NSW strike teachers ‘using blackmail’
Striking teachers on six-figure salaries have been accused of ‘blackmailing’ students and parents with demands for higher pay.
Striking teachers on six-figure salaries have been accused of “blackmailing’’ students and parents with demands for higher pay.
The NSW Teachers Federation has called a day-long strike in NSW public schools on May 4 after the state government gave teachers a 2.5 per cent pay rise.
The union also slapped an immediate ban on all new government policies due for implementation in Term 2, and instructed teachers to “walk out’’ if NSW government MPs seek to enter school grounds.
Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said a poll of 10,000 NSW teachers showed that three-quarters found their workload unmanageable, 70 per cent were considering quitting and 89 per cent noted “very significant’’ staff shortages during the pandemic.
He said the NSW government’s push to limit pay rises to 2.5 per cent, in line with other public servants, was “contemptuous’’.
“If we don’t pay teachers what they are worth, we won’t get the teachers we need,’’ he said. “At a time when inflation is running at 3.5 per cent and predicted to grow, this would constitute a cut to teachers’ real income.
“The profession is left with no alternative but to act in the interest of our students and profession, and take industrial action.’’
Mr Gavrielatos said NSW had 2383 permanent teacher vacancies across 1251 schools.
“Acting on uncompetitive salaries and unsustainable workloads is the only way to stop more teachers leaving and attract the people in to the profession we need to fix the shortages,’’ he said.
NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the NSW Industrial Relations Commission was in the process of determining teacher pay. “The union do not need to interrupt student learning to make an industrial argument,’’ she said. “It is telling that instead of using evidence to argue their position in the IRC, they use students, parents and teachers as blackmail.
“The government has already provided a 2.5 per cent increase for teachers this year. The union is now asking for more than nurses and other frontline workers who have all worked tirelessly during the pandemic.
“The tactics and threatening approach from the union and their leadership are incredibly disappointing after two years of home learning when respect for the profession has been at an all-time high.’’
A NSW Education Department spokesperson said the IRC was due to arbitrate the teachers’ award in early May. “We call on the (Teachers) Federation to put students first and call off the planned industrial action,’’ they said.
“Parents want their children in school, and no student needs another day out of the classroom.’’
NSW teachers received a 2.5 per cent pay rise in January, with a 2.04 per cent salary increase and a 0.5 per cent increase to superannuation contributions.
Teachers in NSW can earn up to $117,060 as highly accomplished or lead teachers, while principals are paid up to $194,816.