Agreement reached with union on enterprise bargaining agreement for teachers

29/1/96

An agreement has been reached between the Education Department and the State School Teachers' Union (SSTUWA) on an enterprise bargaining agreement which will place teachers on the same pay and conditions for the start of the school year.

Education Minister Colin Barnett said a recommendation to accept the offer, to be voted on by all teachers, would now be presented to the union executive next month for final ratification.

Mr Barnett said the breakthrough in negotiations was the result of a number of intensive negotiations between the Minister, Education Department and State School Teachers' Union.

The new points of agreement, in broad terms, are that:

+          all teachers will have the same pay and conditions for the start of the new school year; this is based on a 15 per cent salary increase;

+          the increase will be awarded in two stages:

            7.5 per cent from January 1, 1996 (backdated); and 7.5 per cent from January 1, 1997.

"This means experienced classroom teachers will be paid on a level which is equal to one of the highest in Australia," Mr Barnett said.

In exchange, teachers will be required to agree to a number of changes to work practices including:

+          staff meetings being held out of school hours; and -

+          professional development to take place half in school time and half in teacher's own time - to be phased in over two years.

An application to de-register the SSTUWA will not continue and the Education Department will reinstate the deduction of union dues from salaries.

The Minister said a number of peripheral points were still to be resolved and discussions would continue on final details.

He congratulated both the Education Department and the unions for reaching agreement.

He said it would result in school operations, including extra curricular activity such as school camps, balls and sporting activities, being back to normal tomorrow and had  brought an end to the long-running dispute prior to the start of school for 1996.

"This agreement has been a long time in the making but I am pleased that an amicable result has occurred with the best interests of teachers and students in mind," Mr Barnett said.

"It is a good result for the teachers and a good result for the public education system."

Media contact: Carolyn Vicars 222 9699