Why I went on strike against O’Farrell

Barry O’Farrell expects teachers and public sector workers to lie down on the hamstringing table. His legislation is justified by an imaginary black hole in the budget, and the pretence that somehow spending on education and public services is causing a massive blowout in the economy.

The fact is that the former head of the education department, Michael Coutts-Trotter, who is now the head of Finance and Services, reported that there have been savings in public education spending! It’s outrageous that money that’s budgeted for public education should be kept in the bank – this should put Coutts-Trotter to shame for being a penny-pinching jerk. It’s even more outrageous that greedy O’Farrell says that this is not enough. He beat up a story that we workers are causing a “black hole” by serving our communities and is preparing to get it out of our wages.

But not to worry, O Farrell says to us. If teachers and other public sector workers (all the bludgers) can prove that there are “savings” then we could get more that 2.5 per cent. Maybe. He’ll think about it. Not the IRC (Industrial Relations Commission), because we will no longer have access to the IRC. No, we can turn our pockets out and beg and whimper for wages that keep up with inflation. Ask the kids to bring us a spare sandwich and some chalk.

We teachers know, just like the nurses and other public sector workers know, that the only way we can make “savings” is by doing more in less time. Less quality, more hours, larger class sizes, more stress, less stress leave, more exhaustion, less sick leave. Even though, by the way, the absurd NSW Institute of Teachers forces us to report endlessly on the “quality” of our teaching – telling us what “quality” means like we’ve never heard of the word!

So what have teachers been saying we should do? A popular idea is STRIKE THE BASTARDS OUT! But it’s taken months, as we knew it would, for the union officials to let us have this.

Another fairly logical idea, but one that was as painful to utter as the legislation itself, was a “good-will strike.” This would be where teachers stop doing all the “extra” things we do. But as we quickly realised, this is actually impossible. Because the extra stuff we do is what keeps the kids and ourselves alive.

Talking with kids on our lunch breaks, taking time out to deal with countless welfare issues. Helping other staff by taking their classes so they can take kids on a wonderful excursion. Staying that extra 20 minutes after school to help an ESL student with an assignment. Differentiating activities to suit vastly different learning abilities and preferences. Hours of preparation and marking. Networking outside of school to provide opportunities for children.

We do all of these things every day, not because we are paid to do it, but because we are human and want to see the kids and our fellow staff prosper. As far as I see it, the young people I work with are fellow workers – one struggle one fight. To neglect or deprive them would reduce my social agency and make me less human. Teachers are not teachers for the money. The holidays give an element of flexibility to our work, which is why so many women are in the profession, as mothers and carers, but this is certainly no compensation for shit wages.

So when we struck today and caused “chaos”, it was because we have self-respect, we give a shit about our society and the young people we work with, and reject the pompous, draconian disdainful attitude of bludgers like O’Farrell. And we loved it! It’s been good for the working class, and good for the unions. Since the rally/strike was announced there have been hundreds of new members recruited to the Teachers’ Federation. At the rally, I saw my colleagues glow with pride as the rainbow of union colours swelled into the Domain. Our sense of solidarity in our workplace and across the community was forged.

As an older and usually sceptical union member at my school said in the common room the other day, “The only way to defeat these laws is to get the whole state out on strike!”

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