Member teachers at Wollongong and West Wollongong TAFE campuses have met to condemn proposed job losses at TAFE campuses across the state, calling the cuts “a sham”.
The meeting today was told that 15 student support roles and nine maintenance and logistics positions, as well as eight security guards, will be deleted in Wollongong as part of the Berejiklian Government’s plan to remove 678 support role jobs across the state.
NSW Teachers Federation organiser Rob Long said the consultation process regarding a proposed change management plan was a “sham”.
“Teachers are meeting to support our security guards and support staff to demand no job losses,” TAFE Organiser Rob Long said.
“Our members are deeply concerned for our TAFE security and student support staff colleagues who are facing losing their jobs in the latest round of TAFE cuts.”
The meeting was addressed by Federal Member for Cunningham Sharon Bird, NTEU Organiser Martin Cubby, Federation Schools Organiser Duncan McDonald and former Federation President Maurie Mulheron.
Community and Public Sector Union’s south-east regional organiser Shane Elliott said they “have a situation where teachers won’t be allowed to do their role if the support staff have been taken away from their roles”.
“They’re considered backroom, unimportant … But they’re a pivotal part of the overall service that allows teachers to do their job,” he told the Illawarra Mercury.
Wollongong & West Wollongong Federation members condemn the decision of the Berejiklian
Government to delete 678 TAFE NSW security guards and support staff.
Documents obtained by Federation reveal that in the Illawarra and South Coast regions, 238 of the total support staff positions, 56 are under threat of deletion. Across NSW, 495 positions in student services and 183 maintenance and logistics jobs are under threat of being deleted.
Federation has not been given any details for the number of these staff who will be able to be retained in another position in the change to the management process.
Members have demanded NSW Skills Minister Geoff Lee stop any job cuts, including in libraries, disability support, student counselling and teaching.
Federation has called on TAFE Teachers Association branches across NSW to meet and take action to support our colleagues facing job losses.
Local TAFE TA members will meet again to discuss the Minister’s response and consider further action to stop local job losses.