Minns government’s pay rise offer to teachers revealed after stop work meeting

NSW teachers have scored a nine per cent pay rise, and had extra staff development days added, while non-teaching roles will be cut from the Education Department. Here’s what we know.

Education Minister Prue Car at Giraween Public School. Picture Jeremy Piper

Public school teachers across NSW have scored a 9 per cent pay rise over three years under a new wage deal, coming as the Minns government cuts non-teaching roles from the Department of Education.

The deal, accepted by the NSW Teachers Federation yesterday, comes one year after the state’s teachers secured a historic pay rise of up to 20 per cent for some staff in the first year, raising starting salaries to $85,000.

Yesterday’s wage deal gives teachers an additional 3 per cent per year for the next three years, with superannuation increases of 0.5 per cent for the next two.

NSW Teachers Federation President, Henry Rajendra.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said last year’s pay rise was a mark of respect for teachers. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Teachers will also be ­granted a one-off $1000 relief payment in the instance ­inflation exceeds 4.5 per cent at any time.

Teachers will also gain an improvement in working ­conditions, with after-school meetings to be capped at one-hour per week and teachers only required to do compliance training on staff development (pupil-free) days.

The changes will see three extra pupil-free days a year added to the school calendar, bringing the total number of professional development days to eight each year.

The new deal also included ­provisions for greater flexible working arrangements while lessening the number of assessment tasks teachers have to record per year.

NSW Teachers Federation president Henry Rajendra said the new “historic” wage deal builds upon the pay increase teachers received last year, adding that it was crucial the administrative burden on teachers was fixed.

“One of the other significant factors that had contributed to the unmanageable workload of teachers has been issues around data entry and administration,” Mr Rajendra said. “There will now also be clear direction around what assessments are required by teachers and which assessments they can do at their own discretion.”

The pay deal comes after ­ recent non-teaching staff cuts within the ­Department of Education.

The Minns government’s massive ­departmental restructure has seen more than 275 back-office roles cut, including in the ­department’s legal unit, HSC teaching training program and the roles of some curriculum ­advisers.

The restructure is understood to be continuing, with more job cuts expected.

A Department of Education spokesperson said the changes were required to “consolidate expertise and reduce duplication”.

“While this will result in a small decrease in corporate office staff, numbers will remain well above pre-pandemic levels,” the spokesperson said.

NSW Opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Mitchell. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

NSW Opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Mitchell questioned whether the cuts within the department were being done to cover the pay rises for teachers.

“I don’t think it is a coincidence that at the same time the government is offering pay increases (to teachers), they’re looking to save money in the department,” Ms Mitchell said.

“If you have less people working in child protection or in curriculum support it does have an impact on classrooms.

“The government needs to be honest about the positions they are cutting and how it will impact schools and parents.”

Education Minister Prue Car said the departmental restructure was not connected to the new pay rises.

“Any suggestion that there has been anything but an increase in the Department of Education’s budget is just wrong,” she said.

“We have budgeted for every pay rise that we have given every teacher.

“Any changes made to the Department of Education have nothing to do with the government’s decision to increase teachers’ pay.”

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]