Federation continues to pursue increase in paid maternity leave

By Siobhan Callan

Federation will continue to negotiate for an important increase to paid maternity leave for teachers in public schools and TAFE after news that other public sector workers have recently achieved a substantial increase in the length of available paid maternity leave to 14 weeks on full-pay.

NSW Public Service Association (PSA) members late last year endorsed a deal that included salaries increases of four per cent per year for four years (with the last payment after the state election in 2007) as well as the increase to maternity leave.

Women among these 50,000 public sector workers will now be able to access either 14 weeks maternity leave on full pay or 28 weeks on half-pay. The deal also included a week's paid parental leave which can also be taken for two weeks on half-pay.

This new benchmark in maternity leave set by the PSA will now be used by Federation in negotiations which aim to achieve 16 weeks paid maternity leave as well as one week's paid parental leave for government teachers. (Currently public school teachers have access to six weeks' paid maternity leave on full pay and six weeks on half-pay.) Federation will also be seeking other improvements in maternity leave entitlements as well as the increase in the quantum of paid leave.

Federation raised its maternity leave claim with then Education Minister Dr Andrew Refshauge in 2004. Early in January, the Relieving Deputy Director-General, Ken Dixon, again gave the same response that had been provided by the Department on previous occasions when he indicated that an increase to maternity leave for teachers would be considered at the time of an increase for other public sector workers.

In reply to a letter sent by Federation to Dr Refshauge on November 22, the Deputy Director-General wrote the following:
"The issue of paid maternity leave was discussed at the 6 December 2004 meeting between senior officers of the Department and the Teachers Federation. Officers from the Teachers Federation were advised at this meeting that the Department was waiting on the outcomes of the ballot put to Public Service Association members regarding the increased salary offer to public sector staff. The Department will discuss the issue of paid maternity leave with the Public Employment Office to determine a whole of government approach to the issue."

As the NSW public sector breakthrough has now been achieved, Federation is requesting a favourable response to the union's maternity leave claim. The issue was raised briefly with the new Education Minister, Carmel Tebbutt, at the first meeting between the Minister and Senior Officers of the Federation on January 31. No detailed response was forthcoming.

It is expected that the matter could go to arbitration and that Federation may have to file an award application for maternity leave in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission early this year.

Siobhan Callan is the Women's Coordinator.

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