Teachers to walk off the job after State Government takes union to tribunal

Teachers are planning more industrial action — but parents won’t know until early next week whether they will be affected by the rolling strikes.

• June ‘19: More than 250 schools close amid teacher strike
• November ‘18: Thousands of teachers strike in Adelaide

Parents will find out by early next week whether they will be affected by rolling teacher strikes.

From next Thursday, teachers at many public schools and preschools across the state will walk off the job an hour early to rally outside MPs’ offices.

Schools in different areas will be affected on different days.

The Education Department and principals are working to determine how each school will be affected, depending on how many union members intend to take action and when.

Some schools will shut early, while others will have to modify their afternoon teaching programs to make sure all students can be looked after by remaining staff. Some after-school care services will begin earlier than usual.

After more than a year of failed industrial negotiations, the Government brought on an initial conciliation hearing in the SA Employment Tribunal yesterday. But there was no immediate outcome and the tribunal process could play out over several weeks.

Treasurer Rob Lucas, pictured, said the conciliation was necessary because the Australian Education Union was not budging.

“We’ve had 15 months of what we believe were good faith negotiations with the union bosses and they are unprepared to come to an agreement,” he said.

“

Thousands of teachers walked off the job in November 2018. Picture: AAP/Mike Burton

The union bosses are showing no willingness at all on the issue of salary to come to some sort of compromise.

“On the issue of conditions, we are prepared to negotiate.”

The Government has offered 2.35 per cent pay rises for teachers and 3.35 per cent for principals. Mr Lucas said the Government and taxpayers could not afford to set a precedent for unreasonably high salary increases when it faced looming negotiations with other public servants including nurses, and police

“Everybody else is going to say we want 3 to 3.5 per cent as well,” he said. “The taxpayers just don’t have the money ... when inflation is only 1.4 per cent.”

It might only be a one-hour stoppage, but how will it affect you? Let us know in the comments below

PProtesters hold placards during a SA public school teacher's strike outside of SA Parliament House in July 2019. Pictures: AAP/Sam Wundke

Teachers rallied outside Adelaide MP Rachel Sanderson’s electorate office after the conciliation hearing yesterday. In a statement, AEU state president Howard Spreadbury said the union had negotiated in good faith and was disappointed with the Treasurer’s tribunal move.

“The professional voice of our members needs to be heard in this enterprise bargaining process,” he said.

“Our working conditions have a direct impact on the learning environment and learning outcomes for our students.”

Originally published as Teachers to walk off the job after State Government takes union to tribunal