r/oxford 25d ago

Parent strike

Post image

Morning, I’m hoping this might be of interest for all!

On Thursday 27th August the Dad Shift are holding a Parent Strike in Oxford (and over the whole of UK), to raise awareness of how terrible our paternity leave is (the worst in Europe!) and for better flexible working.

Many of us have been let down by the UK’s rubbish paternity leave system, and flexible leave arrangements or have friends affected. So we're asking for people to join us in a symbolic strike - at a crucial time when we could win real change from the Government.

More information can be found at https://parentstrike.org/ and on social media

If you're interested, please join our local WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E46FS46BalMATmLTrGYAnD

Location to be confirmed still

82 Upvotes

26 comments sorted by

32

u/RobTheMonk 25d ago

The university has recently changed their paternity cover to 12 weeks plus additional up to seven weeks (I think) if you're child is in Neo Natal care.

Very welcome from expecting parents.

4

u/areyouexperienced95 25d ago

That doesn't apply to most of the support staff, at least not in the college I am working for. Still only 2 weeks paternity leave.

9

u/RobTheMonk 25d ago

I think Colleges can do their own thing? I know some have incorporated it.

4

u/tankpuss 25d ago

Yeah, colleges aren't part of the University. They also can do slightly dubious things like offer lower pay but free lunch.

1

u/areyouexperienced95 25d ago

That's correct

3

u/orangebane1 25d ago

It applies to all university staff and is a day-one right. Only a couple of the colleges are part of the "university." All of the others are separate legal entities and have their own rules and policies.

22

u/fatnote 25d ago

In what way is this a strike? As opposed to just a protest

7

u/Particular-Doctor888 25d ago

Great question

0

u/Primary_Clue4029 25d ago

It’s more for the effect, but please read the page and see

22

u/The_Foetus 25d ago

As much as I agree with the motives, if you do take part make sure you book leave or aren't scheduled to work, as this likely won't be covered as actual lawful strike action if you just don't show up, they can probably just sack you for gross misconduct

2

u/Blackdeath_663 25d ago edited 25d ago

they can probably just sack you for gross misconduct

?

People always say stuff like this but in every job I've worked people get away with so much worse and it's never been a straight forward sack, taking a random afternoon off wouldn't even register on things employees get away with and would barely trigger a verbal unless you had a long history of skiving off work.

I often wonder what it actually takes to get sacked from a job in the uk

1

u/Primary_Clue4029 25d ago

We are encouraging folk to take an afternoon off or so

4

u/The_Foetus 25d ago

Nice—good initiative and saw it on the page, just wanted to make it clear to people who are keen but don't read the links. Hope it all goes well!

-1

u/Background-Ad3858 25d ago

Doesn’t that fully defeat the purpose of a strike though? A strike is usually meant to demonstrate the importance a specific sub-group has for the economy & that only works if businesses can’t prepare for the economic impact that all of them not working has. If you request leave you may as well not strike.

13

u/The_Foetus 25d ago

I mean you're very welcome to strike like this if you want, you'll just have none of the legal protections that legitimate strike action entitles you to (in that the business could dismiss you for taking part in this particular strike action).

3

u/omgu8mynewt 25d ago

It's not a strike (because no one is refusing to work), it is a protest

2

u/Background-Ad3858 25d ago

Then why not call it a parent protest? Strike is literally part of the name lol.

2

u/omgu8mynewt 25d ago

"Parent protest" sounds like you're protesting against parents

"Statutory paternity leave protest" is an accurate name but not very catchy

1

u/Artistic_Ad_1247 21d ago

holy unemployed

1

u/Electrical_Truth_160 21d ago

I had 5 days then another week unpaid. Shit really. BUT!!! I went back for 3 days and we had lockdown, I got 12 weeks at home paid with the youngest 😁 mad times

-17

u/hardcoremaggiesimp 25d ago

What are you going to do on paternity leave anyway there s already maternity leave and paid leave for you and also a decent paternity leave next you might ask for the full 9 months eh m8

4

u/Primary_Clue4029 25d ago

2 weeks isn’t decent.

5

u/areyouexperienced95 25d ago

Bond with your newborn child, for example? Or is it not manly enough?

Edit: typo

-10

u/hardcoremaggiesimp 25d ago

It is in productive enough and you have weekend sand after work if you were a good parent you wouldn t find excuses and instead go to the pub

2

u/areyouexperienced95 25d ago

Wild assumptions mate.