This morning sixty five thousand school and TAFE teachers will walk off the job for two hours to discuss and complain about an increased pay offer.
As a result, many working mothers will lose a days pay because their children will be otherwise unsupervised. Industry will take a hit from this absenteeism - and it will generally cost families and employers productivity.
What are teachers complaining about ? They have been offered an 11.8% pay increase spread over three years. Their salaries will increase 4.8% in January 2009, 3.5% in January 2010, and 2.7% in January 2011.
As a trade-off they will have paid sick leave days off reduced from a whopping twenty two per year - to ten. This will then bring them into line with the rest of the public service.
It seems that these citizens of academia live in a fuzzy little world far removed from the realities affecting ordinary people.
In the present economic climate a pay rise is something most working people only dream about.
We are facing the prospect of the worst recession since the 1930's - and that it something that could easily slip into a full blown depression. Just retaining ones present job would be a big relief to many.
What is the justification for twenty two sick days a year ? The " sickie " is an Australian institution and many people make sure they use all of their entitlements and regard them as extra " holidays ".
There may be a few grim years ahead of us and teachers may find that these hard times intrude on their militant outlook.
Some may have to work a bit longer than the usual retirement age, and class sizes may blow out because there is simply not enough money to pay the present teaching workforce.
Welcome to the real world !
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