grodscorp@grods.com
As The Editor today goes on strike and attends a rally in the CBD (interspersed, no doubt, with a couple of lattes) he should heed the words of disgruntled Mornington mum Karon Baker:
“What other person earns a 10% increase every year?” she asked. “It’s absurd that they believe they’re due a 30% pay rise over three years. I think that’s absolutely ridiculous… Teachers are starting to put themselves up on pedestals and it’s about time they were knocked down again,” she said.
She’s got good reason to feel annoyed, Ed. Her daughter, a Year 11 student, has missed a day’s part-time work because you Mao-loving commie bastards went on strike out of the blue (i.e. organised three months ago) as part of your greedy grab-for-cash. It is ludicrous that you bludging teachers expect parity with your fellow commies in other states while ROBBING TEENAGERS OF THEIR PART-TIME JOBS! I mean it’s not like they should be studying, learning from their crappily-paid teachers or anything important like that … not when there’s $7.85-an-hour shifts at McDonald’s, Bi-Lo or Woolies to be had. Hang your head in shame, Ed.
Meanwhile, an equally rounded ‘expert’ on education (he allegedly attended school) teachers (he’s married to one) and Kevin Rudd (he reads Tim Blair) proffers a completely unbiased evaluation of the ALP’s education policy here.
UPDATE
Herald-Sun readers join in the fight to bring those uppity teachers down a peg or two:
“Teachers have it easy. They technically work 5 hours a day & they get 14 weeks off a year. They have the nerve to claim they are stressed & underpaid.” (Manuk, Glenroy)
“…if they diservie a pay rise 30% who do they think they are ? come one Brumby use the work choices law you have and fine these teachers and fine them hard. AS YOU CAN TELL I CANT SPELL WHOES FAULT THE TEACHERS WHO WENT ON STRIKE.” (Ray, Werribee)
“They might be worth a pay rise if they could teach any other thing apart from left wing propaganda.” (Sam, Melbourne)
“Why do teachers demand a pay rise, when kids today cant read or write . how about the community walfare people working with dangoures people now thay deserve a pay rise no you teachers.” (Elena, Melbourne)
Cop that Ed!
GrodsThink Ep.31 (16/9/08)
Wednesday 21 November 2007, 8:24 am #GrodsCorp » Mum’s shame
[...] today in support of the union’s claim for better pay and conditions. As Bridgit quite rightly points out I should be — and am — ashamed of myself. But I’m not the only one who should be [...]
Wednesday 21 November 2007, 8:25 am #The Editor
I’d write a longer response to the piece but I’m just heading out the door to grab a latte on the way to the rally.
Wednesday 21 November 2007, 11:31 am #Mikey
Don’t you wish the strike had happened next week? Just thinking of the Libs using it to their advantage. Aren’t you going for 10% over three years anyway?
Wednesday 21 November 2007, 11:52 am #Mikey
Oh it is 30% over three years. But then Vic Teachers are paid the lowest.
How did that happen?
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/schools-out-in-protest-over-pay-and-conditions/2007/11/20/1195321781904.html
That sucks man. I get paid around that and I don’t nearly have the same level of importance to the community and skills requirements of a teacher.
Wednesday 21 November 2007, 2:24 pm #Bridgit Gread
There’s a fair bit of ambit in the 30%, however I seem to recall reading somewhere that even if it was granted in full, they’d barely have parity with NSW.
Wednesday 21 November 2007, 2:37 pm #John Surname
You teachers sicken me. The moment teachers stop recieving CEO salaries will be a defining moment for our state.
Wednesday 21 November 2007, 5:22 pm #Krypto
yep, you need a uni degree and a professional registration to be a teacher, any halfwit with functional genitalia can be a parent.
Wednesday 21 November 2007, 5:31 pm #Bruce
Or two uni degrees for high school (and two for primary if the Libs get their way).
Thursday 22 November 2007, 8:35 am #The Editor
The Govt. is offering 3.25% per year over three years. They want “productivity trade-offs” for any amount greater than that. The union’s 10% per claim is ambit, so I would imagine there will be a compromise somewhere in the middle.
The other major problem is the reliance on contract teaching. Having to re-apply for your own job is time consuming and demeaning. And teachers who don’t have a contract signed before the beginning of the academic year don’t get holiday pay over summer (quite common). How would you feel being a professional teacher and having to serve coffee during your summer break to pay the mortgage?
Thursday 22 November 2007, 8:57 am #The Editor
They technically work 5 hours a day
So… angry… can’t… respond…
Thursday 22 November 2007, 10:18 am #Mikey
My brother works 8-10 hour days as a teacher on average. I don’t know where people get this five hours crap from.
Thursday 22 November 2007, 1:31 pm #Krypto
They wouldn’t pull that shit on the BLF, or the painter’s and docker’s.
Teachers and nurses have some of the weakest unions around AND one of the largest female workforces. I reckon it’s because women are more reluctant to strike, when a union is prepared to stick up for itself, it gets respect.
When was the last teacher’s industrial action?
I’m not talking about some pissy work ban, I’m talking rolling stoppages.
Brumby will sit up and take notice of that you can bet.