Breaking News

The teachers were in an uproar today because they had received information from the Austrian Ministry of Education dictating that every teacher would have to work an additional two hours the following year WITHOUT compensation. This would lead to the layoff of young teachers all over Austria. This news was blunted by the idea that "the teachers would be making a sacrifice to help the nation through this time of economic crisis." Apparently sending young teachers onto welfare is still cheaper than paying them a salary.

The teachers, however, are not up to taking one for the team. The word "strike" slipped in and out of conversations all about the break room, as uncommon a word in the Austrian vocabulary as "au fait" is in America. They'll start on Thursday with just an hour's strike, which will gradually grow into a day, days, and possibly weeks. Many teachers were skeptical that the strike will last so long. I'm reminded of the days in Berlin when public transportation was at a standstill because of union strikes.

That's the news.

This is Katie, reporting from the front. I'm not exactly dodging bullets or milking a yak but this is news nonetheless.

**EDIT: Apparently it's not in the plan to layoff any teachers. What the ministry is saying is that there is more work to be done and everyone should help. The teachers say that they already fulfill 40 hours a week with 20 in class and 20 in prep time - the just don't have the time. The ministry shot back that they should go for quantity over quality. A teacher argued that 2 additional hours in a class room is not equal to 2 additional hours in an office. I agree. The mood in one class can completely alter from day to day - positive one day and rowdy the next. Two more hours could equate to LOTS MORE STRESS. And I believe it. It's a hard job, teaching and keeping a class in line hour after hour, day after day. I guess I never realized how difficult it could be... I salute all teachers everywhere!