I’m tired.
I’m seeing tweets from TEFL academics and organisations about how we adjust our teaching. How we do better online.
Stop.
Just, please, stop.
The reality? Most of us don’t know if our schools will open again. Most of us are scared.
***
We aren’t unaware of how the sector runs. The delayed invoices. The overheads. But, we are also aware of the preexisting precarity. The ongoing fight for sick pay, and recognition of our expensive qualifications and upskilling.
Those of you in ‘academic TEFL’, those of you with solid contracts and sick pay, it’s time to speak out for our sector. We come to your workshops. We attend your conferences.
We study for and obtain Deltas and do action research that you inspire us to do. You know what we have now?
Nothing.
***
We are hoping for scraps. We are reliant on government handouts. We have professionalised and CPD’d ourselves as much as humanly possible.
Our directors have told us nothing of substance. We have rent to pay. But our qualifications won’t pay rent or or food on the table.
Those of you with contacts and a voice, it’s time you stood up for your colleagues. Call out the unfair labour practices. To all the teachers out there, waiting for news: contact your colleagues and be ready to demand redundancy, or safe working conditions, or fair pay for training on online teaching.
We have seen our attempts at recognition as teaching professionals scoffed at. Yet, we bring in huge money to Irish tourism year on year.
Stand up for yourselves and your colleagues now. Demand fairness, equity and safe working conditions.
— Chris B (@ChrisB95216897)
May 20, 2020 1:49 pm
Yes, ‘Call out the unfair labour practices. ‘ Teachers have to look esp. to much stronger trade unions for local action in their communities. One new initiative is REDS IN ED (https://redsined.org ) created in the US. There’s a LONG ROAD FORWARD. It needs to be in banding together to effect change that IS change. Encompassing colleagues in ‘academic’, commercial language school and any other teaching space.
This from SEWN Scottish Education Workers Network, a strong statement of vision: https://iwwscotland.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/sewn_leaflet_for_web_use.pdf
We have to be active in CATALYTIC teachers associations LOCALLY and trade unions reborn. SEWN is connected with IWW: https://iww.org/directory/union_category/wise/
On a broader chord of working-class fightback, a new incisive interview with Noam Chomsky:
>The pandemic has only exposed the suicidal tendencies of capitalism<
https://mronline.org/2020/05/19/the-pandemic-has-only-exposed-the-suicidal-tendencies-of-capitalism-noam-chomsky/