Wednesday, August 11, 2010

'Tis the Season to Strike

The teachers went on strike yesterday in South Africa (as well as many other government-paid employees). A note went home with my children saying that school was optional. There would be supervision, but not necessarily teaching.

I felt like such a foreigner - do I send my kids to school or not? How long will the strike last?

As it was, I kept them home, and as far as the strike goes, tomorrow is some sort of deadline with the threat of an indefinite strike looming. Striking seems to be popular in this country. I don't think I've ever seen so many different business sectors go on strike - the garbage men, the electricity workers, the teachers, the rail workers, the soldiers (yes, the soldiers), the nurses, etc.

In the teachers' defense, teachers are among the lowest-paid professions in South Africa. I think they deserve a raise. Let's just hope the government thinks so as well.

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