
Issue No 50		14 April 2000

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News

Teachers Deal Still Undone

Private school teachers have reached agreement on a 16 per cent pay rise, but strike actions hangs over public schools as the Carr Government refuses to move on key conditions.

The NSW Teachers Federation came to the brink of agreement with the government, but sticking points over hours of work and pay rates for casual teachers have left the talks deadlocked.

Teachers today voted overwhelmingly to commence strike action to coincide with the astart of Term Two.

NSW Labor Council secretary Michael Costa today called on the Carr Government and the NSW Teachers Federation to continue discussions over the school holiday period to try and resolve their ongoing dispute prior to the next school term.

"I am disappointed that there is still no agreement - given the significant progress that has been made since negotiations began; but I don't believe the parties are that far apart," Mr Costa said.

But he said he understood why the teachers' leadership had refused to recommend an acceptance of the agreement; as there were assurances being sought by the government that most unions would find difficult to endorse.

"The requirement for unqualified commitments in relation to industrial action, particularly the imposition bans, is something that no union would accept," he said.

"Further, it is unrealistic to expect that a range of pre-existing award applications by the Federation should be discontinued.

Meanwhile, the Independent Education Union has reached agreement on behalf of 12,000 teachers in catholic schools for a 16 per cent increase with no trade-offs.

IEU secretary Dick Shearman has called on the government to match this deal with the public teachers rather than trying to extract productivity offsets.

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  Issue 50 contents

Interview: The Gospel According To ...
Green Bans legend Jack Mundey looks back on his days in the BLF and the lessons that can be drawn from that experience today,

Unions: Spinning at the Casino
In the lead-up to this weekend's historic strike, active LHMU members at Sydney�s Star City Casino have been making their own news.

East Timor: Rebuilding From the Nightmare
NSW Attorney General Jeff Shaw travelled to Dili to get a first-hand perspective on the reconstruction work required.

History: Internal Democracy and the BLF
How the rank and file team that took over the BLF in the early sixties attempted to devolve power to the grassroots.

International: Towards Liberation
Zimbabwe trade unions are at the centre of the democratic struggle going on within the African Nation

Republic: The Referendum We Had To Have
Paul Norton finds some hope in last year's resounding defeat of the republic proposition.

Work/Time/Life: @work in the e-century
Marian Baird takes stock of how far we�ve come, or not come, in terms of our working life.

Review: Rocking the Foundations
Pat Fiske's wonderful documentary on the BLF should be compulsory viewing for anyone in the union movement talking about shifting to an Organising Model.

» Sock Nazis Spark Casino Strike

» Grave Fears Over Carr's Funeral Agenda

» Packer, Pratt to Profit at Unions' Expense

» Telstra Discrimination: 'Round one' to the Workers

» Timor Fundraiser a Blast

» Water workers flood CBD head office

» Libs Plead for Help on IR

» Employment National Workers Win CES Conditions

» Teachers Deal Still Undone

» Pressure Builds for Compo Pull-Out

» Pacific Unions Increase Regional Ties

» Ellis to Give May Day Toast

» Special Comp: Just Who Are Our Friends?