INDUSTRIAL action at regional schools is likely to be rolled out as the lingering impasse between the State Government and the union continues over pay and workplace conditions.
The Australian Education Union (AEU) is expected to inform South East schools later this week of looming actions it recommends to its members.
Speaking on behalf of the union, AEU elected executive member and Lucindale Area School principal Adrian Maywald said students’ extra-curricular activities were expected to be impacted.
“The core learning for kids will still continue,” Mr Maywald said.
“But perhaps the additional actions teachers commit outside of their work hours will not. We do not want the children to suffer.”
While not revealing what the actions could be, the veteran educator foreshadowed data gathering for central office would be affected.
“Examples of actions teachers complete out of their goodwill include additional workplace meetings, responses to emails and messages out of work hours and marking and planning,” he said.
“It is about protecting educators’ relationship with personal life with work. The education system relies on goodwill and without it it would crumble.”
The prominent principal said he did not understand how Treasurer Rob Lucas was able to provide some of his staff with an approximate 1.5pc pay-rise, but could refuse to increase the wages and conditions of educators.
“He said the government needed to be limited but he is going all out on his staff,” Mr Maywald said.
“It does not make sense, these people are already on a $100,000 or more salary.
“How can you justify it when lower income earners are only able to receive a smaller salary increase offer?”
More than 350,000 public school students will be impacted by the industrial actions, according to Mr Maywald.
“Every site is different in what they can and can not do,” he said.
“I remain hopeful Mr Lucas and his team have listened to the request put through by the union.
“Hopefully we see a suitable offer soon so we can keep developing our system into something world-class.”
