By Natalie Woodlock
HOBART — On July 8, industrial action by the Australian Education Union over a 6.86% pay claim affected around 10% of schools here. The campaign aims to maintain the quality of education and a decent standard of living for teachers.
While the media accused teachers of using school children as pawns in an industrial strategy, the socialist youth organisation Resistance has been actively building support for the teachers campaign amongst students.
Edwina Foster, a Resistance member, told Green Left: "Most students are very supportive of their teachers and the campaign to save public education. Eight hundred state teachers have been lost through cutbacks since 1991, leading to big increases in class sizes."
At a July 16 meeting of 25 students at Hobart College, Anthony Llewellyn from the Tasmanian University Student Council, Natalie Woodlock from Resistance and Dylan Hodda from Hobart College spoke about federal and state education funding cuts. Hodda noted that there is no escape for high school students. "These cuts are bad enough for existing university students, but it is secondary students who will be forced to bear the full weight later on", he said.
Resistance will be holding meetings for high school, college and TAFE students every Saturday at 3pm at the Resistance Centre, 290 Murray St, Hobart. Phone (002) 34 6397.