BY MARY MERKENICH
MELBOURNE — On July 19, the annual conference of the Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union unanimously endorsed a resolution to support nationally coordinated action over the refusal of state governments to negotiate on salaries and conditions.
In December 2002, the Victorian AEU branch served its log of claims on Premier Steve Bracks' Labor government. The government had indicated to the union leadership that it would begin negotiations in June 2003. After reneging on that commitment, the government informed the AEU that it would begin negotiations in July. However, the government is still refusing to enter negotiations.
The government's refusal to table a negotiating position means that public schools will be unable to plan for the 2004 school year.
Initially, the AEU asked its members to put pressure on the government by sending letters of protest to the premier, the treasurer and the education minister as well as starting a petition campaign.
Since then the NSW Teachers Federation annual conference initiated a call for nationally coordinated industrial action to protest against the collusion of state Labor governments to cut teachers' salaries in real terms.
A national teleconference on August 1 will make a recommendation to be considered at the Victorian branch's state council meeting on August 2 for a public school teachers' strike on September 17.
The Victorian branch of the AEU is also in dispute with the Bracks government over the implementation of statewide standardised tests, called AIM tests. Education minister Lynne Kosky wants to have these tests administered to all year 7 students in early August.
However, the AEU has called on its members to boycott the tests, fearing that the government will use them to rank schools against each other without any real analysis of the reasons for varying results. Additionally, some principals may use the tests against individual teachers during performance reviews.
When standardised tests were introduced in the US and Britain, many teachers changed their curricula so that could ensure their students got good test results. This meant that curricula did not generally provide the skills required by students.
From Green Left Weekly, July 30, 2003.
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