October 28th 2024.
Teachers in New South Wales (NSW) have recently received an increase in their salaries after a stop-work this morning caused disruptions in schools across the state. Approximately 60,000 teachers took part in the meeting, which lasted from 8:30am to 10am, in various schools throughout NSW. During the meeting, the teachers voted on an agreement that would result in a 9% pay rise over the next three years.
In addition to the pay increase, the agreement also includes a 0.5% increase in annual superannuation and a $1000 cost of living payment if inflation rises above 4.5%. NSW Teachers Federation President Henry Rajendra stated, "This year's settlement will maintain the historic structural reset to salaries and will also keep pace with inflation in terms of teachers' salaries."
Parents who work as teachers will also benefit from the agreement as they will be granted flexible leave, job sharing, and part-time work arrangements. This is in addition to the historic 8-12% pay rise that was implemented last year, with starting salaries increasing by $10,000.
Education Minister Prue Carr assured that this year's pay rise was already accounted for in the budget. "We have absolutely budgeted for every pay rise that we have given every teacher. It is all budgeted for," Carr stated. This news comes as a relief to many teachers who have been anxiously awaiting the outcome of the negotiations.
Last week, the NSW Teachers Federation announced that there would be "minimal supervision" for children at schools in the morning. Some schools even advised parents to keep their kids at home until at least 10am. While this may have affected exams for year 9 and 10 students in some cases, parents were reassured that the stop-work would not disrupt the Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams.
The purpose of the meeting was to update teachers on the new pay offer from the government. Premier Chris Minns expressed his satisfaction with the decrease in teacher vacancy rates, stating that it is a good sign that the increased pay is working. "Vacancies in New South Wales public schools are down 25%, which is a positive development for parents and students," Minns remarked.
The impact of the stop-work varied from school to school, so parents were advised to check with their child's school before dropping them off in the morning if they had any doubts. Overall, the teachers in NSW are pleased with the outcome of the negotiations and are grateful for the increase in pay and benefits.
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