Strike action to close schools across the state as teachers step up pay-fight battle

UPDATED: THOUSANDS of parents will be forced to make last-minute arrangements with dozens of Tasmanian schools to close early on Wednesday. SEE THE FULL LIST OF CLOSURES.

Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff says the industrial action being taken by the AEU on Wednesday is disappointing.

NEARLY 70 Tasmanian schools will close early on Wednesday as teachers walk off the job in their push for a bigger pay rise.

Thousands of parents will be forced to come up with last-minute plans as unions and the State Government remain at loggerheads over wage negotiations.

See the latest list of closures and times below.

Unions representing Tasmania’s 29,000 public sector workers – including nurses, firefighters and teachers – say it will be the biggest industrial action Tasmania has seen in decades.

MORE:

TENSIONS RISE AS UNIONS PLAN STOP-WORK ACTION

NURSES STOP WORK IN FIGHT OVER 2% PAY-RISE CAP

UNIONS HIT BACK WITH 3 PER CENT WAGE DEMAND

Public sector workers will attend rallies across the state at 3pm on Wednesday, with some schools to close as early as 1.30pm.

Health and Community Services Union state secretary Tim Jacobson said the government had been put on notice.

“Public sector workers are angry,” he said.

“Whether it’s teachers in schools or cleaners in hospitals, ambulance paramedics or fireys, they along with other workers are extremely dissatisfied with the laws that are in place.”

Health and Community Services Union state secretary Tim Jacobson. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

The State Government and the unions have been at the negotiating table for months.

The unions have been calling for the Government to scrap its 2 per cent wage cap and negotiate in good faith but the Government has refused to budge.

Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the government’s pay offer was fair.

“The industrial action being taken by the AEU is disappointing, considering the government has listened to their concerns and is employing 250 additional teachers in our schools over the next six years,” he said.

“These additional teachers will significantly improve current teacher workload.

“Further the government is offering a wage increase of 2 per cent per annum, which is fair and affordable and enables us to continue to employ more teachers.”

Mr Rockliff said student safety remained the Government’s primary concern.

“I have been guided by advice from the Department of Education on the impacts of staff leaving the workplace to attend stop work rallies on the safety and wellbeing of students,” he said.

Australian Education Union Tasmania state manager Roz Madsen. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

“Parents and carers will be required to ensure that children are collected at the new closing time from those schools that are closing earlier than usual.”

Australian Education Union Tasmania state manager Roz Madsen said teachers, principals and support staff were reluctantly taking this action.

“[Premier] Will Hodgman wants to lead the nation in education, yet he’s happy to relegate our most experienced teachers to lowest paid in the country,” she said.

United Firefighters Union vice president Leigh Hills said its members did not accept the Hodgman Government’s “deplorable stance” on public sector wages.

ANMF Tasmanian branch secretary Emily Shepherd said patient safety would not be compromised.

Stop work rallies will be held at:

Franklin Square, Hobart

Ockerby Gardens, Launceston

63 Best Street, Devonport

North West Regional Hospital, Burnie

Portland Hall, St Helens

LATEST LIST OF SCHOOL CLOSURES AND TIMES:

Andrews Creek Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

Austins Ferry Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

Bayview Secondary College – closing at 2.15pm

Bicheno Primary School – closing at 1.45pm

Burnie High School – closing at 2.30pm

Cambridge Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

Campbell Street Primary School – closing at 2.35pm

Campbell Town District High School – closing at 1.30pm

Cosgrove High School – closing at 2.15pm

East Derwent Primary School (Jordan River Learning Federation) – closing at 2pm

East Launceston Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

East Tamar Primary School – closing at 2pm

Exeter Primary School – closing at 2.15pm

Edzone – closing at 2.45pm

Forth Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

Gagebrook Primary School (Jordan River Learning Federation) – closing at 2pm

Glen Huon Primary School – closing at 1.30pm

Glenora District School – closing at 1.45pm

Herdsman Cove Primary School (Jordan River Learning Federation) – closing at 2pm

Huonville High School – closing at 2pm

Illawarra Primary School – closing at 2pm

Jordan River Learning Federation Senior School – closing at 1.30pm

King Island District School – closing at 2.30pm

Kingston High School – closing at 2pm

Kingston Primary School – closing at 2pm

Latrobe High School – closing at 2.30pm

Latrobe Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

Lenah Valley Primary School – closing at 2.15pm

Lilydale District School – closing at 2.10pm

Margate Primary School – closing at 2pm

Montrose Bay High School – closing at 2.10pm

Moonah Primary School – closing at 2.15pm

Mowbray Heights Primary School – closing at 2.15pm

New Norfolk High School – closing at 2pm

New Norfolk Primary School – closing at 2pm

New Town High School – closing at 2.05pm

Northern Support School – closing at 2.30pm

Norwood Primary School – closing at 2.15pm

Oatlands District School – closing at 2.25pm

Ogilvie High School – closing at 2.15pm

Parklands High School – closing at 2.30pm

Penguin District School – closing at 2.15pm

Port Dalrymple District School – closing at 1.45pm

Port Sorell Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

Princes Street Primary School – closing at 2.20pm

Punchbowl Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

Queechy High School – closing at 2.30pm

Reece High School – closing at 2.45pm

Riana Primary School – closing at 2pm

Rose Bay High School – closing at 2.05pm

Rosetta Primary School – closing at 1.30pm

Sassafras Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

Scottsdale High School – closing at 2.30pm

Sheffield School – closing at 2pm

Snug Primary School – closing at 1.45pm

Sorell District School – closing at 1.30pm

St Leonards Primary school – closing at 2.30pm

St Mary’s District High School – closing at 2.15pm

Taroona High School – closing at 2pm

Trevallyn Primary School – closing at 2.30pm

Ulverstone High School – closing at 2.15pm

Ulverstone Primary School – closing at 2.20pm

West Ulverstone Primary School – closing at 2.20pm

Wynyard High School – closing at 2pm

Zeehan Primary School – closing at 2.45pm

Westerway Primary School – closing at 1.30pm

This list is subject to change. For the latest details, see the Education Department’s website.