Bullying and workload - Coronation Street hits the target

Coronation Street has a storyline about a teacher being bullied by senior management. It rang a few bells for me. 

I ran a helpline for stressed teachers and SMT were often more of a problem than the most ‘challenging' pupil. My advice to Brian in Corrie or anyone else who recognises his plight? Ring the union: you shouldn’t have to face this alone. The relentless piling on of workload and the consequent health problems are 100 percent a union issue.

And well done Corrie, 10/10 for relevance to the problems of #workload and #bullying.

Classroom Teacher Manual- advice for teachers from teachers

Universal Credit

Universal Credit has not been a universal success.

Universal Credit replaces:

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Child Tax Credits
• Working Tax Credits
• Housing benefit.
• 
  

However people have had to wait months to get the money. In general these people are not in a position to live on daddy's money for a month. The government simply didn't think of that. That is how out of touch they are.

Then there is the fact (verified by www.learnmyway.com) that "Universal Credit is an online service so you need to be able to use computers and the internet."

They also state that users will require a mobile phone, an email address and a bank account. Not everyone has all these things. How someone who is receiving no money is supposed to get a mobile phone is a question which is not answered.
Sanctions are part of the government initiative to create a 'hostile environment' for the poor. Sanctions vary but potentially they can be harsh. 

And what kind of crimes can you be sanctioned for? "If you are judged to have used offensive language in person, on the phone or in writing, it could be seen as failing to meet your claimant commitment. This could leave you at risk of sanctions.If y

The longest sanction is for 3 years. This would be because of serious failure to meet commitments 3 times in one year. And how you live on nothing for three years? Do the Tories look like they care?

Usually, sanctions will apply until you carry out the action you have been sanctioned for plus one week.

http://www.learnmyway.com provides useful information. A French solution - (going out on the streets and bringing down the government) is also an alternative.

Unite has a campaign against this farcical system on behalf of members like myself who are not in employment. I have a pension. Plenty of people do not.

1. Abandon the long waits for claimants to receive money.
2. Allow people to apply for Universal Credit in a jobcentre, not just online.
3. Provide people with better help when the system fails them.
4. Pay landlords directly to stop people getting into rent arrears and losing their homes.
5. End benefit sanctions for all claimants.

A Thatcherite is dead

@BBCBreaking baroness Trumpington will be mourned by Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub. Nobody else mourns a Thatcherite.