Tebbutt told salaries Sky Channel set for term 4

Federation writes to Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt about salaries.

As you are aware negotiations for the next salaries award for teachers and officers covered by the Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and TAFE and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award began on the July 28 this year. At that meeting Federation also requested that teachers and officers covered by the NSW Adult Migrant English Service Crown Employees (Teachers and Related Employees) Award be included in the negotiations.

The next negotiation session has been re-scheduled for August 29 because of the hiatus generated by the resignation of the former Premier, Bob Carr. However, the issue of the Federation's salaries claim for 2006 has been on the agenda for every meeting this year with either yourself or the Director-General, Andrew Cappie-Wood. During these meetings the claim has been described and discussed with the Minister and Department Officers.

Given the delay in the negotiations to date, I now write formally to detail the Federation's salary and allowance claim for implementation from January 1, 2006. The Federation's Annual Conference in 2005 decided that Sky Channel meetings would be held in early term 4 to report to members about the salaries negotiations and explain the employer's offer (or lack thereof).

The salary levels of the teaching profession must be significantly increased to recognise the value of teachers' work, to elevate the status of the profession and to ensure that public education communities continue to thrive.

Annual Conference 2005 called for a negotiated salaries settlement for the 2006 salaries claim whereby the State Government recognises the value of teachers, does not attack teaching and working conditions and does not denigrate the profession. Any settlement must be fully funded with no "trade offs" and provide the first percentage increase from January 1, 2006 when the current award ends.

The recent salary increases achieved by NSW nurses and police confirm that at least four per cent fully funded with no trade offs is available to State Government employees. In addition the police settlement demonstrates that additional money is available for restructuring claims.

The Federation's claim gives priority to the top of the incremental salary scale. The majority of Federation members will spend their career at this point and it has received in percentage terms less than all promotions positions over the last 17 years.

The claim for all members is for a three year award, fully funded with no "trade offs". The quantum claimed is:

i) Top of the common incremental scale -- $75,000 from January 1, 2006 maintained in real terms through the award (13 per cent in addition to CPI/general wage movements).

ii) Bottom of the scale (schools) -- $50,000 from January 1, 2006 maintained in real terms (approximately eight per cent in addition to CPI/general wage movements). This claim approximates the government benchmark of four per cent per annum although configured differently.

iii) Other steps of the incremental scale will be adjusted to ensure that the steps receive no less than the bottom of the scale.

iv) Promotions positions not gaining increases by restructuring proposals, are to receive no less than the bottom of the incremental scale.

v) All allowances are to increase by no less than the bottom of the incremental scale. All allowances will be reviewed ensuring that the current inequalities/anomalies are removed.

In addition, the Federation claims:

1. Restructuring of the award to provide primary and central school promotions positions the same salary as comparable secondary positions.

2. The 2003 award claim for a three step incremental scale like Senior Education Officers 1 for Head Teachers/Assistant Principals including provision for annual progression in the same way as the common incremental scale.

3. Restructuring of counsellor positions including the addition of a Senior Counsellor position at Head Teacher level, the restructuring of District Guidance Officers (DGOs) to a higher position and the addition of a regional position to provide supervision of DGOs.

4. Improved superannuation for members. In particular, the minimum level of superannuation provision for teachers who currently receive only the Superannuation Guarantee must be lifted.
In addition to lifting the minimum superannuation provision the Federation will pursue arrangements enabling flexible salary packaging of compulsory employee superannuation contributions as already applies to teachers in other parts of Australia.

5. The payment of HECS for beginning teachers. This is particularly for teachers accepting positions in difficult to staff schools.

6. An increase in the hourly TAFE part time casual rates for teaching, co-ordination and counselling and a flow-on of the part time casual teachers' settlement to part time casual counsellors and co-ordinators.

7. Salary parity (at the higher level) between TAFE Education Officers and School Education Officers.

8. Improvements in salary packaging.

Federation looks forward to our continued discussions.

A similar letter has been sent to the Director-General, Andrew Cappie-Wood.

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005