Government moves to gag the profession

By Maree O’Halloran

The State Government has moved to destabilise public schools and gag the profession. The Government has produced draft legislation which not only introduces de facto contracts for all new principal positions but excludes their appeal rights to the Industrial Relations Commission if their contract is not renewed. Any right to appeal using unfair dismissal laws or unfair contract laws would be removed.

Federation believes the changes, to be made by law not policy, are the first in a series designed to completely destabilise the employment conditions and tenure of teachers. The aim is to produce a more compliant workforce like the current Senior Executive Service: servants of the government of the day rather than the people.

Changes to the Teaching Services Act will:

• make all new principal positions fixed-term appointments;
• open all promotions positions to candidates from outside the system.

There will also be policy changes to reduce transfer opportunities.

The proposed changes will cost the Government money. The changes are at best a bureaucratic, short-sighted response to the issue, like the Government's response to the teacher shortage and teacher quality. At worst they are about making teachers compliant to government. The State Coalition has congratulated the ALP for adopting Coalition (Metherell) policy.

NSW public education teachers are not in this alone. Teachers in Western Australia are currently (post their salaries campaign) fighting fixed-term contracts and a plan to "more teachers on" every 10 years.

In the United Kingdom, teachers, in short supply and relatively expensive, can be replaced in the classroom by para professionals. This cost-cutting can already be seen in Australia in special education.

The State Labor Government has begun divesting itself of responsibility for our schools in the face of a teacher shortage and occupational health and safety issues arising from run-down infrastructure. The result will be teachers, principals and students trying to do more with less and the government on the sidelines criticising.

Public education teachers have a great history of being advocates for our schools and our students. The recent, successful Priority Action School Program campaign and the full funding of salaries campaign are two examples. Federation has always exposed cost-cutting and flawed government policy.

Maree O'Halloran is the President.

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