Day 251 - "Day of Chaos"

Well it was a much smaller crowd that gathered in front of Queanbeyan Hospital today than the huge one (estimated 30 000) that gathered in Sydney to rally against the O'Farrell government's wages and industrial relations policies. Nevertheless, teachers, nurses and midwives, firefighters and police officers did gather.

The policy changes which will make many of these career choices seem less desirable due to conditions such as increased workload and a pay rate that will not keep up with the CPI will result in the people of NSW being worse off. In terms of teaching, it is expected that there will be especially large numbers of retiring teachers within the next few years and there will be a need to attract more teachers to the job. One of the more alarming things I read about this week is that it is proposed that casual teachers will no longer be employed to cover permanent staff on sick leave. This would mean that many children would be split across classes, possibly doing 'busy work' and casual teachers having to find other employment as they wait for permanent positions, therefore not gaining any experience or even working in their chosen industry.

Slogan I liked from the day was one held by a little girl at the Sydney rally that said "Teacher's working conditions are my learning conditions". I no longer live in NSW, but it is where I work and of course I don't get a vote in the NSW elections, although it affects my working conditions.

Lastly, yes, there is a nurse shaking a tambourine in the photo... why didn't I think to take a percussive instrument?