And there are also the teachers who are not members of the regular unions, but instead are members of what we may call independent unions, what we in DK usually call "yellow unions". They are for the most part not lock-outed either.
The lock-out is getting pretty annoying, now having started on its fourth week. The result has long since been decided. I.e. that the teachers will have to comply to the terms dictated by the Organisation of Municipalities, which run the state/public schools in DK. All it needs is a government intervention.
But since the government has been cuaght with their pants down in this issue, they now hesitate to intervene so as not to give the impression that the whole thing has been agreed on beforehand. - Aaand because a hot, very, very hot, 1st May is comming up!
Where the government members, which is supposed to be centre-left, but in reality has pursued a policy well to the right of the former right wing government are going to defend their policy at 1st May gatherings - in front of the unions and their voters who are hopping mad!
I can tell you in all honesty that politics here in DK has never in my lifetime been so entertaining, nor so baffling!
So it may not be until early May before Christian will be able to go to school as normal again. But many hours are now missing so that means that some of the summerholiday may have to be cancelled in order to make up - again annoying everybody.
On a more personal level; our oldest is leaving school this year and his final examins are now threathned if this continues for much longer. Not to mention that the final brushing up before the examins haven't taken place because of the lockout.
Oh yes, this April has indeed been The Month of the Grandparents, who have been mobillized en masse here in DK to look after the younger children. Fortunately the DRF children are in a position where the work of their parents is flexible and they have nannies, but nevertheless I can well imagine grandpapa Henrik having stepped in a couple of times.
