Once in a decade
By Maree O’Halloran
We are poised for a "once in a decade" opportunity to make a significant breakthrough in the salaries and status of the teaching profession.
In the 1970 case teachers achieved a 20 per cent increase comprising a six per cent interim followed by 14 per cent. In 1981 a large increase was awarded following industrial action by Federation members post the decision of the then Industrial Commission. That case was the last time the work value of teachers was considered by a tribunal. In 1991, arbitration occurred for promotions positions.
In 2003 we must stand firm in our resolve to achieve salaries justice. The three-year campaign that has been created through the Vinson Inquiry process, paid advertising, membership action, negotiations since February 2002, recourse to the Industrial Relations Commission and an unprecedented strike across three states will not easily be replicated. Furthermore, Federation's case in the Commission has properly canvassed all possible work value and special arguments for teachers in this case.
The quality of the evidence provided by Federation's teacher and expert witnesses in the Industrial Relations Commission has been superb. No stone has been left unturned to ensure that the judges and commissioners on the Bench are well placed to understand and assess the enormous changes to teachers' work since 1990. The Bench has also, at Federation's insistence, spent some days at school and TAFE colleges to talk freely to teachers and view the day to day activity of workplaces. The visits have proved most insightful with the Bench being exposed for example, to the potential for teachers to be subject to unwarranted child protection complaints.
On the basis of the quality of our case (and despite Departmental evidence), we must have great expectations for a significant breakthrough in this case. However, we have to ensure that the Industrial Relations Commission is able to make its assessment of the value of teachers' work and the special circumstances of our case free from Government pressure and restraint. Unfortunately, and for the most short-sighted of reasons, the State Government is using every avenue to lower the potential outcome of the salaries case. It has taken this course of action despite a healthy surplus in 2002/3 of $619 million and pre-election promises not to denigrate the profession and to have a new award in place by January 1, 2004. The Government is overtly threatening the Industrial Relations Commission by:
- arguing that to grant our claim would result in wholesale reductions in public services
- proposing legislative changes to diminish the power and authority of the Commission.
The Government's case in the Commission is deliberately designed to distort the work of teachers to lower their value in the eyes of the Commission. While the Government's minions argue that this is a normal part of the adversarial system, such conduct represents blatant reneging by Government.
The only solution to the Government's behaviour is a political/industrial one. Meetings with the Minister and the Director-General have resulted in a blanket refusal by the Government to act with integrity. It must be remembered that the full funding commitment sought by the Federation was provided to nurses before their case was decided. That full funding commitment was a "green light" to the Commission to assess the work value of nurses free from the pressure that public services would be cut. Our resolve to continue action in pursuit of both salaries justice and protection of the public education budget must be equal to or greater than the Government's resolve to depress the salary and status of our profession.
Transporting students out of their communities
More than $450 million is spent every year in NSW on the student transport subsidy scheme. The bulk of the dollars are spent to transport students past their local public school. NSW is the only mainland state to choose to both waste public money and damage communities in this way.
The Barrie Unsworth interim report now recommends as a solution payment of $30 by every student. What an outrage! Now our students who need transport to their nearest public school will subsidise those students whose parents wish to exercise that "choice" available only to a few.
"Schoolboy Brogden" waded into this debate, not in opposition to the Government but in opposition to the Federation: "This is part of the Teachers Federation agenda to require parents to send their children to their local school." (media release, November 17).
Our policy is not about parents; it's about government.
Federation opposes any fee for students travelling to their local public school. A fee for those travelling past is most appropriate.
Coalition promotes private schools
Federal Education Minister Dr Brendan Nelson's "National Education Framework for Schools" is a barely-disguised ideological attack on public education. In a speech delivered on November 13, Dr Nelson continued Federal Government propaganda, stating: "Even when fee income is taken into account, government schools are not disadvantaged compared with non-government school..... recurrent expenditure per student at a non-government school is 12 percent less than for a student at a State school".
What arrant nonsense! Dr Nelson quotes from an internal Federal department report. It can be refuted by a mere visual examination of private and public schools, let alone numerous contradictory reports. The perpetual advantaging of the already privileged is the raison d'etre of the Howard Government. That Government and its agenda must be defeated.
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November 2003 contents
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