Offer falls short of fair deal for public schools

AEU State President Correna Haythorpe says the salary offer is inadequate and poorly structured.

The IRC described the parties as being 'poles apart' and recommended the government present a new and improved offer. Although new‚ there's very little improvement‚ Ms Haythorpe says.

Only top level classroom teachers would receive the government's 12.5% offer. All other staff‚ including beginning teachers‚ those in leadership positions‚ and Schools Services Officers would receive 10.5%. But at any rate‚ neither figure represents a major improvement on the government's original 9.75%‚ and most importantly of all‚ they do not match CPI cost of living increases‚ nor are they nationally competitive.

We have stated from the very start that a nationally competitive salary is vital to attract people into the teaching profession and to keep them there. This offer would superglue SA to the bottom of the salary ladder. It's not good enough‚ she says.

Furthermore the offer still contains a proposal to change the school funding model. The government's 'refinements' offer no comfort to schools who face a loss of funds to deliver their curriculum.

Despite the government's claim that schools will receive the 'same or more' funding‚ our analysis is that the proposal is significantly underfunded and some schools will lose money.

Branch Executive will meet at 4 pm this afternoon (29 October) to consider the offers‚ however it is unlikely that this package deal could be recommended to its members. The government is asking educators to accept a deal that would potentially compromise the quality of public education in this state. Our members have shown no interest in accepting an inferior pay offer or the defunding of schools. If education is really a priority area for government‚ then they need to do better than this for our preschools‚ schools and TAFE‚ Ms Haythorpe says.