Teachers call off industrial action, but no deal yet to prevent future strikes

A new offer to teachers includes a one-off payment and more non-instructional time – but the state government hasn’t bowed to a pay rise demand.

An extra hour of non-instructional time and a $3000 payment made to teachers across two years, part of a second offer to the education union, has not quelled the threat of future strikes.

Demands over salary and non-instruction time remain roadblocks for a deal between the SA branch of the teachers union and the state government that would stave off a second teacher strike.

Industrial action scheduled for Friday by the Australian Education Union (AEU) SA was avoided by an offer of more than $1.3bn from the state government on Monday, but threats of future strikes remain because an agreement has not yet been reached.

The offer contained two cash payments made to teachers of $1500 this financial year and next and an hour extra per week of non-instructional time phased in over seven years.

“To do that without reducing the education for kids you need to backfill those spots with a teacher,” Education Minister Blair Boyer said.

“Starting with the schools with the highest levels of disadvantage up to those schools with the lowest levels of disadvantage we are proposing a phasing-in period. I can’t recall a government having done that before.”

Mr Boyer said the two $1500 payments would come at a cost to the government of $70m and provides “immediate relief from the cost of living”.

The government has not shifted from its offer of 3 per cent pay increases for teachers, which Mr Boyer said would get them “off the bottom of the league table” compared with other states.

The AEU is still seeking increases of between 5.5 and 8.6 per cent – or almost 20 per cent over three years.

Teachers protest outside Parliament House during one-day strike earlier in the month. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Opposition education spokesman John Gardner slammed negotiations and said there was “a long way between the two sides”.

“What families, students, schools and everyone wants to see, is a deal that will ensure no further strikes,” Mr Gardner said.

“Heading into year 12 exams, it’s hard to think of a worse time to have that risk hanging over our heads.”

In a statement released by the union, AEU branch president Andrew Gohl announced industrial action would be called off “at this time” but did not rule out future strikes.

“AEU Executive can now see key elements of our platform reflected in what the government is proposing,” Mr Gohl said.

He said salary demands and non-instruction time remain a sticking point in negotiations.

“Under the current timeline, some schools won’t receive the additional non-instruction time until 2030,” Mr Gohl said.

“While we understand workforce shortages present a challenge, seven years is too long for educators who are already at breaking point.”

The statement said the union would “continue to negotiate in good faith” following the offer.