Wollongong TAFE federation members strike better working rights

NSW Teachers Federation Organiser for South Coast Robert Long called for the TAFE Managing director Stephen Brady to get back on the negotiating table.

"73 per cent of TAFE teachers voted to reject the insulting pay rise of 2.53 per cent, following which the teachers took a vote to take protected industrial action which is what's happening today," Mr Long said.

Mr Long said the strike at Wollongong TAFE was one of the 35 actions that have happened over the last couple of weeks at different colleges across NSW.

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"We are asking for pay that is on par with school teachers. In 2014, TAFE teachers and school teachers used to get paid the same amount but in 2022, school teachers received about $7,500 more," he said.

A range of longstanding issues have led to the industrial action, which is the first in more than a decade.

One of them happens to be the casual employment of staff.

"TAFE has about 77 per cent of teachers employed on a casual basis and this level of casualisation is not sustainable for an organisation," he said.

The teachers are also required to carry out extensive administrative work which affects their teaching efficiency.

"The administrative burden is taking them away from their lesson preparation and taking away from their mentoring and guidance for students," Mr Long said.

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Mr Long urged the TAFE managing director to address the issues as a matter of urgency.

"If he doesn't come to the table by Friday, we're going to have to escalate this."

The TAFE federation members are participating in different types of protected industrial actions which will go on till October 28.

The demands range from ban on engaging in work-related communication outside working hours, ban on performing duties at TAFE NSW exceeding 35 hours a week and changes to way in which work is performed.

A TAFE NSW Spokeswoman said, "TAFE NSW is disappointed that the NSW Teachers' Federation is encouraging its members to undertake industrial action at a time when the nation's leaders of government, industry, education, and the labour movement are coming together to try and solve critical skills shortages."

The spokeswoman said the industrial action is interfering with enrolment of new students which will hinder the supply of job ready graduates to industries facing skills shortages.

"TAFE NSW has a range of measures in place to limit the impact of industrial action and to support students in continuing their study. To date no classes have been cancelled as a result of industrial action," she said.

The spokeswoman addressed the casual employment concerns raised by the TAFE federation and said the casual employment of teachers provides the flexibility some employees desire.

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"It allows TAFE NSW to employ educators who can continue working in industry while building the next generation of skilled workers."

The pay rise offered is as per the government's state budget wages policy, the spokeswoman said.

"This year's State Budget set out a wages policy for public servants with a maximum remuneration increase of 3 per cent (comprising 2.53 per cent salary and 0.5 per cent superannuation)."

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