Teachers take action nation-wide

As The Guardian goes to press public school teachers around the 
country are preparing to take action on September 17 in defence of 
Australia's public school system. This action will include a historic co-
ordinated strike across three States — expected to involve more than 
70,000 teachers — that will target Labor Government Treasurers accused of 
colluding to keep wages down in the face of a national teacher 
shortage.

Teachers in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia have co-ordinated the 24-
hour stoppages and nationwide protests as part of the Australian Education 
Union's (AEU) efforts to make education a top-level national priority.

There will be range of political protests in all States and meetings of NSW 
and Victorian teachers along the state border.

The action, which comes as teachers in NSW commence a case for a 25 percent 
wage rise, was sparked by the recent meeting of State Treasurers where a 
plan to limit pay rises for all public sector workers was mapped out.

AEU Federal President Pat Byrne said the state and territory governments' 
wage suppression is simply unacceptable, particularly when the Australian 
education system is currently in the midst of teacher shortage crisis.

"As a result of the lack of financial and professional incentives provided 
by state and territory governments, up to 50 per cent of new teachers are 
on record as saying they do not intend to be teaching within 10 years", 
Byrne said.

"By 2005, Deans of Education estimate that there will be a shortage of 5000 
teachers in primary and secondary schools. By the end of the decade, the 
Education Ministers' research shows that this shortage will have increased 
to at least 20,000."

NSW Teachers' Federation president Maree O'Halloran called the national 
action unprecedented — and an important wake-up call to the entire nation.

"It's totally irresponsible of the state governments to be meeting and 
colluding to hold down real wage growth of teachers at the very time when 
they should be working out ways to make the profession grow", O'Halloran 
says

"It is absolutely outrageous that we have been told that if we get more 
than three per cent per year they are threatening to punish our students by 
cutting the public education budget."

TAFE Teachers get in on act

Meanwhile, TAFE teachers in NSW have voted unanimously for industrial 
action of at least 24 hours, early in Term 4, if the Carr Government does 
not halt its attacks on TAFE.

NSW TAFE Teachers Association secretary Linda Simon says teachers are 
concerned about the effects that increased TAFE fees will have next year in 
pricing qualifications needed to enter the workforce beyond the reach of 
many young people.

The teachers also noted with increasing concern the results of the survey 
conducted by the NSW Council for Adult Literacy and Numeracy that showed 
that 37 per cent of those currently in such courses would not be able to 
continue studies to improve basic skills levels.

"Council is angry that the Carr Labor Government does not value the great 
TAFE system in this state, and continues to undermine TAFE by cutting 
budgets, and proposing a restructure that attacks the integrity of TAFE", 
Ms Simon said.

"TAFE teachers are passionate about the education and training they provide 
for a wide variety of students, and will not allow this education to be 
undermined. If this means that we have to strike to highlight our 
determination, then we will do so."