Sorry Kids, we’re more important than your education.
Its a good thing that todays strike action by Queensland Teachers was averted at the 11th hour. A good thing because the half a million government school students can go to school and continue to work hard at getting a decent education, which they richly deserve.
It’s a crying shame that the Teachers Union in Queensland feels that strike action is warranted. They, and every other union, should realise that in this day and age, there is virtually no good reason to go on strike. Strikes should be reserved for dangerous, life threatening circumstances, such as a mine operator cutting corners and putting miners at risk.
Workers should never be allowed to strike just because they want a pay rise. Workers such as teachers, nurses, ambo’s, police, fire fighters, should especially realise that they hold a position with a great deal of responsibility, and they should keep getting on with the job.
I was thinking about doing some basic analysis of teachers pay and the governments offer, but after reading a QTU bulletin on the subject, I saw that the argument has degenerating into a battle of statistics and selective reporting, so its pointless going down that road;
Better to look at the simple facts; The government has offered a pay rise of 12.5% in a time of world wide recession. Nurses were happy to grab that same 12.5% recently, realising that such a huge pay rise was to snapped up in this climate. Why doesn’t the QTU think thats good enough?
The QTU’s own publication shows that senior teachers in Queensland earn about $70,000 a year. 12.5% more brings that close to $80,000, which is way above the average wage, and a pretty bloody good wicket if you ask me.
So thats my opinion; I wait with baited breath for the comments from unionists deriding me. 🙂