The Madness Has Begun
The second round of striking began today for the teachers in the Ringgold School District. You may wonder why this madness has an effect on me. I don't live in this district. I do, however, work there. And guess what is on my mail route...
Ringgold High School
The hub of the picketing!
It seems that the post office does not think that it is ethically wrong to ask one union member to cross another union member's picket line, nor do they see the act of crossing said picket line as a threat to my personal safety. What a crock of shit! I'd like to see the postmaster haul his fat ass across those picket lines to deliver the school's mail.
This is what greeted me there today...
One side of the driveway was lined with parents and students, protesting the teachers' strike. They were quite the noisy lot, hooting and hollering at passing cars in an attempt to gain support. One student was carrying a sign which particularly amused me. It read
Yeah, kid, I know that. That's why I live in the CHARLEROI School District...
On the other side of the driveway were the teachers. They stood and sat silently with their "On Strike" signs, and were generally much more well mannered than the protesters.
Between the two groups, there were several police officers, there, I suppose, to prevent violence from breaking out. What a comfort to poor me!
I have a few things that I'd like to say to both groups of picketers...
Parents and students, I realise that this strike is a major inconvenience to you. I sympathize, but think of this, if the government steps in to end this strike, it will weaken the teachers' union and also set a precedent for doing the same in other unions' strikes, including, perhaps, YOURS! Do you really want that to happen?
Teachers, the two major issues in this dispute are your salaries and healthcare benefits. You say that the Rinnggold District is the same size as the Upper St. Clair District, and you want similar pay. That sounds reasonable, until you consider the fact that incomes and property values are at least twice that of your district in Upper St. Clair! Your salaries come from residents' wage and property taxes. You can't get blood from a stone, you know. There is only so much to go around...
As for your healthcare benefits, you do not want to pay for part of them because you haven't in the past. Neither did a lot of other people, but they do now! You are very lucky to have gone this long without paying. I can't think of anywhere else where the employer still pays for all of his employees' health benefits. It is time for you to compromise!
Damn, I'm glad that tomorrow is my day off!
(I kicked and screamed until my boss corrected the status of my route. I now get a day off every other week.)
Dealing with all of that craziness makes me long to look at something pretty, like these guys...
Ah, I feel better now!
