The facts are that the Australian Education Union (SA Branch) has yet to formally table a claim for the new Enterprise Agreement on salary increases, better remuneration to attract and retain teachers, leaders and support staff.
Remuneration is always part of any Enterprise Bargaining process, but it is only one point in the AEU's 7 point plan. This plan was developed following extensive consultation with the profession to identify what needs to be improved within the South Australian education system.
AEU Vice President Mr Dash Taylor Johnson is concerned about the retention of teaching staff over the long term, with up to 50 percent of all teachers leaving in the first five years, citing job insecurity and working conditions as the reasons for leaving the profession.
"South Australian teachers are the second lowest paid within Australia. The Marshall Government suggests they want a world class education system. You cannot expect a world class education without world class conditions," said Mr Taylor Johnson.
The AEU's 7 Point Plan includes:
- Improved country conditions to attract and retain staff
- Provisions to ensure all employees are treated fairly at work
- Workloads that are reasonable, sustainable and not excessive
- More teachers to reduce class and group sizes and to provide time for collegiate engagement
- Provisions to address gender inequality
- Increased quality jobs that are secure and safe
- Better remuneration for all classifications.
This plan directly links to improving conditions and learning outcomes for all children and young people.
Following the State Wage Case and Minimum Standards for Remuneration Decision 2018, the AEU requested an interim increase. This interim request does not form part of the current Enterprise Bargaining process, as it lies distinctly outside of negotiations and has not been formally tabled.
In February 2018 the AEU were well prepared and ready to negotiate before the current agreement nominally expired on 30 June 2018, providing the Department with details of our proposals.
However, the Department failed to outline their proposals and stated regularly that they had no instructions from the Marshall Government. We believe that these bargaining tactics were designed to stall negotiations.
These delaying tactics meant that the annual salary rise date passed, where the Department would be making considerable savings by not coming to a conclusion with the negotiations.
The industrial action on Thursday is a direct result of the Marshall Government's failure to listen to the profession and genuinely negotiate to address the AEU's 7 point plan to improve public schools and preschools in South Australia and the concerns about removing safeguards from school and preschool funding, working conditions and student support.
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