PRINCIPALS and teachers rallied outside the office of Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh on Wednesday, October 12, in protest at the NSW Government’s submission to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission for a new three-year award that the Federation says delivers a real wage cut to the profession.

NSW Teachers Federation President Angelo Gavrielatos said, “At a time when there are growing teacher shortages, we need real action on uncompetitive salaries and unsustainable workloads.

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“Right now, we have a crisis in our classrooms – kids are missing out in public and private schools because of the shortages and teachers are burning out.

“Sixty percent of teachers want to leave in the next five years because of the crippling workload and uncompetitive salaries that do not reflect their efforts or responsibilities,” Mr Gavrielatos said.

The Federation says a new Department of Education ministerial briefing, obtained under Freedom Of Information laws, reveals that 62 percent of public schools (1,367) had at least one permanent teaching position vacant at the end of July, 17.5 percent (390) had two or more and 2.3% (50) had five or more.

The Federation says this means there were more than 2,000 permanent teaching positions vacant in public schools –
more than double the 995 the government said there were in June last year.

Mr Gavrielatos said the figures showed there needed to be urgent action on teacher pay and working conditions.

“You can’t fix the teacher shortage problem without fixing the wages and workload problem,” he said.

The Federation’s Mid-North Coast representative, Ian Watson, told News Of The Area that approximately 100 educators attended the rally.

“As well as the rally, there was action at each school in the area.

“Teachers wore red to support the campaign and information was provided to parents about the impact that shortages are having on their children’s education,” Mr Watson said.

He went on to say the government’s plan will reduce the real wages of teachers by up to $5000 per year, with nothing being done to alleviate workloads.

“They have an admin workload reduction plan that has taken them four years to announce and it still hasn’t saved teachers a single hour a week.”

With NSW Parliament sitting last Wednesday, Mr Singh said he was unable to meet with the teachers on the day.

“However, I regularly meet with teachers and I understand acutely what they are going through,” Mr Singh said.

The MP said the biggest issue raised to him by teachers has been the increases in their workload in recent years.

Mr Singh said he has been working directly with teachers and the Minister for Education’s office, looking at pragmatic ways to address the issue.

Federation members acknowledge Mr Singh’s engagement with them over the past few months but would like to see something tangible.

The government has introduced a trial of new administrator roles in term 4 this year to help reduce teacher workload by assisting teachers with non-teaching activities such as data entry and paperwork.

However, there is a dispute between the Federation and the Government about how this is funded.

In the meantime, teachers say they will continue their ‘More Than Thanks’ campaign.

By Andrew VIVIAN