Demanding Nothing

WHERE I WORK, there may be a strategy outlined by unions to "take the government out of power," if words of national organisers are believeable. The precocious attitude of that stance does not ring well with me, mainly because it will fly in the face of people (like those at left) who depend upon me for an education. So I'm not going to go forth with the beating drums, demanding that my wages be restored. In fact, I'm demanding nothing--not even job security on a campus that cost cutters have recommended closing. I've enjoyed a nice ride on the back of the Celtic Tiger, watching wages increase before I knew how to request a pay rise. I joined the Teachers Union of Ireland because it felt like a social club. That club was central to ever-ratcheting demands on wages and programme spending and Irish social partnership helped achieve those demands. Although fellow club members could see ways to enhance productivity or improve innovation, those kinds of proactive measures were never really part of overtures made to management. So I've left the TUI club. In today's environment, we better figure out ways to do more with less because unless we do, the next decade will be extremely harsh. I'm spending my time carving out portions of my time to ensure I can deliver more to students like those in the photo. I don't believe I'll achieve the same results by carrying a placard on the picket line. I'll leave that job to others who might be seeing something they can achieve through their rights to protest.

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