It was the best idea for teacher to resume back to classes after
heated and tedious struggles for wining a bigger pay. Perhaps it was the right
thing to do- go back to classes even without being played and consider the life
of innocent angels who hopelessly rely on teachers for their ever growing
desires to be the leaders of tomorrow. Majority congratulated them for this
idea. Parents could not sit eat and party while their money was being lost in
the air with no hope of regaining it. They experienced nightmares, cursed the
unions and their leaders, solicited for refuge in churches and governments and
kept their hopes to anyone who comes for their rescue.
All was over when industrial court called of the strike and
the unions agreed to it arbitration. Contrary to many I watched this in
disbelief. Fight and thirst for good pay, good considerations as partakers of economy,
good living standards and good health for teachers was all quenched by another
promise- the government is keenly looking into their matters and it is working
towards delivering its promises including good wages for its employees. I didn’t
stop there. I had a series of reflections in my mind. Reflections of what have
been happening in other parts of the world. Some dated back to 1940s in
America. The times when Martin Luther King junior was advocating for the rights
of unions and workers
…strikes meant long works and months of
intense hunger conflict, and physical violence, a press and public opinion that
depicted the strike as an insurrection. With the settlement of many these early
strikes there was little or nothing added to the pay envelope, little or
nothing for job security and a mountain of debts to pay and harsh memories to
forget..
(speech given to local
shop stewards of 815,teamsters and the Allied Trades council NEW YORK CITY,MAY
2, 1967 by THE KING CENTER since 1958- online pdf about famous quotes of Martin
Luther King junior.)
Perhaps Luther had seen these days, not necessarily in
America but in Kenya. That’s where strikes for better pay are experienced. What
will the government do to fulfill its promises to teachers? Who is taking
necessities from many and giving luxuries to few? Mwangi Edwin email me via edwinmwangi20@gmail.com
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