Mike Browne misread mood of the teachers

18.JAN.08

Editor: I was present at the emergency Teachers’ meeting on January 7th. Acting Prime Minister Mike Browne’s description of what occurred at that meeting did not reflect what I witnessed. I saw a large number of angry teachers who were extremely angry that the Reclassification exercise, as it is currently proposed, would result in a salary decrease for the majority of teachers.{{more}}

Teachers resent the fact that they are being told that their labour was worth more in pre-VAT times than it is now.

I am aware that the talking heads have their arguments to justify this, but as an active trade-unionist, this makes no sense to me.

Minister Browne should not be so quick to see everything as an NDP-ULP issue. I think that he is misreading the mood of teachers, and frankly, I find his suggestion that teachers are being manipulated by the NDP as insulting. He can ignore the lessons of history at his peril.

The militancy of the SVGTU has a lot to do with the urging of leaders like Mike Browne. He embraces it when it suits him and condemns it when it does not. His statement to the press did not help matters.

Theo Thomas,
Former SVUT member