Viva la union

Without an organisation to advocate for the values of the workforce, the conditions of any job are contingent on the benevolence of management. That means conditions of the public sector jobs would be contingent on the benevolence of the government.

Thank feck for unions then, eh?

The basic functioning of our schools and hospitals depends on the country’s ability to recruit and retain staff.

Since 2010 teachers have lost 23% in real-terms pay, and support staff 27%.

Funding has plunged for school infrastructure, SEN support, and a wide range of additional and unsustainable external pressures (COVID anyone?).

As a result, huge swathes of the profession have left, are leaving or are planning to leave.

On the whole these are people for whom teaching is their vocation and passion. They’re people who care deeply about their community and don’t take strike action lightly.

They want to be in the classroom. But they’re desperate. They feel — as do I — that education in this country needs to become a priority for the government.

They’re striking out of hope, hope for the future of education in this country. Hope to improve the quality of education for our children.

And I, for one, am fully behind them.

#JoinAUnion