SA teachers vote on final stage of $1.6bn deal

Public school teachers are finally set to receive a pay rise after months of drawn out negotiations and two statewide strikes.

Public school teachers are finally set to receive a pay rise after months of drawn out negotiations and two statewide strikes.

Following a week-long poll of all public school and preschool staff, 76 per cent have approved the state government’s offer for a wage increase and improved conditions.

There is now just one final hurdle before the extra cash will hit teachers’ bank accounts: the deal must be ticked off by the SA Employment Tribunal.

Once that occurs all public school and preschool teachers will receive an immediate 4 per cent wage increase back-paid to May, 2023, while principals and preschool directors will receive a 5 per cent boost.

In May 2024, another increase of 3 and 4 per cent respectively will kick in.

It was the fourth offer made by the state government after months of tense negotiations and two strikes.

Striking teachers rally at Parliament House. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The overall package, worth $1.6bn, also gives teachers:

AN extra hour of time out of the classroom for planning, marking and other non-teaching activities by 2028.

THE ‘right to disconnect’ and not respond to non-urgent after-hours emails or calls.

THREE extra days of mentoring for teachers starting out in their careers.

ONGOING allowances for teachers in country areas.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said the package was “the largest ever offered to the school and preschool workforce” in SA.

“The record-breaking $1.6bn deal takes into account a number of issues teachers and principals have raised with us including salary, workload, classroom complexity and supporting country educators,” Mr Boyer said.

Australian Education Union SA branch president Jennie-Marie Gorman - who took over this year from Andrew Gohl, who led the negotiations - said the 76 per cent of educators who voted in favour had given an “overwhelming endorsement” of the deal.

“Our working conditions are student learning conditions and that’s why we stood up to secure the largest ever investment in an education enterprise agreement,” Ms Gorman said.

“There is no quick fix to an escalating national crisis, brought by years of underinvestment in public education, but these measures will provide more time for quality teaching, reduce administrative workload, and help retain our professional workforce.”

Former AEU president Andrew Gohl, who led negotiations on the deal for the union. Picture: Dean Martin.

In December, 68 per cent of the union’s SA members voted in favour of the deal.

This final offer was the fourth version put forward by the state government after months of tense negotiations and two strikes.

During the first round of talks in August, union officials demanded a pay increase of 8.6 per cent in the first year, followed by annual rises of 5.5 per cent.

The government initially offered yearly wage rises of 3 per cent.

Teachers first took industrial action during a full-day strike on September 1 and again on November 9.On each occasion, more than 150 primary and secondary schools across the state were forced to close their doors.