On July 8, 600 NSW teachers and principals gathered outside the Department of Education to protest against the state ALP government's attacks on teacher transfer rights.
The government's attacks will phase out teacher transfers, offload the government's responsibility for finding teachers onto schools and exacerbate the difficulty for some schools who already find it hard to attract and retain teachers. This will lead to larger class sizes and a lack of specialist teachers for many children.
Speakers on the day included NSW Teachers Federation president Maree O'Halloran and deputy president Bob Lipscombe, as well teachers from regional NSW. O'Halloran said that the NSWTF has been forced to negotiate with six different education ministers in almost as many years. She pointed to the need for continuity rather than the the NSW government's revolving-door-approach to the education portfolio.
The NSWTF is calling on Premier Morris Iemma to commence a negotiated settlement to the ongoing dispute. Teachers are scheduled to resume statewide action in August if a settlement cannot be achieved.