The NSW Teachers Federation has paid tribute to outgoing President, Angelo Gavrielatos, whose term has concluded today.
Gavrielatos assumed the presidency of the Federation four years ago and commissioned Valuing the Teaching Profession, an Independent Inquiry, helmed by former WA premier Dr Geoff Gallop, Dr Tricia Kavanagh and Patrick Lee. After conducting public hearings across NSW and taking expert evidence, it found unmanageable workloads, uncompetitive salaries and insecure employment had combined to create a teacher shortage crisis in NSW public education. This created the evidence base for a significant boost to teacher salaries to end the teacher shortage.
Gavrielatos also oversaw a powerful industrial and political campaign, More Than Thanks that broke the wages cap. In the eighteen months leading up to the State election, teachers took three separate days of strike action. They made their opposition to wage suppression a key election issue, with a presence at over 325 booths at the state election and continuous, high visibility campaigning in every corner of the state.
Following the election, Gavrielatos negotiated the historic salaries deal between the Teachers Federation and the Minns Government. This increased both starting and top of scale salaries for NSW teachers by more than $9,000, along with major improvements across the pay scale.
“Angelo Gavrielatos has made a profound and tangible improvement to the teaching profession. The campaign run by the union during Angelo’s presidency was essential to creating a new salary structure to end the teacher shortage, rebuild the workforce and give our kids the future they deserve,” said incoming President, Henry Rajendra.
“Angelo believes in the transformative power of the teaching profession. He has devoted his working life to defending and advancing it. Teachers, students and the general public are all beneficiaries of Angelo’s tenacity, passion and intelligence.”
From tomorrow, Henry Rajendra assumes the Presidency of the NSW Teachers Federation. Amber Flohm as the Deputy President, and Natasha Watt as the Senior Vice President.
“It is an incredible honour to serve as President of the Teachers Federation. We will strive to give public education the resources and respect it deserves,” Rajendra said.