I grew up in a Catholic family with parents who were staunch Democratic Labour Party (DLP) voters and who convinced me that unions were controlled by God-hating communists and assorted fellow travellers.
Furthermore, the Australian Labour Party (ALP) was the puppet of these left-wing unions and needed to be kept out of office in favour of the Coalition government who repaid us with State Aid for our financially struggling Catholic schools. Every day at school we prayed for the conversion of Russia!
Once I saw the light, after studying Marx at university, I realised that without unions Catholic teachers would continue to be exploited and that we were all victims suffering from false consciousness and we needed to revolt.
I remember after being offered a principal position I was told the award would reward me an $8 per week pay increase. When I diplomatically questioned such largesse, I was reminded that we are working for God and it is a calling!
Fortunately, on the back of successful campaigns by public sector teacher unions, conditions and salaries for catholic teachers radically improved.
Stikes became the ultimate weapon in these claims for better pay and conditions and like doctors, nurses, police and other essential services, striking teachers could cause considerable community disruption if they decided to strike.
Once the profession became more radicalised, strikes were sometimes called to protest or make a stand on some political issue.
Teachers were well represented in the massive anti-Vietnam war moratorium marches. Students sometimes joined in solidarity with their teachers and joined the protest. More recently, teachers and students joined climate change demonstrations.
For my part, during my career I resisted the clarion call to strike. I know I will be regarded as a scab and a traitor to my class and undeserving of any of the pay increases resulting from the strike action.
I know the profession in general should be better paid but I am conscious of the fact that everyone, especially in lower paid jobs, deserves better pay and conditions. I accept that money does not grow on trees and that an increase in one sector will mean a cut in another.
Nonetheless, teachers and their unions should vigorously lobby governments to spend more on education.
However, I would prefer teachers demonstrated their commitment to their students and their parents by not deserting their classrooms and striking.
If teachers want to strike or protest, then join weekend demonstrations. The profession would garnish far more respect by giving up a weekend than leaving their posts on a school day.
