TAFE members who dreamed of secure work for themselves and their colleagues and then set out to make it happen sat beside newly permanent TAFE teachers at a dinner hosted by TAFE Teachers Association on Friday.
This was a poignant reminder to everyone that actions you take today can influence the future of your profession.
The event celebrated Federation’s successful campaign to reduce insecure work for TAFE teachers. In February, some 1700 long-term casual TAFE teachers transitioned to permanent full or part-time employment.
Posters from various phases of the decades-long campaign decorated the room.
General Secretary Maxine Sharkey opened the night with a history lesson, outlining that from 2012 — under Coalition governments — full-time permanent TAFE teachers lost their jobs, replaced with insecurely employed casual TAFE teachers.
During an open microphone session, various TAFE members spoke about the difference having a secure job makes.
Planning for the future
As is typical of TAFE activists, while recognising the win, speakers also spoke of the need to continue campaigning.
The event acknowledged commitment from the Minns Government to remove TAFE NSW from the contestable vocational education and training (VET) funding market within 12 months, replacing the Smart and Skilled model that has given TAFE colleges no certainty over future resourcing.
TAFE TA Secretary Ben Parsons said Federation should investigate political and legislative options to ensure TAFE NSW never again faces funding cuts resulting from contestable funding. Earlier in the day, TAFE TA Council passed a motion seeking to safeguard TAFE NSW’s role in vocational education and vital role in the state’s economic and social development.
Among the 44 dinner guests were:
- Tony Sheldon, chair of the 2020–21 Senate Select Committee’s job security inquiry, which led to legislation that defined a clear pathway to permanency
- Lynne Joslyn, partner of the late John Kaye MLC, who was a strong advocate for TAFE teachers in NSW Parliament over many years
- TAFE TA life members
- witnesses in the TAFE casuals pro-rata case in the Industrial Relations Commission in 2003.