Decisions

This is the envelope containing the ballot paper sent by the union that I am in. In it, I have been asked to reject the proposed changes to the terms and conditions of my contract. In it, I am asked to say that I am willing to take industrial action if the proposed changes are pushed through.

So? I crossed the box that said I rejected the proposed changes and then crossed the box that said I was not willing to take industrial action. I could get all prosaic about the my job being a vocation rather than a career. I could get sentimental about the young people whose futures depend on their teachers helping them to reach for the moon, if only to land in the stars...(ahem)I could just be honest and say that the whole notion of going on strike scares the bejaysus out of me - I was a school kid in the 80s and I remember our teachers being on strike.

A good friend came today and explained that he had been told that to reject the proposals but refuse to say you were prepared to take industrial action was futile. If you reject the proposals you must be willing to take a stand against these actions that you believe to be against the best interests of the young people that you teach as well as being detrimental to your own career, and the careers of your colleagues.

The envelope was already sealed. However, you can also vote by email...

Decisions, decisions, decisions.