Posts

Back teaching strikes in the US

Back on last year's events

launched 22 February 2018 by teachers of high school of West Virginia, the strike of 2018 extended the faculty of Oklahoma State, d’Arizona, du Kentucky, de North Carolina, du Colorado, Washington, New York and Illinois. Although strikes waves were smaller in these 4 last states, they nevertheless allowed the movement to go beyond the limits of the trade to get them professeur.es associé.es the Commowealth Virginia University and school bus chauffeur.es Georgia.

While the White House merely repeated not have money due to the costs of old age pensions (a speech that reminds us of something?), requests Teachers were clear: better working conditions and more education funding. Or, as every time the employers or the state refuses to untie the purse strings (who filled the same work we do and the taxes we pay), it only takes to brew a little cage to finally realize that the money actually was there. Gains were massive: reinvestment in education through tobacco tax, wage increase 5% at 25% and increased salary support employé.es are just some of the gains made in 2018.

 

The Angels, Denver and Oakland revive the ball!

But the movement that seemed breathless since May just reappear on the radar, this time via the Los Angeles Teacher Union, la Oakland Education Association (California) and the Denver Teacher Union (Colorado). What they ask and they? The same as everyone! An increase in funding institutions to provide a learning environment without mold and where every student can boast a chair and a desk to work and books necessary for learning. decent working conditions for a job that barely keep its workers and where stability employé.es is more than necessary for the welfare of the leading intéressé.es: Children and adolescent.es. While Quebec is on un.e enseignant.e 5 who leaves before his fifth career year, in the US we speak of a definitive abandonment rate 8% every year, across all seniority.

As in too many US and Canadian unions, one for Main obstacles auquel ont fait les enseignants face and enseignantes south of the border was tiédeur du syndical leadership here, we know it, although elected to represent their members, develops quickly on those complex and those who know better than others. These exécutant.es do not believe in fighting for their members and even they would believe, they and they do not believe that fighting can bring anything, better to avoid the worst and ask for the minimum. The strike of Los Angeles enseignant.es, interrupted after coitus 6 days, is a good example. So, if the central and faculty that represents can look forward to getting a pay rise 6%, a reduction in class size and hiring librarian and additional infirmer.es, the comments section of the Facebook page of UTLA has a bitter taste. It is mainly criticizes the Central its online voting system that, having been open only a few hours, prevented thousands of teachers from voting on the ratification of the agreement. Recall that if the 6% increase is not insignificant, Arizona and Virginia have seen their salary increased 20 and 25% Following pressure tactics performed 2018. Why leadership of UTLA was it merely a lean 6%? Mystery and gumdrop.

 

Needless to stress, the problem with this lack of vision on the part of the union leadership is that it creates a new standard that exceeds the limits of the agreement or the workplace. Whenever a union accepts a sellout, see the status quo or worse '' lower back '' as we begin to get used to in Quebec, it is a step towards normalization of losses. A steeper climb for those who want more. All the more so as we émoussons our weapons, the state continues to sharpen his. While Quebec begins to discover that special laws are less and less special, salarié.es the Oklahoma State are already preparing their next battle while just tabled a bill to criminalize enseignant.es who would do battle with their senator. An injury to one is an injury to all, a lack of fighting to One is a lack of fighting spirit to all.

Despite the cowardice of some union leaders and repression of political leaders, that the teachers in the United States have managed to prove is that it is still possible to organize with colleagues. It is possible to do locally is in worrying about a central inert organizing a walk-out completely illegal, but perfectly legitimate, as it is possible to regain control of his assembled and bring the union to take over the role that historically rightful: This not only ensure our well-being as salarié.es, but also to bring a project of greater society for everyone.

 

Solidarity,

Mathieu Stakh.

Photo credit: thenation.com

 

,

The states-uniens lava-cars, sweatshops in the corner.

[youtube = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTCiYI84Snw&feature=player_embedded%3C]

Les lave-autos états-uniens sont de vrais ateliers de misère à chaque coin de rue.

Majoritairement immigrant-e-s latinos, les ouvriers-ouvrières sont victimes d’abus sexuels, de violence physique et verbales, sont dangereusement exposé-e-s à des produits chimiques toxiques. Ils sont aussi parfois payés seulement le pourboire qu’ils et elles reçoivent des clients, ce qui revient à moins que le salaire minimum.

Read more