Salaries claim perspectives
By Maree O’Halloran
The recent salary increases won by nurses and police confirm the Government is prepared to offer 4.0 per cent per annum fully funded to State Government employees.
In addition the police settlement demonstrates that additional money is available for restructuring claims. Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt has been advised that any offer by the State Government which amounts to less than other public sector employees would be a grave insult to teachers and an industrial relations disaster.
This may be the last teacher award negotiations conducted in the state jurisdiction. The looming Federal Government industrial relations changes may mean that teacher award salaries are set nationally by the so-called "Fair Pay Commission". Teacher wages nationally are lower than the current NSW top of the scale. Federation must therefore ensure that all award conditions and salaries for teachers are protected in appropriate industrial instruments during this salaries round.
Teacher shortage
A new OECD (Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development) report puts Australia on a short list of only six OECD countries with a profound shortage of teachers.
Not surprisingly, Australian teachers identified a lack of resources or time as the single most important source of concern about their teaching.
The OECD report also highlighted concerns about the image of teaching, saying: "widespread concerns about the difficulties faced by many schools, fuelled by often very negative media reporting, have damaged teaching's appeal."
This edition of the journal highlights attacks on the profession by the media, the Coalition and the Australian Labor Party.
A negotiated settlement for the 2006 salaries claim whereby the State Government recognises the value of teachers, does not attack conditions and does not denigrate the profession would help attract and retain teachers.
Maree O'Halloran is the President.
2004/5 salaries decision from the IRC
|
|
Percentage increases
|
Compounded effect
|
|
Teachers at the top of the incremental scale
|
12 per cent
|
13.04 per cent
|
|
Allowances
|
12 per cent
|
13.04 per cent
|
|
Head teachers (secondary)
|
15 per cent
|
15.87 per cent
|
|
Assistant principals (primary), deputy principals (primary
and secondary)
|
16 per cent
|
17.01 per cent
|
|
Primary principals
|
17 per cent
|
18.16 per cent
|
|
Central principals
|
18 per cent
|
19.32
|
|
Secondary principals
|
19.5 per cent
|
21.06 per cent
|
This table shows flat percentage increases, and the compounded increases achieved when increases are broken into instalments - eg 4 per cent + 4 per cent means the second 4 per cent is applied on top of the increases already applied.
Police and pollies to get pay rises
Promotions restructuring will bring gains
For further information
June 2005 contents
|
Subscribe
