NSW Technical and Further Education (TAFE) teachers have continued their industrial campaign against an unfair award imposed by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC), which would have TAFE teachers work an additional five hours a week, and teach an additional 36 hours a year, with no right to refuse.
NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) president Bob Lipscombe said on November 4: "TAFE teachers have had their working week increased by five hours by the IRC, which has only valued each of those hours at less than $3. TAFE teachers would get more if they worked in a fast food outlet."
The award, imposed on October 15, also attacks TAFE teachers' long service leave entitlements, meaning that teachers taking such leave in conjunction with scheduled school holidays would be forced to fund their entire holiday from their long service leave entitlement.
TAFE teachers have continued wildcat strikes against the award, with stoppages at Wetherill Park on November 3 and Liverpool, Granville and Mount Druitt TAFE colleges on November 4. Teachers from Mount Druitt and St Mary's schools joined the rally outside Mount Druitt TAFE.
On November 4, NSWTF lodged a challenge to the IRC decision in the NSW Supreme Court. A stop-work meeting has been called for November 10 to discuss further action.
NSW education department head Michael Coutts-Trotter sent an email to all NSW public school teachers on October 27, claiming the TAFE award had no impact on school teachers' conditions.
"It is ridiculous for [Coutts-Trotter] to assert that the TAFE decision has no implications for school teachers", NSWTF general secretary John Irving said in a letter to teachers on October 29. "Implementation of this IRC decision by the [education department] encourages any future government, Labor or Coalition, to do the same to school teachers' working conditions."