What happens when teachers strike and days missed

[AHappierHour]

The teachers and the district still haven't come to an agreement and they set a day in March to strike. What happens to the days the kids stay home? Do we make them up at the end of year?

[dexteroni]

They'll have to hold 180 days of school, or whatever the required number is in your state. Breaks may be cut short, days off cancelled, and if necessary, the end of the school year may be extended. One year my nephews went to school until almost the end of June due to an extended strike. That sucked. Hopefully that won't happen for you guys.

[sterl724]

Yup, what dexteroni said. In my state, we require 180 student attendance days. If they miss a month due to the strike, days will need to be made up in some fashion.

[kris356]

In PA, you have to have 180 days, so usually there are no holiday breaks or vacation days. In PA, they have to have 180 days by June 30th if they go on strike twice in the school year, so it also limits the number of days they can strike.

[InBetweenDays]

Yep. Seattle teachers were on strike at the start of the year. The district has "snow days" built in to the year to make up for days missed . They were designated as days off but were added back in after the strike (one day in October, one day in January, 3-days of mid-winter break) and then we also have to add one day on to the end of the year.

[AHappierHour]

Well that sucks! Especially since it might happen and also so late in the year. I'm guessing since they picked March this will affect our spring break? I really hope they come to an agreement. I think they are close but are still having issues with health insurance stuff.

[flex]

Yes it means they'll have to make up days if, indeed, the strike does happen. At this point, they may be saber rattling, but it's good you have advance notice to prepare.

[InBetweenDays]

Jan 26, 2016 11:51:19 GMT -5 AHappierHour said:

Well that sucks! Especially since it might happen and also so late in the year. I'm guessing since they picked March this will affect our spring break? I really hope they come to an agreement. I think they are close but are still having issues with health insurance stuff.

It probably depends on the district, but we have certain days off that are designated as possible make up days ("snow days") and certain days off that aren't. I'm pretty sure they couldn't have taken away our Spring Break, but could, and did, take away part of our mid-winter break. They may tack on days to the end rather than taking away your spring break.

[AHappierHour]

The teachers are being very vocal about this. There are sign around all the school. They place signs in the windows of their cars. Today I noticed some teachers wearing t-shirts that said " I don't want to strike but I will"

I get it and they deserve a pay increase, I'm just shocked it went this far already.

[papie]

We had 8 or 9 strike days so far.  Schools were closed completely, even the after school care, and from what I hear, it seems like those days will be lost here.  Laws are really in favour of employees, and the strikes were legal, so they say they can't force the teacher to make up the days.  

and they haven't signed their agreement that I know of, so it may not be over.  

[cupcake0214]

Teachers have gone three years without a contract, settled and now they haven't had a contract since September. Teachers have gone five years without a contract. People will not strike here because if you do you will be arrested. I would imagine if it did happen days would have to be made up by taking away holidays and breaks.

[quesyrah]

Did they really? How did you find out?

(In case you don't remember I am in the same district as you but just a lurker. I chimed in on a post of yours recently)

[AHappierHour]

Jan 26, 2016 14:26:14 GMT -5 quesyrah said:

Did they really? How did you find out?

(In case you don't remember I am in the same district as you but just a lurker. I chimed in on a post of yours recently)

The local FB pages had a link to the most recent news and board minutes. I think there was also an article in the DB newspaper. I will see if I can find it and PM it to you

[mom2twoboys]

We had a strike in October and yes we have to make it up. The kids no longer have any holidays and we go until June 22nd instead of the 9th. They have to go 180 days.

[quesyrah]

Jan 26, 2016 14:38:10 GMT -5 AHappierHour said:

Jan 26, 2016 14:26:14 GMT -5 quesyrah said:

Did they really? How did you find out?

(In case you don't remember I am in the same district as you but just a lurker. I chimed in on a post of yours recently)

The local FB pages had a link to the most recent news and board minutes. I think there was also an article in the DB newspaper. I will see if I can find it and PM it to you

Than would be super, thanks!

[hisno1girl]

Jan 26, 2016 14:16:54 GMT -5 cupcake0214 said:

Teachers have gone three years without a contract, settled and now they haven't had a contract since September. Teachers have gone five years without a contract. People will not strike here because if you do you will be arrested. I would imagine if it did happen days would have to be made up by taking away holidays and breaks.

Arrested? What?

[livinitup]

When I was a kid, the teachers were on strike but the district kept the building open and "classes" going with scabs and administrators while herding us in the gym.

[nachos]

In my part of the world, the days are not made up per say - professional development and things like carnivals are cancelled to recoup some class time, but our contract dictates that the school calendar is law, and it has our start and end dates every year.

When we are in danger of strike action (which none of us want, ever, btw), the first step is typically a work-to-rule situation where all extras, like afterschool clubs, are cancelled and teachers only work during their contracted work hours.

In situations where the largest issue is wages, striking means teachers aren't being paid and the government is saving that money. Having teachers make up time at the end of the year in this case is counter-productive because they would then have to be paid (so no savings on the part of the government).

[speckledfrog]

It's possible that they might not have to make up all of the days. Our districts lost several days a few years ago due to ice. Some where made up with the built in weather days and some with coming in on other days off. They petitioned to the state to get a waiver and didn't have to go much beyond the regular school year.

[cupcake0214]

Jan 26, 2016 14:47:55 GMT -5 hisno1girl said:

Jan 26, 2016 14:16:54 GMT -5 cupcake0214 said:

Teachers have gone three years without a contract, settled and now they haven't had a contract since September. Teachers have gone five years without a contract. People will not strike here because if you do you will be arrested. I would imagine if it did happen days would have to be made up by taking away holidays and breaks.

Arrested? What?

Yes teachers in another city were arrested a while ago. It scared people. 

www.nytimes.com/2001/12/04/nyregion/new-jersey-teachers-jailed-for-continuing-to-strike.html

[frkls]

i've heard of some places treating them as snow days and just taking the time out of the built-in snow days

[pegasuskat]

When I was a kid in Detroit (1973) I think, we were on strike for almost 2 months. I literally think that changed my life, it was terrible. My mom got a job transfer and had to move, if I went with her I'd fail the school year. I stayed with my grandparents, she liked her new life and met my stepdad I never really got along with and that was that. We never had a great relationship from then on, so 2nd grade sucked. We had to go pretty much the whole summer, not fun!

[joenali]

We make them up. We went on strike for 5 days. We used a professional development day, cut 3 days off midwinter break and added a day at the end of the year.

[hymen]

A local district had teachers strike last year for the maximum number of allowed strike days. Kids didn't start until October. They had literally no days off - a day off for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day , and New Year's Day, and that was it. School went until June 30. Their attendance rates were terrible around the holidays as well, since so many families have travel plans.

The still haven't reached an agreement. It's a mess.