Majority of Tasmanian teachers back State Government’s new pay offer

Tasmanian teachers have given their verdict on the State Government’s new pay offer.

THE majority of Tasmanian teachers have backed the State Government’s new pay offer.

More than 70 per cent of Australian Education Union Tasmanian teacher and principal members voted to support the Government’s offer.

That involves pay rises of between 7.5 and 8.5 per cent over three years and significant improvements to workload burdens.

The poll result looks set to end an almost year-long pay dispute.

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“Rank and file teacher members have backed the position of the AEU’s elected branch executive and endorsed the offer put by the State Government,” Tasmanian president Helen Richardson said in a statement today.

AEU Tasmania Branch President Helen Richardson. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“While the majority of members have backed this deal there is no doubt understandable anger and frustration about the State Government’s insistence on linking a reduction in crippling workload for primary school teachers to a reduction in relief teacher loading payments.

“After an almost year-long campaign, the State Government is forcing teachers to choose between further school strike action and disruption or endorsing an offer that brings urgently needed workload relief.”

The online poll was participated in by 3500 AEU members, 78 per cent of those eligible.

The online poll results, together with feedback from member meetings held across the next two weeks, will be considered by the AEU’s elected branch council members at a meeting on May 31.

A spokesman said the Government welcomed the news AEU members had strongly voted in favour of their fair and reasonable wages offer.

“This demonstrates that savings measures can successfully be negotiated between the unions and government to offset pay rises above 2 per cent,” he said.

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