NSW: Teachers step up war of words over pay and conditions

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2009
NSW: Teachers step up war of words over pay and conditions

SYDNEY, Dec 16 AAP - A teaching union is stepping up its battle over pay and working
conditions by launching an advertising campaign aimed at putting pressure on Premier Kristina
Keneally.

The NSW Teachers Federation is angry over the failure to resolve a long-running dispute
surrounding TAFE teachers' salaries and hours of work.

Union president Bob Lipscombe said the NSW Government is requiring TAFE teachers work
an extra five hours a week and values each hour at $3.

It is launching the radio and online advertising campaign on Thursday to pressure the
government into resolving the dispute.

"The advertisements will highlight the Labor government's Workchoices-like program
of requiring TAFE teachers to work five additional hours per week and valuing each at
$3, directing them to work Monday to Saturday any time between 6am and 10pm, and making
them pay for yearly vacation leave from their accumulated long service leave entitlements.

"Premier Keneally can resolve this issue," Mr Lipscombe said in a statement.

It follows a protest in mid-November when TAFE teachers walked off the job over the issue.

They had earlier in 2009 won a pay rise of four per cent - 1.5 per cent above the state
government's public sector wage cap.

But the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) applied to the Industrial Relations
Commission (IRC) to increase teaching hours as a productivity trade-off for the increase.

The IRC found in favour of the DET on October 15.

The Teachers Federation announced it was appalled by the decision and launched an appeal
in the NSW Court of Appeal.

AAP mdg/ash/jfm

KEYWORD: CAMPAIGN

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.