Thursday, March 01, 2007

Sink or swim

How's this for a bit of Catch 22 stupidity?

First the background:
  • G is a swimming teacher
  • He works 4 days a week at 2 different centres teaching school children
  • He's one of the most highly qualified swimming teachers around - in addition to the normal prerequistites, he has qualifications in teaching adults with children and people with disabilities
  • He earns £8.50 per hour (!)
  • He's diabetic with a history of chest infections
  • It's frequently freezing poolside
  • And sometimes he's had to jump fully-clothed into the pool to rescue someone in difficulty
  • The uniform he's been given consists of shorts and a t-shirt
  • There is a fuller uniform - long trousers and a sweatshirt - but he's been told he's not eligible for the full uniform as he works part time
  • Consequently, he usually wears a sweatshirt of his own on top of the t-shirt
  • He's been told today he risks being disciplined for not wearing full uniform!
Grrrr!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Grrrr indeed!

They should think themselves lucky that people like G are willing to offer their time in return for a pittance! I take it G stays there because of his love of sport and not because it's a great career choice?

S. Kearney said...

Can we not organise a protest down there?!

Unknown said...

Am I surprised - unfortunately not?

Debi said...

Sharon - you got it, girl. The thing is that swimming is an amazing life skill and is also part of the national curriculum.

Shameless - I'd suggest chucking the people responsible into the pool, but G would jump in and save them. He's that kinda guy.

Minx - we're beyond being surprised.

Cfr - yep!

Unknown said...

Oh for goodness sake... how much does that uniform cost the compnay to supply? Bugger all probably, they come from companies that are supplied by sweatshops in the Far East!!!

Caroline said...

£8.50 per hour!!! My kids lessons are £9 for half an hour. Can he travel up here and teach my children, because their teacher is about 9 years old and looks very bored with her job?

I will join your protest.
x

Anonymous said...

The swimming instructor - that is so f..... British!!!! Not the good eccentric exploring no-hat-in-desert-sun British of old, but a kind of universal lobotomy uindergone by anyone in a vaguely responsible bureaucratic position. That's why after about 25 years away, I returned to England (unconscious nostalgia?) - and left again three yearsa later.

I have emailed your friend, Ms Info.

Unknown said...

I will say it again... humanity is just plain daft!

Jan said...

This is The Way Of The World and it should not be so...
Good teachers are precious. He should be appreciated at once and given his long trousers immediately.