Tasmania public school teachers will walk off the job over workload, pay conditions

The Education Minister has condemned industrial action by teachers next week as “unnecessary” as the war of words over pay and conditions escalates.

AEU Tasmania President David Genford. Teachers strike rally on parliament lawns in Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

THE Education Minister has condemned industrial action by teachers next week as “disappointing” and “unnecessary”, as the war of words over pay and conditions escalates.

In return, the education union has accused the government of “dirty tactics” and “treating Tasmanian public students as pawns in their war against teachers”.

The Australian Education Union has called a half-day stop-work meeting on the afternoon of Friday, March 10.

Minister for Education, Children and Youth Roger Jaensch said the government’s latest offer was fair and the stop-work should be called off.

“The union’s actions are deeply disappointing and totally unnecessary. They will disrupt students’ learning and families across the state,” he wrote.

“The AEU was presented the latest offer on Monday morning. That offer wasn’t taken to the AEU’s members and it still hasn’t been. On Thursday, despite still not presenting the offer to its members, the AEU called stop-work action.”

Education Minister Roger Jaensch and Premier Jeremy Rockliff at Lenah Valley Primary School. Picture: Chris Kidd

However, AEU state president David Genford said the latest offer was not an improvement and the government had dropped 10 full-time social worker positions, offering administration clerks for 45 minutes a week in their place.

“Educators know you can’t separate student wellbeing and student learning, but we are dealing with a state government that cares so little for public education they will trade one off for the other,” Mr Genford said.

“The disrespect shown to educators, students and school communities is further highlighted by the state government’s latest attempt to undermine negotiations, but we won’t be distracted from our fight for our students and the support they need.

“No government spin or dirty tactics will deter teachers from fighting for what matters – our students are funded more than $2000 below the minimum standard.

“Full funding would deliver what is required, but trading off wellbeing and student learning is unacceptable.”

Department for Education, Children and Young People secretary Tim Bullard has bypassed the union, writing directly to every teacher in the government school system and urging them to take the deal.

“From the department’s perspective, we’d love to see the benefit of the offer proposed flowing into our classrooms as quickly as possible,” he said.

The deal would give teachers a salary increase of 3.5 per cent in year one and 3 per cent the two following years. It would also help address workload issues.

Teachers would also receive a $1000 annual base salary boost and an extra $500 a year for the lowest-paid.

Teachers to walk off the job in ‘final straw’ action

TASMANIAN public school teachers will walk off the job next week over workload concerns.

An 11th-hour bid from the state government to strike a new deal over pay and conditions has not found favour from the Australian Education Union.

Instead, state president David Genford said his members would walk off the job at 1.30pm on Friday March 10 for the afternoon.

“The AEU’s Walk off for Workload stop work action is a last resort measure for educators who see no choice but to take a stand for much needed public education investment,” he said.

“For more than 18 months educators have been desperately calling on the Rockliff government to address the workload issues in our schools and colleges that is seeing student learning falling and educators walking away,” he said.

AEU Tasmania President David Genford. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“Teachers and principals do not wish to inconvenience families, but we take this action for our students who are missing out on in-class support and suffer the most when excessive workloads drive teachers out of our classrooms. It’s the only choice we have to get the Rockliff government to invest in the workload solutions needed to lift learning.”

The state government updated its offer on Monday to beat a union deadline at the close of business on Wednesday.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said it included improved support for early career teachers and measures to ease workloads and 130 new additional staff in support roles.

“The offer provided reflects the importance of providing more time for teachers to teach,” the Premier said.

“It ensures we are investing in more school support staff in classrooms to support learners, and to make sure students are getting the individualised attention they may need.”

Mr Genford said the government had missed the chance to head off further industrial action.

“If Premier Rockliff once again washes his hands of teacher negotiations, he is washing his hands of students who need support and teachers who are burning out,” he said.

“Stop work action is the final straw for educators, but teachers are prepared to continue taking action until real solutions to lift learning in Tasmania are implemented.”

Originally published as Tasmania public school teachers will walk off the job over workload, pay conditions