What Will November Bring?

/ joyroses13

I am very happy to report that things are much more peaceful now at the High School that my kids attend.  For those of you that have recently started following my blog I will explain.  We had a shooting threat made by a group of students. which pretty much shut down school for a day and  cancelled the Football game that night.  Due to the fact that a shooting threat was made about happening at the football game as well.

I had been under the impression that only one student had made the threat, but apparently there was a group of about 10-15 students involved.  I had never thought that I would have to worry so at sending my kids to school, but I am not going to expand on the type of world we live in right now.

I am just happy that things appear to be staying peaceful for now.  There have been programs started with Peer to Peer counseling during school and ones with parents volunteering to help students that need someone to talk to.  The Principal reports that the programs have been met with a good response to them.

As it seems to go sometimes, you get one thing taken care of and then another problem springs up.  We were notified last week by the Principal that they have received notice of the intent for the teachers to go on strike next month unless an agreement can be made with their contract.  I know Teacher Strikes are nothing new, but in all the years that my children  have been in school we thankfully have never had to deal with one.  I also know that there are many other types of jobs besides just Teachers that sometimes use Strikes in their negotiating process.

I do hope that an agreement can me made and that we won’t have to deal with this, but it  has made me think.  Raised some questions in my curious mind.  I am sure there aren’t many of you that are surprised by that!  What are your thoughts?

What do you think of using Strikes to negotiate?  Is that really the only option at times?  Were they used more frequently in the past compared to now?  Have you ever been involved in a strike yourself?  Have you ever crossed the Picket Line to go to work even though your co-workers were striking?   Feel free to comment below and I will keep you posted about what happens with our High School.

 

15 thoughts on “What Will November Bring?”

  1. The day I started work for the phone company back 87 years ago, the union went out on strike. As a member of that union, I walked out too. Luckily negotiations were forthcoming and we settled in a day or so. I don’t cross picket lines in solidarity but not sure how to view public unions striking. You can always shop someplace else, sending your kids to a different school isn’t exactly a possibility. Fingers crossed they can resolve their differences and negotiate a contract that serves all sides. Good luck and hopefully there will be no more violent threats either.

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  2. Labor Unions served a valuable purpose during the industrial revolution when labor was exploited mercilessly. but I see nothing but abuse of relationships now. I have experienced a job where membership in a Labor Union was mandatory, and I have no time for them for a number of reasons.

    Whereas a Labor Union has a very strong negotiating power, to accept that as a reason for its existence is adopting a very selfish attitude to work. i.e. get as much from the employer as possible. Any employer has operating costs which must be covered, so unscrupulous bargaining ultimately increases the cost of operations which is then passed onto the consumer. The company may even cut back on staff to compensate so nobody really wins.

    Whereas a Labor Union may well intervene in a dispute I had with management, and could “win the day” for me… do I want to work for a manager that will now have a grudge against me? In any work dispute, I always have the option to negotiate on my own, and can look for another job if I wish. I believe in handling my own problems!

    When Unions decide to strike, regardless of their rationale, they are almost certainly going to impact many people who are not involved in the dispute. Working Moms may have to take time off from their jobs to look after children with teachers striking. Children may well be denied part of the education which the Government is mandated to provide.

    Any Labor Union member that feels justified in impacting so many other lives, because they cannot get what they want (or feel they deserve), needs to take a hard look at their attitude to life. Of course, as long as Governments allow unions to exist, and as long as the members refuse to take responsibility for their own future, then strikes are inevitable and the rest of us will pay the price in inconvenience and/or in higher living costs.

    Well you did ask!

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    • Yes, I did ask, didn’t I. 🙂
      It’s always good to hear your thoughts. I will say that Brad and I have felt pretty much the same way about the Unions.

      As you said, if not happy with your job then go somewhere else, or try to resolve the issue in another way. No job is going to be perfect! I do have a problem with striking to get something that you feel you deserve when it can have a negative mpact on so many others.

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  3. Hi JR. I have wanted to stop by and read your latest. That is terrifying that a group of students made those threats,and the school is on lock down. These days in Canada or in the US, wherever, those mass shooting are scary, even when they are threats. I hope the students involved know how serious their actions were. I bet they didn’t think that threat would get that far. But I’m glad it’s going better for your girls at high school. Kudos to your principal with the counselling. My Dad’s a principal, has been for many years and i think he would look at similar methods to help students and deal harshly with those threats so the kids hopefully, learn their lessons.

    As for teachers strikes: I know in the U.S. teachers are not paid as wellS they are here, even though your dollars is worth more. A teacher ( I have many friends who are) in the public or Catholic school system earns almost $50, 000 to begin with and after 2 years they become certified as teachers and they make a little more, moving up the grid each year and have great benefits. They are all part of respective teachers unions and every so often they feel they deserve a pay raise and strike. Sometimes they receive a gradual raise, other times they are told to return work, but issues aren’t always about money but school resources for students and too many kids being jammed in a classroom.

    We hate it when they strike, parents too, as we feel even though their jobs are hard, other people have difficult jobs and are not paid as well. And they do not have 2 months off in the summer to do whatever they want for the most part.

    But my Dad he started out teaching at private schools. They aren’t gov’t funded so they don’tpay as well. But I know from him that teachers do much marking late nights, preparing stuff for their students, writing lesson plans, taking on after school activities like coaching or leading clubs, and teaching classrooms that are crowded. So I agree from the end of August until the end of June, they work really hard so if they aren’t paid well as I’m told teachers I’m the US aren’t, I can understand them striking, Thrn again, I think if they get summer off mostly and have fair wages, benefits, etc. many people work hard at their jobs, as hard as teachers, we just aren’t all aware of what there jobs consist of.

    As a former preschool type teacher/daycare what do you think?

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    • Yes Mandi it is scary! Scary when your kids come home saying they have had drills about what to do if a shooter is in building and enters their room. Gone are the days of just fire drills!

      As for how I feel about striking I don’t believe it is the right way to handle things. It affects too many others. You have more choices today with jobs then before. Either try to work out the problem you have some other way or look for another job.
      Thanks for your thoughts!

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  4. Strikes were much more frequent in the past, both because unions were more powerful and because working conditions were worse. Employees were motivated to join unions because changing jobs and careers was not nearly as common as it is today; most people expected to keep working for the same employer and doing the same work all through their career. Because the younger generation does not have that expectation, they’re not much interested in unions. I’ve never worked anywhere that had a union.

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    • Yes changing jobs is done so much more now. So many more options! I have never worked where there are Unions either. My husband has and he has never liked.them.
      They take.their power too far!

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      • That said, I am not in favor of right-to work laws for the same reason — anyone who does not want to work in a union shop has other options, too. As I see it, both sides of the issue are becoming increasingly irrelevant.

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