Thousands of teachers march through Adelaide after union rejected third offer
The teachers’ union has promised to “make life really difficult” and continue striking if its demands are not met, as thousands walked off the job and protested in the CBD.
Education
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Public school teachers have marched through the Adelaide CBD after thousands walked off the job to strike for the second time in weeks.
Teachers walked from the Education Department’s headquarters in Flinders St to the steps of Parliament House on North Tce from 11.30am.
Traffic was banked up down King William St as police shut Flinders St.
Addressing teachers, who spilt out across North Tce, blocking traffic, incoming Australian Education Union SA branch president Jennie-Marie Gorman revealed she had been chosen by members to replace Andrew Gohl, who is stepping down at the end of the year. Voting for the new leadership team closed on November 1.
Mr Gohl told the crowd the union would consider striking again if a better offer was not forthcoming.
“If that’s the case we will come back later on this year, we will come back next year and we will make life really difficult,” he said. “Stay strong. We will win in the end. Keep the pressure up.”
About 400 schools and preschools had to close for the day, or offer modified classes.
Mr Gohl later told The Advertiser the union would not be satisfied with a pay offer of less than “5 or 6 per cent” in the first year of a new three-year agreement.
At an afternoon press conference Education Minister Blair Boyer told reporters it was unlikely the government would make an offer that high.
“I don’t think that’s very realistic, but at least it would show a willingness on behalf of the union (to compromise),” he said.
The AEU’s original claim was for 8.6 per cent, followed by 5.5 per cent in the following two years.
The government originally offered 3 per cent annual increases, plus two $1500 payments.
In a revised offer on Monday it retracted the $1500 payments and instead offered a compounding 4 per cent increase in the first year of a new agreement, followed by 3 per cent in the second year and 2.5 per cent in year three.
Mr Boyer said that was more than what was secured by nurses and ambulance officers who recently negotiated new pay agreements.
AEU executive will next meet on Monday night to discuss its latest counter offer to government.
It comes as the opposition called on the government to consider sidelining the AEU negotiators and asking frontline teachers to vote directly on its offer.
“If the government is so confident that they’ve made a reasonable offer then one option for them is to bypass the union leadership and go to the workforce itself,” opposition education spokesman John Gardner said ahead of the rally.
“We’ll see what they want to do but we should never have reached this stage.
“We’ve got chaos and confusion, disruption and inconvenience. Both sides should be around the negotiating table, not arguing in the streets and in press conferences.”
Responding to Mr Gardner, Mr Boyer said that was “not the ideal way to land an agreement”.
“I think history shows that where that method has been used in the past it’s been unsuccessful,” he said.
The full-day strike was confirmed on Monday evening after the teachers’ union rejected a third offer from the state government on pay and conditions.
It is understood up to 65,000 students are affected by the school closures, and it comes at a crucial time for year 12 students who are in the middle of exams.
About 1000 public school students undertaking SACE physics and accounting exams have been reassured that testing will still take place at school.
An earlier strike, on September 1, closed 167 schools and drew an estimated 5000 teachers to a rally at Parliament House where they warned they would strike again if the government did not improve its offer.
HAPPENING NOW: Hordes of public school teachers are marching to Parliament House in protest against the state government's latest pay and conditions offer. The latest in 7NEWS Adelaide at 6pm. #saparli#7NEWSpic.twitter.com/fXBSpZQx8X
— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) November 9, 2023
However, Mr Gohl said that was “the same as, if not worse, than the last” and that it was “disappointing to see such contempt”.
The previous agreement between the AEU and government settled on a 1 per cent pay increase for teachers in the first year and 2.35 per cent thereafter, rising to 3.35 per cent for principals and preschool directors.
Another key sticking point in the current negotiations centres on how long it will take to give all teachers an extra hour away from the classroom to plan lessons each week.
The government has offered other incentives like permanency for principals and preschool directors and a ‘right to disconnect’ for all teachers outside work hours.
Meanwhile, in Queensland the state government has paved the way for all public primary and secondary schools to introduce flexible class schedules from next year – including four-day weeks and shorter days.
The radical shake-up – effective from the first day of term in 2024 – was circulated to all public school principals on Monday and sets out the process for introducing flexible hours, such as trials and extensive consultation with the school community.
However, Mr Gohl said such changes were “not on the table” in negotiations in SA and it is understood the SA government is not considering anything similar.
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