Teachers are really striking for better work-life balance

There is an irony at the heart of the teacher strikes that are about to close down a load of schools across the country; and that is that many of the teachers who are striking won't really be striking at all.

- ED DORRELL

Yes, they won't be in the classroom imparting knowledge to their students; yes, they won't be on playground duty breaking up fights or telling little Harrison to do his coat up; but, no, they won't have their feet up.

Some, of course, will form pickets or take to Twitter to make their case. And the rest? Surely, you might think, they'll be at home keeping warm and watching Murder, She Wrote on UK TV Crime?

But you'd be wrong. A significant proportion of those teachers who have walked out will be using the time to - you've guessed it - catch up on work.

And this speaks to an interesting (and often undiscussed) truth about the forthcoming industrial action; it's only partly about pay. It's also partly about how the unofficial social contract between teachers and the state - that teachers will put up with slightly crap salaries in return for 12+ weeks holiday a year and reasonable working hours - has broken down over the last 15 or so years. But more on that later.