Teacher strikes shut down more than 170 SA schools during year 12 exams

Thursday’s strike marks the state’s second teachers’ strike in two months, sparked by an ongoing pay dispute with the government.

More than 170 schools across South Australia will remain closed on Thursday, as teachers strike over a pay dispute with the government for the second time in two months.

The Australian Education Union (AEU) is calling for an 8.6 per cent pay rise in the first year of the new agreement, followed by 5.5 per cent in subsequent years.

The state’s public school teachers have been caught in the pay dispute with the government for months.

On Monday the South Australian government instead made an offer of a 4 per cent increase in the first year, followed by 3 and 2.5 per cent in subsequent years, which the AEU called “the same as, if not worse, than the last”.

The government’s revised pay and conditions offer followed its previous proposition in September of 3 per cent over three years, sparking teacher strikes that forced the closures of hundreds of schools.

South Australian Educators gathered outside the Department for Education on Flinders Street to protest on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

The snap rally was announced following the government’s offer and began at 11.30am ACDT outside the Department for Education in Adelaide.

It falls within the state’s year 12 exams period, SACE, which runs from mid-October to November 17.

“Since taking industrial action in September, we have been negotiating with the government and expected today’s offer to reflect those discussions,” the AEU said in a statement.

“It is disappointing to see such contempt.

“Today is not just about one enterprise agreement, it’s about the future of public education in South Australia.”

The union accused the Malinauskas government of “playing politics” by failing to invest in the state’s public education.

Allenby Primary School teacher, Michelle Harris, mocks the ‘improved offer’ made by the government on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

AEU president Andrew Gohl told the crowd that the government was ‘fiddling’ while ‘public education burns’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

AEU president Andrew Gohl spoke at the rally, leading the crowd in chants taking a swipe at the government’s most recent pay offer.

“This last week has been fascinating... the only place in Australia where a third offer can possibly be worse than the second,” he said to the crowd, which repeatedly chanted “bullsh**”.

“The government is ignorant about the conditions that affect Australian educators... or they just don’t care.

Protesters slammed the government’s ‘bullsh**’ offer during the rally. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

“Every single decade, every single year, public education is the poor cousin of every other portfolio area, and enough is enough.”

Mr Gohl also accused state politicians of resorting to “personal attacks” despite the union consistently maintaining a “respectful” public dialogue.

The protesters marched to the steps of Parliament House, led by AEU representatives. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Emma Brasier

“Despite what the government says, Monday’s offer leaves the vast majority of educators worse off than the previous offer,” the AEU said.

“Shamefully, it disproportionately disadvantages support staff who work with our most vulnerable students.

“Every day in South Australia, thousands of students are going without a consistent teacher.

“We are focused on solving the urgent and pressing challenges facing our public education system.”

Thousands of teachers undertook industrial action in September over pay and working conditions. Picture: 9 News

Prior to the AEU’s Monday announcement that it would strike, Education Minister Blair Boyer told the ABC that the government did not expect Thursday’s industrial action to go ahead, given the “improved offer” made to the union.

“We’ve met the deadline, it’s clearly an improved offer – by a lot of money — so, on that basis, if the union’s true to their word, there won’t be a strike on Thursday.

“The ball’s in their court.

“Certainly, I don’t think strike action on Thursday will further the union’s case at all – in fact, I think the opposite is true.”

Year 12 SACE exams are expected to proceed as planned.