Rally

I wasn't on strike today, but I respect the right of people to strike.
I've worked in the public services and I have been on strike in the past. It was a big decision to take, as losing a day's wages is a big thing, especially when you are on a low income, as many people who work in the public sector are. So to see so many people out to rally in Glasgow today (over 10000, I believe) is actually a big deal, whatever David Cameron says.

There are people who don't understand this, or really don't care.

I've been particularly incensed by the cynical, deliberately divisive comments from Michael Gove to whip up resentment from parents against teachers. I pay for my childcare anyway, but if Alexander were in school, I would be inconvenienced, but I wouldn't be blaming the teachers. I also think it's telling that Gove thinks mothers should be staying home to mind the kids.

I have seen some comments though, from parents who seem confused about the role of teachers. Teachers are not there for parents' convenience, to mind their kids, regardless of their contracted pay and conditions. The people complaining seem to want teachers, but not for any purpose but to free themselves up.
If people genuinely just want to park kids somewhere while they work maybe the government should allow 'choice' in that too. Some people could decide to leave them at the soft play all day.
If, however, they want their children educated, they ought to expect to pay properly for it. And the person I saw saying teachers had consigned her to '4 hours of soft play hell' today should consider why she had kids in the first place.

Anyway, rant over. I went down for a gawp at the rally in my lunch break, and failed to locate my spouse in the enormous crowd. I nearly ended up in the march because at one point we couldn't manoevre at all. I did however bump into Jim (in cap) and Kenny, bearing our local CLP banner in solidarity with the strikers.

I made this banner several years ago, and if you think it's a bit plain, that's because it's not finished. I rushed a finish in time for a May Day parade one year, and now he's got it Jim won't be parted from it. I have a suspicion he uses it as a bedspread ;)

It was a bugger to zigzag around 'constituency', I can tell you.