Funding linked to AWAs ‘likely’

It is anticipated Commonwealth funding for schools will be linked with requirements that state governments offer Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) to teachers and all other workers in schools, Australian Education Union Acting Federal Secretary Susan Hopgood warned Annual Conference.

"Already we are facing the educational accountability requirements," Ms Hopgood said.

The Federal Government has linked funding of universities to the offering of AWAs and proposes the same for TAFE colleges.

Ms Hopgood reported tens of thousands of AEU members in every state and territory joined rallies opposing the Howard Government's proposed changes to industrial relations laws.

"They joined them because our conditions and salaries are at risk [and] because we are concerned about the impact of those changes on public education and our profession," she said.

"We are concerned about the future working lives of our students and also on the impact of all workers in general, particularly those that are disadvantaged and marginalised."

"I know that [ACTU President] Sharan Burrow in the reports to the Sky Channel meetings last Friday said that the eyes of the...international labour movement are on Australia, because the ILO [International Labour Organisation] committee of experts has noted that the Australian Government is breaching ILO Convention 98 on the rights to organise and collective bargaining, and that is on the existing Workplace Relations Act," Ms Hopgood said.

"The ILO will be keeping a very close watch on what is happening here in Australia."

©2000-2002 NSWTF Online is a resource for teachers
provided by the NSW Teachers Federation.
[Authorisation of election comment] [Privacy]

http://www.nswtf.org.au/journal_extras/awafund.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005