It’s YOUR education, what do YOU think? Read our For and Against, and add your own thoughts below…
Teachers and college lecturers are angry at reforms which change the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. The government has proposed that they pay more into their pensions and work longer.
FOR:
The right to strike is a democratic necessity – as students, we know how important it is to have the power to take direct action to get our voices heard, especially at times when no one seems to be listening. Sometimes, direct action is the only way left to defend your cause, as students showed when they protested about the cuts earlier this month. Whilst people are calling the unions selfish, saying they’re just itching for a fight, this is exactly what unions are for – protecting the workforce. They’re just doing their job, and are operating in difficult circumstances.
Let’s also remember that by cutting teachers pensions, we’re also cutting the quality of our education. The best teachers will no longer be attracted to employment in the public sector, and will instead work for private schools where pay and pensions are better.