what do we want...FAIR PAY...when do we want it...NOW!!

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/3984

http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2275986,00.html


Above are only 2 articles I randomly picked from Thursday 24th NUT teachers' strike. I went on the rally in central London. To fully appreciate my part let me take you back to the beginning…

At school on Monday 21^st onwards it felt what was like there was mass hysteria: people not striking, people getting annoyed about the solidarity of unions, myths and lies spreading about breaking service if you go on strike and it made me more confused then ever about what I would be doing on Thursday . People kept talking to me with their differing views and it got incredulous.

It forced me to think about some serious things! I spoke to lots of people, one of whom was my mum who was in the strike 21 years prior to this, the first Teachers’ strike since. Which got me thinking back to a few years ago when I was in America where I was wondering about what career path I’d choose, and someone once said I’d make a brilliant business to business sales person. I believed this for ages, even attempted to join the industry: the money, the power the stature. I was 21 at the time and all I wanted was to be loaded and buy stuff! Whilst having one of many whingy conversations on the phone from USA, Dhara once said to me after id gone on about having all the money, that she and the fam would completely support whatever decision I’d make for my future, but that I should just spend a few minutes to think about what kind of person I am, what I want and how I want to live. Our family gene pool comes from a succession of public sector workers, from grandparents who were teachers, to lawyers trained in London but work in family law in Bradford to a political lobbyist who stands up for the charity sector! Basically I stopped denying to myself that I was never going to be happy making money for myself and that eventually id have to grow up and realise that I’d never be happy unless I was working to give back. (FYI I went home after USA and worked for the Fostering Network..which led to the teaching..!!)

I went to the rally in the end. It was absolutely brilliant! I met up with some friends/colleagues from work who have similar beliefs, with parents who were trade unionists, to having immigration socialist links or simply really believe in the cause. We met outside Holborn tube station which was incredibly packed with the most decorous bunch of protestors u ever saw with Marks and Spencers cardigans and kindly faces! We sang (in my case shouted!) chants in the intermittent sun, hail and rain, held placards and talked with fellow teachers whilst on the march. The atmosphere was electric, despite the weather, despite the fact we WONT get fair pay to meet inflation we were all there shouting ‘solidarity for unions’ ‘fair pay for teachers’. I spoke with this one teacher who had come alone from Slough, who offered to buy younger staff train tickets (we didn’t get paid for the day) but who were scare mongered into simply staying at home on Thursday. She had on the full regalia, a leaflet-hat, a billboard and several flyers and postcards. She said she was so pleased to see us all, young, having fun and working hard to stand up for each other!

I don’t regret having gone, but what I did do was refuse to go on the picket line outside school, apparently a few years before there was some trouble where some peoples actions had been taken personally at the people who had to, for whatever reason, go into school. Anyway, not having many friends in London I wanted to keep the ones I’d made at school and for it not to get personal I stayed away. I don’t blame them either, some people have very different circumstances. After the fuss, it was fine for the people who did picket and fine for the people that came in!

roopa- rebel with a cause and a new piercing!
xxxx