opinions

[Paul]

hi people , great site here,



Few points i would like to put across to you, i dont know what happens in your schools, but i seem to be given all the tasks which are rebounded around the school, the c2k manager is actually doing alot of tasks that I had control off, i would be grateful if you could list out your daily routines, so i can compare with my own.



Contract



Is it legal not to give a contract to an employee?



Pay



when are we going to get paid properly!!! most of the caretaking staff  have been given there pay increases.



Union



Do you belong to any union??? if so which one??

[bahhumbug]

Hi Paul,



You may not have a written contract but from the moment you are employed you do have a contract.  Employment law is a minefield but in general you are entitled to be given a written contract within a "reasonable" period of time from when you commenced employment.



I'm in NIPSA.  It's a VERY good idea to be in a union.  In fact working in schools I'd say it's VITAL just for your own protection.



Where are you based ?  I'm on the Branch C'ttee of our Union (Branch 519 NEELB).  



Send me a PM if you need some advice.  If I don't know I'll find a man who does  

[casper]

Hi Paul,

first of welcome to the forum. Hope you'll find it useful.

We have 2 managers but I do all the tasks that they have access to (use one of their logins). My daily rountine involves doing everything from managing the network (within the boundaries) to taking photos and setting up AV equipment.



The contract I'm not sure about. I have one but I think some of the longer serving support staff don't. I'm not in a union at the minute - never even thought of it to be honest.



I'm employed by a voluntary grammar school and not by the Board. I'm on a points scale that increments by 1 every January. I still have a few points to go and I get a basic cost of living rise in September.

[bahhumbug]

TUT TUT casper.  Logging on as somebody else !  If C2k/Northgate find out  !    



I'm one of the Authorised users so I do all that stuff.  It's not so much tech as admin now really.  Still give software advice/support, classroom support and maintenance of old equipment tho' there ain't so much of it left now.



Seriously tho' folks ........  get yourselves into a Union !



There are changes coming and the only way we can have any influence is to be unionised.

That's not to say that they'll listen to a thing but as individuals we have NO chance.

[Paul]

thanks for the reponse guys, im based  Magherafelt, im here about 5 years now, and browned off,



I  think it is time for a change, its very hard to get any pay rise outta this place, i got up a few points last year, but when i went this year, well, i still havent received it.



Teachers should not be allowed to do ADMIN tasks, Stick to Teaching!!!!!!!!!!!



im in no union yet, should i be looking for one???

[bahhumbug]

Hi Paul,



My call gave you this site    so we've already met.



I got a notion our branch covers your area.  I'll check and let you know.



What point are you on ?



And yes, I'll say it again.  Get into a union.   Kids now know all about their rights but nothing about their responsibilities.  You work in a school.  You're as open to allegations as teachers.  If nothing else being in the union gets you free legal advice and representation.



More mundanely, the union can speak for you to heads about your issues.



It's the union which has negotiated the pay increases and re-evaluations, the 52-week contracts instead of the iniquitous term-time system.



If it hadn't been for the union we'd all be on minimum pay !  You know this !  Get organised !

[Paul]

thanks  mate,

 



 ive got the point that , im looking for something else, but theres nothing much out there!!?



so NIPSA is the best Union then???



seriously enough, do u think ours jobs are secure with the introduction of all this C2k gear, i can see the time when we will not be needed, remote support etc,



to be quite honest Nortgate/C2k or whatever they are called are taking over!!!!!

[casper]

The support of the system possibly but there's always the software support. C2k can't tell a student how to do something in Office and managers won't want to be puked by students who need more space or can't remember their passwords. C2k can't create or maintain your school website etc. I think there are still alot of things that will keep me busy, OK it's not everything that I did before C2k arrived on the scene but it keeps me busy.



Are you term-time of full-time?

[bahhumbug]

Yes it is a worry Paul, but I think casper's right.  There's still lots that C2k/Northgate CAN'T do.  Our problem may be that they revamp our job descriptions and pay scales though they shouldn't be able to disadvantage us on that.

managers won't want to be puked by students who need more space

riddle me this casper ... we can give them more space ?   I've missed something here   :shock:

[Paul]

im FT since i started here, but have very little control now, after my line manager fell ill, and and i have a new one, who  (excuse the language) licks the Heads arse, and is never out of the office. grabs all equipment and is always on my back!!!



i cant really do anything without permission,



helping kids in a classroom environment is a Classsroom assistants job, not a Technicians job.



I think all technicians Job descriptions will have to be reviewed in the near future.



they gave me a list of performance indicators last year            

[casper]

riddle me this casper ... we can give them more space ? I've missed something here

Sorry what I meant was that the kids would go to the manager looking more space, he would then have to contact C2k to have this done. I don't think they would be too happy doing this

[bahhumbug]

I didn't think that C2k would contemplate it at all so any, and there haven't been too many, who have run out of space just get told to make room by backing up and deleting stuff from their area.

[casper]

You can ring C2k and ask them to give extra space to a user, but, and this is a big but, you have to take the space of another user.

[Stephen]

I always found the best way of getting a pupil more space is dont be too eager to get last year's leavers deleted. When it comes to the time that someone needs more room then tell Northgate to take it of one of last years leavers.



On the subject of what I do with my working day:- working on the new intranet and internet school sites, Simms and C2K on site manager (although a teacher gets the money for the Simms bit), this would include resolving any problem anyone has with hardware/ software - from replacing toner to dicussing why a pupils ASP files arent working online. I recently downloaded a room booking system from Devize's School that I have put on our intranet so teachers can book rooms without coming near me. The system isnt bad it uses javascript and a database and is free, I am thinking of modifying it so that I can include the year group in the timetable. Although my pet hatred is trying to explain something to someone  who doesnt even understand the question they just asked.

[casper]

Stephen you won't have the URL to that booking form script?