Jon Lamb, Darwin
Hundreds of teachers participated in a series of rolling 24-hour strikes across the Northern Territory from March 21 to March 30, demanding better pay and conditions as well as more funding for the NT's ailing education system.
The refusal of Labor Chief Minister Clare Martin's government to accept the demands of the Australian Education Union (AEU) is likely to prompt further industrial action.
The rolling stoppages were preceded by stop-work meetings, described by AEU NT branch president Nadine Williams as the "best attended meetings I've seen in 20 years". Williams added that she believes this reflects "a groundswell of real hurt and neglect at the hands of the NT government".
The AEU has been forced to take strike action because of the refusal of the government to accept the union's claim for an 18% wage increase over two years. The government has only offered 11% over three years, claiming it cannot afford a higher wage increase.
If the government offer is accepted, it will make NT teachers amongst the poorest paid in Australia.
A major concern for teachers is the problem of staff turn-over and the high number of teacher and education graduates leaving the NT each year. If this is not adequately addressed, the NT will soon face a chronic teacher shortage. Teachers are also concerned about higher workloads as pressure to increase class size continues.
Teachers are deeply frustrated and angered by the attitude of the government. Despite NT education minister Sid Stirling's comments that "his door is always open" he has as yet not met with AEU representatives. Similarly, the commissioner for public employment has not appeared at one meeting with the AEU other than the first, when the union's log of claims was submitted in October 2004.
Commenting on the teachers' strike, AEU NT branch secretary Alan Perrin said: "Clearly the teachers and educators are sending a very strong message that enough is enough and that teachers' and educators' concerns should be listened to as the future of all of our children is endangered."
A recent update on the teachers' campaign on the AEU website stated: "The Australian Education Union believes that the government has it very wrong in treating teachers and educators with contempt and this may well reflect in the ballot box later in the year. All parents should be concerned that this lack of positive direction in education by the current NT government will ultimately lead to a significant deterioration in education in the NT over the next three years."
From Green Left Weekly, April 6, 2005.
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