One swallow does not a Summer make, as tedious old Aristotle laments in his worthy Nichomachean Ethics, but it is difficult not to be encouraged by the decision of the Public sector workers to go on strike today, in what's being described by Socialist Worker as 'Fightback Thursday'. The government, as pointed out by Lenin's Tomb, have been busy on the offensive - doing what they do best ie arguments ad hominem. Since inflation is round about 4% (though, face it, the true figure is much higher given what is going on at the moment), the pay award (good presentation of the term) is in fact a pay cut. The government's whinges is that it is all 'unfortunate'. Here's Brown, " "It's unfortunate that the teachers have taken action in this way. It's regrettable for pupils, it's regrettable for parents, it's obviously regrettable that a minority of teachers are out on strike today." If true, it is regrettable that there is only a minority out on strike - it would be great if they all were - but I expect that's not what he meant. The message is as mealy mouthed as it is cynical. He doesn't expect teachers to do anything else, they knew this was coming and decided to do nothing about it. It is mealy mouthed because of that insistence on "regrettable". Like he gives a shyte about any of the people he mentions, really.
I haven't seen the BBC et al's take on this, but do we really need to? There will be an attempt at bablance, but the overall media message-impression will be the one that 'the teachers are selfish and greedy', a perspective agreed to in editorial circles and the one pushed by the chimps in charge. As the swallow speeds into the distance, Aristotle's metaphor needs some more of the same. Which is slowly gathering everywhere. Here in France there are thousands of students out on the streets every week, car workers have just 'won' a three week dispute in Romania and there are strikes throughout the Americas. It's not much to go on, but for the moment, it'll have to do. Like Ludwig said, you have to plough through a lot of rubble sometimes to get to the gold.
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