Parramatta school staff walk out of class ahead of Wednesday teachers strike

The state government is urging teachers to ignore union bosses, who have confirmed a 24-hour strike will take place on Wednesday despite an ‘olive branch’.

Pupils will be plunged into disarray as teachers resume strike action following a first-term ceasefire, as senior ministers called on teachers to ignore “union bosses” ahead of state-wide industrial action tomorrow.

The NSW Government’s olive branch – that it would push back wage negotiations with teachers until after next month’s budget, in anticipation of the wage cap on public sector jobs being lifted – was brushed aside by the union, who have confirmed they will carry out plans for a 24-hour strike Wednesday.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said her directive to push back negotiations with the Industrial Relations Commission was made to avoid children missing school on Wednesday.

“I’ve said all along that industrial action does nothing other than cause disruption to students and to families,” she said.

“Can I say to our hard working teachers out there, you do not need to follow the directions of union bosses. You can do the right thing tomorrow and stay in the classroom, knowing that the government is looking at addressing these issues in a fair and reasonable way.”

Premier Dominic Perrottet has previously flagged the 2.5 per cent wage cap on the public sector would be dumped in the state budget but has yet to nominate an alternative wage plan.

He said the government wouldn’t outline plans for the cap ahead of the budget.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell opened the door to teachers getting a bigger pay rise, but wanted to hold off negotiations until June.

“When you prepare the budget there are a range of competing interests we work through. In fact I was with the Treasurer (until) late last night...we are working through a range of issues,” he said.

Angelo Gavrielatos, the President of the NSW Teachers Federation, described the government’s olive branch of pushing pay negotiations back until after the budget as “posturing”.

“Pushing this back in the IRC doesn’t change things because the Industrial Relations Commission is not able to deal with the fundamental causes of the teacher shortage and the government knows that,” he said.

When asked what message he had for parents frustrated or concerned their children would miss another day of school after two disrupted years, he said there were already “hundreds of classes disrupted every day”.

“Parents know the disruption that’s happening in schools…Parents know because their children go home (because) they didn’t have a teacher today. That’s the disruption that we should be worried about, the disruption that’s occurring every single day.”

Teachers gathered out the front of a Parramatta school ahead of a visit from the premier on Tuesday.

Earlier, teachers gathered out the front of a Parramatta school ahead of a visit from the premier, as school staff prepare for the Wednesday strike.

Staff from Parramatta Primary and High Schools stood holding signs reading “More than thanks” ahead of a scheduled press conference with Premier Dominic Perrottet and Education Minister Sarah Mitchell on Tuesday morning.

Teachers stood in silence and declined to comment before leaving ahead of class starting.

It’s the second time in a week teachers have walked out during a Premier’s announcement, after a similar action at a school last week.

“They should get what they deserve. Covid has made everything more expensive … so they should get what they deserve,” one parent dropping their children off at the school told The Telegraph.