Teachers Federation at Parliament House

04 June 2011 NSW Teachers Federation

The State Council of the Teachers Federation met today in front of Parliament House in Macquarie Street.

The teachers carried unanimously a resolution condemning the O'Farrell Government's attack on the industrial rights of public sector employees in NSW. They vowed to support other workers affected by this legislation, and their unions.

Federation will continue to participate fully in the ongoing campaign coordinated by Unions NSW. Members will take whatever action is necessary to defeat this attack on the real incomes of teachers, their working conditions, their fundamental industrial rights and their union.

Despite claims that the new government would introduce new standards of openness and transparency, the Premier failed to disclose his plans at any time during the election campaign.
Public sector employees will have fewer industrial rights than any other employees in Australia. Simply by issuing regulations, it will allow the O'Farrell government to:

• cut the real income of teachers and other public sector workers, by limiting funded increases to 2.5% per annum;
• unilaterally change the working conditions, including sick leave and hours of work, of public sector workers without any right o f appeal to any independent umpire or court;
• end the independent role of the NSW Industrial Commission.

If not overturned, this legislation will result in substantial cuts to teachers' incomes in the coming years. Because schools in the private sector are not affected by this legislation, they will be able to attract teachers from our public schools and TAFE colleges, by offering better salaries and conditions. This is at the very time when the government needs to attract and retain thousands of new teachers to replace the many thousands who will reach retirement age in the next four to five years.

Regardless of any claims made by the O'Farrell government, no teachers' working conditions and consequently no student learning conditions are safe under this legislation. Basic working conditions, such as hours of teaching, sick leave, release time and class sizes can now be changed simply by regulation without any right of appeal to the NSW Industrial Relati ons Commission. Time available to support students can be slashed and class sizes can now be increased without any reference to an independent umpire.

This legislation makes it clear that the O'Farrell government neither values public services nor the workers who deliver them to the people of NSW.