The musings of an ordinary sort of God-bothering curate and educator from Yorkshire, God's own country.
Sometimes I think I am in a parallel universe as I ponder why some Christians seem so wilfully theologically illiterate.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Philippians 4.19
"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2.12
Monday, June 27, 2011
Delayed teacher pensions leads to riots outside Gove's house 2024
Even though I'm an ardent socialist I find it difficult to be sympathetic to the teachers' cause. The first people to be sacrificed because of the cuts in government spending were classroom assistants and no teacher made a fuss about that. At my wife's university the lecturers' union will never adjust their own claims so that the cleaners, porters and admin staff can get a better wage. The big question is, if the teachers win who will lose? My guess it will be public sector workers in unsexy jobs like tax collection and refuse collection, who are already on far lower wages than teachers.
M.P. I don't know which Education Authority you are in but here we argued vociferously for our non-teaching staff and we still have them.
To follow that argument is to fall into the divide and rule approach so favoured by this governmemt. I don't subscribe to the argument that for one group to win means that another has to lose. I prefer the idea of justice for all and would take industrial action as appropriate on that basis.
I think that bankers should not get bonuses and should have their wages radically cut so that the poor may have better lives. So, I do believe that one group should lose so that another may win. I have never been in a position where my wife's wages added to mine has equalled the average wage of a teacher. I am sorry to say this, because you are a friend, but teachers are nowhere near the top of my list of the hard done by.
Actually, I would make an exception for the bankers too: I take your point.
No we aren't the most hard done by, but what do we do? Does every group that feel hard done by wait until the lot below tham get sorted? Sounds fine but who decides who the next lot down are?
Actually to me the issue is simple. Teachers can't continue to work until they are nearly 70. That's what this sequence of posts is about, nothing else.
I look forward to a series of posts on ageism in Britain.
ReplyDeleteEven though I'm an ardent socialist I find it difficult to be sympathetic to the teachers' cause. The first people to be sacrificed because of the cuts in government spending were classroom assistants and no teacher made a fuss about that. At my wife's university the lecturers' union will never adjust their own claims so that the cleaners, porters and admin staff can get a better wage. The big question is, if the teachers win who will lose? My guess it will be public sector workers in unsexy jobs like tax collection and refuse collection, who are already on far lower wages than teachers.
ReplyDeleteM.P. I don't know which Education Authority you are in but here we argued vociferously for our non-teaching staff and we still have them.
ReplyDeleteTo follow that argument is to fall into the divide and rule approach so favoured by this governmemt. I don't subscribe to the argument that for one group to win means that another has to lose. I prefer the idea of justice for all and would take industrial action as appropriate on that basis.
I think that bankers should not get bonuses and should have their wages radically cut so that the poor may have better lives. So, I do believe that one group should lose so that another may win. I have never been in a position where my wife's wages added to mine has equalled the average wage of a teacher. I am sorry to say this, because you are a friend, but teachers are nowhere near the top of my list of the hard done by.
ReplyDeleteActually, I would make an exception for the bankers too: I take your point.
ReplyDeleteNo we aren't the most hard done by, but what do we do? Does every group that feel hard done by wait until the lot below tham get sorted? Sounds fine but who decides who the next lot down are?
Actually to me the issue is simple. Teachers can't continue to work until they are nearly 70. That's what this sequence of posts is about, nothing else.