SA: Public schools face further strike action

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2008
SA: Public schools face further strike action

ADELAIDE, Aug 17 AAP - Public schools in South Australia will face further strike action
next month unless the state government improves on its wages and conditions offer currently
being negotiated, the teachers' union says.

About 100 Australian Education Union (AEU) delegates yesterday voted to hold two days
of strike action unless the government meets a deadline of September 8 to improve its
offer.

The enterprise bargaining negotiations have dragged on for most of this year, with
teachers seeking a 21 per cent pay rise over the next three years and the government offering
only 9.75 per cent.

SA public schools have so far been closed for a full-day strike and a week of half-day
rolling stoppages.

AEU state co-vice president Anne Crawford told AAP that if an improved offer was not
made by the government, the union's executive would meet to determine the exact nature
of the further closures.

"Exactly what form that would take - whole days, half days - would be determined when
the branch executive meets on the 8th of September," she said.

The union is also seeking changes to the government's new proposed funding model for
schools which, it says, would further harm disadvantaged schools and not ensure the best
educational outcome for all students.

Ms Crawford said the deadline provided "a window of opportunity" to avoid more industrial action.

"Clearly, we don't set out with the intent of disrupting schools and we've tried for
months and months to resolve this dispute and will continue to try very, very hard and
we believe the September 8 deadline does provide the government with the opportunity to
come up with an improved offer," she said.

She indicated the union remained willing to negotiate on its position.

"We are realistic to know we don't get everything on the claim," she said.

"We believe there's room to move on both sides."

Meetings between union and government representatives will continue this week.

A spokeswoman for state Industrial Minister Paul Caica said the minister would be "very
disappointed" if teachers continued their industrial action, as it was not the way to
resolve the dispute.

Continued negotiation was the only way to find a solution and the union had to "move,
just as the government has to move", she said.

AAP njl/jt/cdh

KEYWORD: TEACHERS SA

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