I was slightly surprised but also rather impressed by the very grown up and wise words by Iain Dale on the subject of today's strikes. Well done Iain.
Sadly I cannot say the same for David Laws, the Lib Dems education spokesman, who has made some rather less educated comments about the teaching strike.
"I understand the NUT’s view that the pay award is low in relation to inflation, but it is the outcome of an independent pay review process and it has been accepted by the other teaching unions. "
Yes David. It has been accepted by the NAS/UWT, but this is because that union is so close to Labour that it will never oppose anything the Labour Party does. The NAS/UWT recently complained that its hardship fund had been called upon at an unprecendented level, but despite this they backed their Labour friends.
Mr Laws similarly goes on to assert that he believes teachers should be banned from striking.
One asks in response to Mr Laws, as a Lib Dem, whether we should have a rule that Lib Dem spokesmen should actually sound like Lib Dems and not old style Tories.
13 comments:
Greedy self serving teachers who do not ensure no one leaves school being able to read and write.
I think they have a cheek. i am paying for this bunch of lefie trouble makers, and i object.
I do not agree, when you do a job you know the salary and you accept to exchange your labour for that amount. You don't do so on the basis that you will get a guaranteed pay rise, what is it with public sector workers and their constant demands for pay rises, they should try working in the private sector where pay rises are far from guaranteed and dependent on the performance of the company.
From what I understand the pay rise agreed was set by an independent body, when the police went out on strike because they didn't get their independently approved pay rise I backed them, but the teachers rejecting theirs and wanting more just makes them look more like Heather Mills. Doing it at such a sensitive time (i.e. exams) further makes them look less interested in the education of millions of children.
What a silly think to write on this topic.
Re-read what you wrote
"Greedy self serving teachers who do not ensure no one leaves school being able to read and write."
You have included a double negative. It should have been "Who do not ensure that 'everyone' leaves school ..."
The way you have written it makes out that you are complaining that teachers do not make sure that nobody leaves school being able to read and write, in essence you are moaning that teachers are not not ensuring people cannot read and write.
Back to school for you I think.
The independent review body also made certain stipluations to previous pay deals which were not acted upon by the government. They really are not independent.
Also, you agreed with Police action over their 1.9% pay rise, but teachers last year (the same pay deal as the police) got 1.8%. So why do you support the police but not teachers ? Political bias ?
The NUT obviously don't care about the children they are meant to be teaching. They only care about lining their own pockets and bolstering their political position.
The only solution to this is to allow a free market in education, let teachers negotiate their own salaries, let parents and children choose the schools they attend.
Remove any laws preventing strikers from being fired, but also remove the laws which bolster the employer's position.
These strikes are appalling, as I blogged this morning. Even as a former teacher, I think they are totally unacceptable.
Thankfully, my anger was quickly diffused by your post about a Lib Dem MP being incredibly illiberal about strike action!
When I heard the LibDem education spokesman's comment, I wondered to myself 'what will Nich have to say?'.
It's never wise to out Tory the Tories, but David Laws gave it a damned good go.
Well, I'm expecting you to out yourself as a Tory any day now.
Brave comments from Mr Anonymous. Come on you gutless wonder, reveal who you are before making pathetic comments.
I seem to recall not long back somebody outed you as a Labour party supporter...
Poor dear, my name wouldn't mean anything to you. But if I revealed it, people who actually know me could easily trace me down with Google, and that I do not want.
I am slightly puzzled: "people who actually know me could easily trace me down with Google". Why would people who actually know you want to trace you by Google? Surely, it's those who don't who might be interested?
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