Teachers' action great success

The historic action last week by teachers in defence of Australia's 
public schools was a resounding success. An estimated 100,000 teachers took 
part in the co-ordinated strike in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia.

The actions were in defence of the public education system. They targeted 
state Labor governments who they accused of colluding to keep wages down in 
the face of a national teacher shortage.

NSW

Indications from around the State are that support for the stoppage was the 
highest ever with many schools reporting 100 per cent of teachers out.

More than 20,000 NSW public school and TAFE teachers converged on 
Parliament House to condemn the State Government's "despicable" pay offer 
and deliver thousands of letters demanding salary increases.

Chanting "we are here, we are strong, your three per cent is just plain 
wrong", the teachers marched from Hyde Park.

The teachers have launched a case for a 25 percent wage increase. Higher 
wages are necessary to attract new teachers and retain the present 
workforce.

NSW Teachers' Federation President Maree O'Halloran said if they failed to 
win their case, or if a significant pay rise was funded by making cuts 
elsewhere in the education budget, teachers were ready and willing to stage 
further strikes next year.

"If there's not the outcome that public education needs, then action is 
more than likely from the beginning of the 2004 school year", Ms O'Halloran 
told reporters.

Victoria

At the same time as the action in NSW, 10,000 teachers and support staff 
filled the Vodafone Arena in Melbourne. They vowed to continue their 
campaign for wage justice and quality education services.

They voted unanimously in support of a resolution demanding that state and 
territory Labor Governments honour their electoral commitments to make 
public education a "number one priority".

Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian President, Mary Bluett, told the 
mass meeting of teachers that the dispute had an historical significance.

Ms Bluett said it was the first time that teachers had engaged in a 
national strike. She said it was also the first time that primary and 
secondary teachers, pre-school teachers, support staff and principals had 
united in a campaign to defend the future and quality of public education.

The meeting condemned state and territory treasurers for agreeing to cap 
public sector salary increases to inflation.

The Victorian Government offer of a 2.25 per cent wage increase with an 
additional 0.75 productivity payment was "an insult", AEU Victorian branch 
Secretary, Ann Taylor, told the meeting.

Western Australia

West Australian public school teachers held a half-day stoppage, vowing to 
escalate industrial action in their pursuit of a 30 percent pay claim.

About 7000 teachers attended a stop-work meeting at Subiaco Oval.

WA teachers are seeking a 30 percent pay rise over three years, while the 
government has offered rises of up to 14.3 per cent over two-and-a-half 
years.

Their meeting endorsed an ongoing campaign of rolling stoppages, including 
a possible statewide strike in the fourth term, which begins next month, 
and a rally at Parliament House on September 24.

AEU National and WA President Pat Byrne said teachers would also escalate 
their political campaign, targeting all sitting members of State 
Parliament.

Ms Byrne said about 70 percent of WA teachers had walked off the job, and 
she hoped their actions had sent a clear message to the State Government.