strike
strīk/
noun
a refusal to work organized by a body of employees as a form of protest, typically in an attempt to gain a concession or concessions from their employer.
We have been on strike since last Thursday. 95% of the teachers in my district voted to strike after the school board imposed a contract. People don't strike unless working conditions have deteriorated to the point that they feel it is the only option. That they have no other choice but to take a stand and assert their united voice of resistance. By striking, teachers clearly send a message - enough is enough.
What most people see when they take a look at a strike from the outside is just the tip of the iceberg. They see what looks like strikers wanting more money or more benefits. As taxpayers who may or may not have a similar pay scale or benefit package at their own place of employment - taxpayers then voice their protest over this discrepancy in career salaries by criticizing teachers or by voting down the budget.
My sister, who has less schooling than I do and works in technology, has made double to triple my salary for over twenty years. I don't get to vote on her salary or her benefit package. It's part of her industry.
But, from my view on the inside, it's not about the money. If it were, most people wouldn't get into teaching in the first place. To me, a strike is about the working conditions. When school boards cut services that benefit children directly, like para educators, social workers, reading recovery teachers, etc. and expect teachers to pick up the slack, they begin to create an unsustainable educational environment. Our children are the ones who suffer. Learning is compromised. When they cut the number of classroom teachers and thus increase class size, conditions unravel even more. When teachers are not consulted or factored into major decision making processes, a climate grows that is full of mistrust. When communication is lacking and relationships are not valued, wounds fester. This is the root of the frustration. The seed of discontent. And after years of hardship, the sprout breaks through the ground and finds the way out. Light again. And they unite and say NO more. The strike ended after 4 days.
Luckily - the school I work in has an administrator who supports, values, listens to, and loves his teachers. Together we carried one another through the struggle and together we rallied to voice our unhappiness. Walking for miles and miles on the picket line strengthened our resolve and strengthened our teaching community. It was not comfortable, had a giant set of unpleasant side effects, but honestly, it was the only way we could stand up for our students and ourselves.
Strike as protest - sometimes it is the only way.
What most people see when they take a look at a strike from the outside is just the tip of the iceberg. They see what looks like strikers wanting more money or more benefits. As taxpayers who may or may not have a similar pay scale or benefit package at their own place of employment - taxpayers then voice their protest over this discrepancy in career salaries by criticizing teachers or by voting down the budget.
My sister, who has less schooling than I do and works in technology, has made double to triple my salary for over twenty years. I don't get to vote on her salary or her benefit package. It's part of her industry.
But, from my view on the inside, it's not about the money. If it were, most people wouldn't get into teaching in the first place. To me, a strike is about the working conditions. When school boards cut services that benefit children directly, like para educators, social workers, reading recovery teachers, etc. and expect teachers to pick up the slack, they begin to create an unsustainable educational environment. Our children are the ones who suffer. Learning is compromised. When they cut the number of classroom teachers and thus increase class size, conditions unravel even more. When teachers are not consulted or factored into major decision making processes, a climate grows that is full of mistrust. When communication is lacking and relationships are not valued, wounds fester. This is the root of the frustration. The seed of discontent. And after years of hardship, the sprout breaks through the ground and finds the way out. Light again. And they unite and say NO more. The strike ended after 4 days.
Luckily - the school I work in has an administrator who supports, values, listens to, and loves his teachers. Together we carried one another through the struggle and together we rallied to voice our unhappiness. Walking for miles and miles on the picket line strengthened our resolve and strengthened our teaching community. It was not comfortable, had a giant set of unpleasant side effects, but honestly, it was the only way we could stand up for our students and ourselves.
Strike as protest - sometimes it is the only way.
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