Phantom Classroom Assistants?

antrim | worker & community struggles and protests | opinion/analysis

Friday November 09, 2007 22:28

by Marty McK - does it matter if there is an organisation?

12 Days of Christmas - strikers anthem

Should everyone return to the classroom and learn to count? Add up numbers published in press releases, is 7,000 classroom assistants a rounded up or down figure? Not by any stretch of the imagination are all classroom assistants members of a trade union.

I am disappointed this is not an election year. Can you imagine the squirming and questions left hanging in the air by the "can we have your vote" and move the earth for you campaigners. Imagine an election turnout like GMB ballot figures signify anyone notice how did the GPA fair in comparison to GMB? (footballers). I missed out not seeing ballot returns.

It is not pleasant to watch how mainland trade unions handle their NI region with endless ballots, it looks to an observer that there is no limit to ballots in the classroom assistant dispute? Why not do like NIPSA and have an independent scrutineer finish this endless run around.

Where does a trade union authority come from, the law, their members or their internal hierarchy and to what ends are so many ballots necessary to challenge the thinking of the general public and the broad trade union movement at large. There comes to mind a website where Scottish Classroom Assistants discuss their job evaluation and it exposes the question. Are these are the same unions involved with classroom assistants in NI with the exception of NIPSA?

Does the Certification Officer (NI) as one of the requirements in law ensure that accurate trade union membership records are kept for independent balloting purposes? Surely someone can make a FOI request to the ELBs and simply ask how many classroom assistants are in GMB remember you will not be counting those employed in Voluntary Grammars or NICIE? No data protection breach.

The ELBs appear to be out in front on the propaganda campaign and I would image Ms McClenaghan to be the best recruiter NIPSA has had in years. Apart from striking NIPSA appear to be very honourable in this whole campaign and have not indulged in any nasty tricks.

I wonder out loud and dare ask anyone the question how do you think cleaners will fair out in their appeal? I suppose the proof will be in the herring.

If you had to choose a Union to fight for your rights, who would you pick?

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Comments (9 of 9)

Infestation Time

by Ricky - Anti-Parasite League

Wed Dec 05, 2007 15:40

Even worse than SF are the political parasites like the Socialist Party,a poisonous little sect with zero political credibility or mandate,who try to hi-jack this and every other industrial dispute for their own dishonest and sectarian ends.Aren;tcha just sick of 'em?

Sinn Fein are the only insult to the memory of the Hunger Strikers

by Former Blanketman

Thu Nov 22, 2007 15:12

To add to the point about insulting the Hunger Strikers. The only ones insulting the Hunger Strikers are Maggie Thatcher Ruane and Sinn Fein who can't seem to accept the fact that the working classes are wising up to their lies.
Sinn Fein loves mass rallys to the City Centre then why don't the Classroom assistants give them one?

fizz

by soda

Thu Nov 22, 2007 14:30

Emm tough question to answer. I remember when I was a nipper and voteing time came their was always a white van at the end of our street filled with coats, wigs etc....emmm me thinks Iseen one near the GMB offices while their vote was being taken... questions asked " are you a voting classroom assistant?" "No im a caretaker/ cleaner or retired member of gmb"...."sure never mind vote yes anyway".....

by Ed Worker

Tue Nov 20, 2007 16:40

Maybe, behind the scenes you have a point. I was talking about having the brass neck to publish the propaganda up front and in everyones face.

Ahem...

by ya wha?

Tue Nov 20, 2007 15:41

"At the hight of the miner's strike even Thatcher didn't resort to the disgraceful propaganda the type of which we witnessed at the weekend."

Did you get carried away in hyperbole, or are you seriously misinformed? The secret war against the miners is a classic case study in the evolution of concerted state propoganda.

explained

by A Westy

Tue Nov 20, 2007 14:15

According to the Andytown news, the reference to Thatcher were explained on the day so I can't see why the offence. I agree with Ed above, Ruane doesn't want to be compared with Thatcher she should engange with the unions more. (And not just lip service) I also noted on the day a lot of support for the Classroom assistants on the Falls, tooting of horns, and stopping to take leaflets etc Maybe that's what really is annoying SF.

Taking Offence

Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:53

Ther was no offence intended to the memory of hunger strikers in the NIPSA protest last Friday. I suspect a SF smoke screen.
No one in NIPSA intended to offend the memory of hunger strikers when protesting at the SF HQ last Friday. If some were offended I would like to appologise. However I do suspect the real offence (And I must say I would be highly offended in the same situation) is in Ms Ruane being compared to M Thatcher! Who could fail to be offended! This is where some people seem to have missed the point, it WAS intended to insult Ms Ruane. If she doesn't want to be compared with Thatcher, she should stop acting like and even surpassing her. At the hight of the miner's strike even Thatcher didn't resort to the disgraceful propaganda the type of which we witnessed at the weekend. The personal attacks, the character assassination, and emotional blackmail was a deliberate attempt to bully working women and men away from legal and legitimate industrial action. Is this the shape of things to come, SF assuming the mantle of Union smashers??

First class room assistants

by Scrabble Tower

Sat Nov 10, 2007 23:59

As a union member of NIPSA I applaud the class room assistants. At the same time I have grown to hate and despise GMB and UNISON. They are scabby management lick spittles. I wonder how kerr and mccoy sleep at night. Maybe a kinighthood is in the offing. We are not here to be partners with management we are hear to represent our members not do the bidding of the enemy.

I would urge anyone reading this who is in a national union to think long and hard about subscribing to organisations hell bent on screwing their members.

G.ood M.anagement B.oy

by N I Punters Suspect Asellout

Sat Nov 10, 2007 00:53

Got to commend the writer above for such creative thinking in trying to expose the treachery that is taking place in this dispute.

T'is just the lowest of the low to see New Labour's puppies doing a sellout con trick with ELB management.

NIPSA's valiant Classroom Assistant strikers must think that they are being treated like lepers, awfully bad, as do we all, and the General Secretarian of NIPSA must sometimes during this dispute think he is a punchbag!

Ruane and her working class heroes need to wise up and give these ladies a deal!

Caitriona; wake up and get yer backside into gear and stop administering BAD British rule!

"Sinn Fein New Labour" should be the new name for this organisation.

Keep going Strikers, Break this bad Employer!!!

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Phantom Classroom Assistants?

Comments (9 of 9)