondary education, including the wages for oopers, because until now there were not enough resources for this.
Why does the AOb renounced the covenant?
De AOb has always campaigned for structural investments for a higher salary and less workload. The EUR 460 million offer from education minister Arie Slob barely provided for structural investments. Yet (then) AObchairman Liesbeth Verheggen signed this covenant. The AOb saw it emphatically as a first step towards better conditions for teaching staff in primary and secondary education, but should not have signed the agreement immediately. Verheggen should have first submitted the covenant to the board and conducted a member poll. Verheggen now realizes that too. In her Verkaring she calls signing the covenant and calling off the strike 'a wrong choice'. Hence she is resigned and that the central board has withdrawn from the covenant.
Will the 460 million euros come now?
Yes, the covenant also remains without the AOb upright. The promised 460 million euros in investments will simply be made. However, there is a possibility that the AOb will soon no longer be at the collective bargaining table for primary education, where the 150 million euros in investments will be distributed for salaries. Secondary education will also receive 150 million, but that money is distributed among school boards through the lump sum.
How can I participate?
Monday November 4 there will be a general meeting in the AOb-Headquarters. Delegates are allowed to vote at the general meeting. You can also make your voice heard during the action meetings on 6 November.
Why are we on strike?
Structural investments are still necessary to guarantee good education for our children. To reduce the workload, close the pay gap between primary and secondary education and make the teaching profession more attractive. Teachers who teach in special education should be better rewarded, as should staff in schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods. That is why we are putting down work on November 6.
I canceled my membership after the news about the covenant Friday, November 1, and now I want to go on strike. Am I still entitled to a strike benefit?
Cancellations at the AOb per quarter, which means that your cancellation will take effect on 1 January 2020. You are therefore still a regular member within this cancellation period and you are entitled to a strike payment. If you want to revoke the cancellation, you can. Do this as soon as possible by sending an email with your membership number to info@aob.nl
This does not apply to people who leave education or retire, in which case the notice period is one month and the membership runs until December 1, 2019.
Where can I register on Wednesday?
Wednesday to: invest-in-onderwijs.nl/6-november/register/ to register you. Only on November 6 there is a registration form on that website.
My school will open anyway, do I have to work?
It is an individual choice to participate in the strike. The AOb calls on all members to stop working. Are you a member of the AOb, then you can claim the strike fund and receive a strike payment of up to 63 euros. If you are going on strike, you must report this to your employer. But an employer does not specify how a striker spends the strike day. As a striker, you decide whether you go to school, stay at home and whether you plan a strike activity with the team.
My employer withholds wages when I strike. What now?
Then you get money from the AOb! From the strike day, November 6, there is a wage loss form on our website that you can download, this applies to all AObmembers in primary and secondary education. Print the form and fill in all the information. It is important to enclose a copy of your pay slip stating that wages have actually been withheld. Without a payslip, the AOb pay nothing. You will receive the money, a maximum of 63 euros per day, on the account number that comes with the AOb is known. The amount becomes, as the AOb has received your wage loss form and the salary slip, paid out as soon as possible.
What about my legal aid if I strike?
Ordered before AObmembers, their legal assistance is arranged for the duration of the strike.
I am a member of another union, what can I do?
Turn to your own union.
Can I still switch bonds before the strike?
Yes, log out of your own union and go to this link on AOb.NL: become a member. If you switch from CNV Education, you have a notice period of three months. But with the AOb are free for the first three months. Anyone who becomes a member before or on November 6 and is on strike can claim the strike fund if the school board withholds wages.
