Strike.

Today I embark on my first bonafide strike. Embark, is a strong word to represent my inaction first thing this morning and further sloth-like behaviour since. You see, it's lovely to have a day off, no matter where in the chain your role resides. And anyone with any desire to excel in their job, if not for the pure and simple sake that the children need you, would use this time to plan and prepare. I am no exception, but still relish the opportunity to do so in my pyjamas. 

The cause behind the strike is also something I feel strongly about, the only issue is in which direction I lean. I would love to continue to pay in the pension contributions as I have been, however with me only having done so for little under a year, I am by no means reliant on the figure that stands at present. However, a large community of teachers (and other public sector employees) have been paying into their pension funds for longer than my life-span, just to be told that this will be cut.

Work longer.

Pay more.

Get less.

Yeah, that seems the message. But behind this is a very true and vast problem: recession. Pensions, as they stand, are unsustainable. You could argue this money should be recouped from MP salaries and by returning to manufacture (on presentation of a receipt and tags intact) the expensive arms our country loves to invest in. But that seems a futile approach to a problem that will cause devastation likely in the fighting ranks first. The working class will pay for the debt, will pay towards it and ultimately be destroyed by it.

Maybe pension cuts are a useful way to stave this off a while. 

Maybe not.

Maybe Michael Gove, our so-called education secretary, should try becoming more acquainted with school policy and the culture of education before suggesting that a troop of parents swoop in to save schools from having to close today. Whilst it is paramount that all those working closely with children are CRB checked, it seems that, to our Gove, this is all superficial and unnecessary. It is simply outlandish that parents should be checked, they're parents right? Or is this just a further example of the flippant expressions of MPs and their constant approval of middle-upper class misconceptions and naivities.

Plus he's rude:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12171281

Prompting my work-mate's inspired t-shirt idea...

Who knows, I'm gonna get a brew and further philosophise.