I didn’t notice it at first. Every time there’s a change in policy, or an opinion poll comes out, or a song reaches number 1 in the charts someone remarks on mothers and what Mumsnet thinks. So Gove and Cameron’s accusation of the unions plotting against mums kind of washed over me.
My brain has kind of filed this kind of mum discussion next to tirades ending in ‘won’t someone think of the children?’ These are stored next to the dull annoyance I feel every time I see “That’s why mum’s go to Iceland”. Unfair? Yes. Obviously we should be thinking of both mums and children and families. However as a single, childless woman it often seems I count for nothing.
Let’s save that point for another time.
Instead let’s focus on the crazed short-sightedness of Gove and Cameron. Gove’s claims that the unions, “want mothers to give up a day's work or pay for expensive childcare” is beyond bizarre.
My brain has kind of filed this kind of mum discussion next to tirades ending in ‘won’t someone think of the children?’ These are stored next to the dull annoyance I feel every time I see “That’s why mum’s go to Iceland”. Unfair? Yes. Obviously we should be thinking of both mums and children and families. However as a single, childless woman it often seems I count for nothing.
Let’s save that point for another time.
Instead let’s focus on the crazed short-sightedness of Gove and Cameron. Gove’s claims that the unions, “want mothers to give up a day's work or pay for expensive childcare” is beyond bizarre.
The only plausible explanation is that Gove received a blow to the head prior to these remarks and forgot his party has closed Sure Start Centres, axed the health in pregnancy grant and limited child benefit. Yes, this is definitely the Mum’s Party, if you will.
And Gove is fretting about mums (not parents, mums-suddenly it’s all about the women) childcare arrangements. For one day. ONE DAY.
More women than ever are striking today. This is a Women’s strike as much as anybody’s. As David Prentis, general secretary of Unison explains, "It is women who voted for this. We have a million female members, and it is their decision; they wanted to take this action."
If the private sector hadn’t screwed over pensions so much public sector pensions wouldn’t look so golden. I for one don’t want a 68 year old fire-fighter rescuing me from a fiery building. I don’t want a 68 year old teacher wondering what they came into the classroom for. I don’t want my nurse to be out frailing me should I reach old age.
#N30 #Solidarity
Kate
And Gove is fretting about mums (not parents, mums-suddenly it’s all about the women) childcare arrangements. For one day. ONE DAY.
More women than ever are striking today. This is a Women’s strike as much as anybody’s. As David Prentis, general secretary of Unison explains, "It is women who voted for this. We have a million female members, and it is their decision; they wanted to take this action."
If the private sector hadn’t screwed over pensions so much public sector pensions wouldn’t look so golden. I for one don’t want a 68 year old fire-fighter rescuing me from a fiery building. I don’t want a 68 year old teacher wondering what they came into the classroom for. I don’t want my nurse to be out frailing me should I reach old age.
#N30 #Solidarity
Kate
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