Teachers say 'negotiate'

April 7, 1999
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Teachers say 'negotiate'

By Melanie Sjoberg

ADELAIDE — Hundreds of education workers gathered in Victoria Square on March 30 to call on the state government to negotiate genuinely on an enterprise agreement.

High school principal and Australian Education Union (AEU) executive member John Gregory fired up the rally with a speech challenging the overall privatisation agenda of the state Liberal government. He said millions of dollars have been spent on consultancies and government perks at the expense of education and other social needs. He also scathingly criticised the planned sale of the state electricity corporation, ETSA.

Gregory reminded the SA teachers that they had stood in the same spot in the early 1980s to hear the Labor government's promises of an "education guarantee" as part of the budget, and that they have fought to maintain resources ever since. He also reminded them that they used to be the highest paid teachers in the country.

AEU president Janet Giles condemned the government for its bloody-minded approach to education and called on education workers to continue the fight. She argued that the union's decision to call off the planned strike was not a sign of defeat, but a responsible action while the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) considered its verdict on the bargaining period.

Giles acknowledged members' strong support for the strike action and that many were annoyed when it was called off. She called on AEU members to be prepared for further action and a widespread publicity campaign in the next school term.

Messages of solidarity were received from the Public Service Association, Firefighters Union and the SA Trades and Labor Council, which described the AEU as a model for other unions. Many country schools and TAFEs also sent messages.

Earlier this year, the AEU had won 54% support for a full-day strike as part of the campaign to achieve a better deal for schools and TAFE. The union is campaigning for improved staffing levels and a nationally benchmarked pay level. AEU members had also endorsed the use of $500,000 from reserve funds for a media and publicity campaign.

The government had offered a 13% wage increase over three years, along with continuation of extra staffing won by the union during the last round of enterprise bargaining. In exchange, the government had sought to devolve more decision making to the local level and tie the union into accepting "all government policy".

The union did not agree, forcing the government to seek an IRC termination of the bargaining period. It the bargaining period is ended the matter will be handed over for arbitration, but only on the narrow question of wages.

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