Unions, yay or nay

This is an interesting question for trainee teachers to consider - whether or not there is any point in joining a union, and whether the unions will make the changes that really matter. 

On the one hand the NUT has shown it is willing to make a stand on the issue of below the rate of inflation pay rises, but on the other they seem to be willing to make all teachers look like liberal lefty idiots by voting to 'reject army propaganda'. 

Will a day's strike actually make a difference? I don't think so. It doesn't seem strong enough to me. In my opinion all that will be achieved is that the general public will see teachers as whiny complainers trying to squeeze a little more money out of the taxpayers, rather than an essential service who are under-respected and insufficiently rewarded for what they do.