Mr ADAMSON - 1996-08-14
I seek clarification on recent developments in the teachers' dispute. It has been reported that a number of teachers have already signed the agreement with the government. We are also aware that, at recent stopwork meetings, a significant number of teachers voted to accept the government's offer unconditionally. Can the minister advise what will happen with those teachers who were prepared to accept unconditionally? Will there be an opportunity for them to do so now that the government's offer has been formally closed off, and can he clarify the details of the union's claims that those particular teachers will be left out on a limb if they do sign the agreement?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, following the formal close-off of the generous offer to the AEU for its teacher members, we also closed off, on 2 August, the acceptance of individual agreements by teachers. At that time, the number of those who had accepted was close to 950. This number has been continually disputed by the member for Wanguri and by the union. Their catchcry is `show us your proof' and they have asked for the list of names. There will be no showing of the list of names, for very transparent and clear reasons. How could one trust the member for Wanguri or union officials to guard the peace and tranquillity of those teachers who are now seeking to get on with the job? The heavying that went on last week to get members to attend the union meetings was really quite extensive. Some of it was pretty shameful and, in all, it was absurd.
Yesterday, when asked to demonstrate the validity of the numbers, I used the figure 947. In fact, I was incorrect. I had not been aware that, even since 2 August, single agreements continued to trickle in. I was really quite surprised that, despite this heavy pressure by union officials to round up the renegades to their meeting, 130-plus teachers had the courage to raise their hands to indicate that they would accept the government's package. That was despite such heavying by the union, which included a trip to Katherine by the union secretary to try to intervene in a motion by Katherine teachers to unconditionally accept the package. Why do you think they deferred their meeting from the morning until the afternoon? It was to give the secretary a chance to get there and do a number on them. However, it did not work.
When you consider that 950 of our teachers have already signed an individual agreement, which precludes participation in industrial action and meetings, it is quite amazing that, of the 650 who attended the meetings, 130-plus had the courage to raise their hands. Let me assure teachers that the government will not leave them behind. The government will not turn its back on the number that have come in since 2 August.
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Today, I will table for the benefit of members an invitation that we circulated to teachers not only to take advantage of the 7% pay rise from next pay - the 4% increase to 7% is due - but also to receive backpay to February. From next payday, they will receive the extra 4% as well. On top of that, they will receive all of the other conditions that have been promised. These include the 3-year-trained or 4-year-trained jumps and the lifting of the master teacher caps. They will obtain the 2 hours release time. This will be a little tricky, particularly given that it applies to primary schools and a significant number of the primary school teachers have signed. Far fewer have signed in the secondary schools. However, that component of the $4.3m is now attributable to half the teachers. There are 1850 teachers in the schools and a great majority of the 950-plus - soon be 1100 - are in schools. Therefore, it should be of some advantage to our students to have the benefit of the 2 hours release time, and of advantage to teachers who are prepared to get on with the job.
Not only have we circulated today an invitation for all teachers to come in and sign, we have also circulated an explanation to dispel some of the nonsense that has been put about to scare teachers off signing individual agreements. For example, they have been told that, if they become involved in a dispute with the department, they will be left out on a limb and will not be covered. What the union is saying is that, despite the fact that they are paying their membership fee of $300 a year ...
Mr Bailey: You are not allowed to attend union meetings if you sign the contract.
Mr FINCH: Listen to this. I think this is a clear message that teachers need to hear. Their union is saying that, if teachers get into strife with the department or have some kind of dispute, the union will turn its back on them. The only component of the agreement that the government is likely to come into conflict with a teacher about is whether or not we deliver the 7% rise to them - and that is pretty well a no-risk situation - and whether or not we will deliver the conditions. We have given our commitment to the package.
What about all the other matters on which teachers need to call on their union for support from time to time? Their union is saying to them that, if they sign an individual agreement, they may as well not belong to the union. They may as well tear up their cards and stop paying the union dues. The nonsense that is being put forward by union officials, in part at least, is being put to rest today by the circular.
As far as I am concerned, the game is up. It is all over. There will not be a separate EBA, for all of the logical and obvious reasons that we have given. Teachers have won 95% of what they were pursuing. There is now more than a 2:1 ratio of teachers who accept the package unconditionally. Even the others are asking for the 95% because it is a good deal.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, following the formal close-off of the generous offer to the AEU for its teacher members, we also closed off, on 2 August, the acceptance of individual agreements by teachers. At that time, the number of those who had accepted was close to 950. This number has been continually disputed by the member for Wanguri and by the union. Their catchcry is `show us your proof' and they have asked for the list of names. There will be no showing of the list of names, for very transparent and clear reasons. How could one trust the member for Wanguri or union officials to guard the peace and tranquillity of those teachers who are now seeking to get on with the job? The heavying that went on last week to get members to attend the union meetings was really quite extensive. Some of it was pretty shameful and, in all, it was absurd.
Yesterday, when asked to demonstrate the validity of the numbers, I used the figure 947. In fact, I was incorrect. I had not been aware that, even since 2 August, single agreements continued to trickle in. I was really quite surprised that, despite this heavy pressure by union officials to round up the renegades to their meeting, 130-plus teachers had the courage to raise their hands to indicate that they would accept the government's package. That was despite such heavying by the union, which included a trip to Katherine by the union secretary to try to intervene in a motion by Katherine teachers to unconditionally accept the package. Why do you think they deferred their meeting from the morning until the afternoon? It was to give the secretary a chance to get there and do a number on them. However, it did not work.
When you consider that 950 of our teachers have already signed an individual agreement, which precludes participation in industrial action and meetings, it is quite amazing that, of the 650 who attended the meetings, 130-plus had the courage to raise their hands. Let me assure teachers that the government will not leave them behind. The government will not turn its back on the number that have come in since 2 August.
Page 1477
Today, I will table for the benefit of members an invitation that we circulated to teachers not only to take advantage of the 7% pay rise from next pay - the 4% increase to 7% is due - but also to receive backpay to February. From next payday, they will receive the extra 4% as well. On top of that, they will receive all of the other conditions that have been promised. These include the 3-year-trained or 4-year-trained jumps and the lifting of the master teacher caps. They will obtain the 2 hours release time. This will be a little tricky, particularly given that it applies to primary schools and a significant number of the primary school teachers have signed. Far fewer have signed in the secondary schools. However, that component of the $4.3m is now attributable to half the teachers. There are 1850 teachers in the schools and a great majority of the 950-plus - soon be 1100 - are in schools. Therefore, it should be of some advantage to our students to have the benefit of the 2 hours release time, and of advantage to teachers who are prepared to get on with the job.
Not only have we circulated today an invitation for all teachers to come in and sign, we have also circulated an explanation to dispel some of the nonsense that has been put about to scare teachers off signing individual agreements. For example, they have been told that, if they become involved in a dispute with the department, they will be left out on a limb and will not be covered. What the union is saying is that, despite the fact that they are paying their membership fee of $300 a year ...
Mr Bailey: You are not allowed to attend union meetings if you sign the contract.
Mr FINCH: Listen to this. I think this is a clear message that teachers need to hear. Their union is saying that, if teachers get into strife with the department or have some kind of dispute, the union will turn its back on them. The only component of the agreement that the government is likely to come into conflict with a teacher about is whether or not we deliver the 7% rise to them - and that is pretty well a no-risk situation - and whether or not we will deliver the conditions. We have given our commitment to the package.
What about all the other matters on which teachers need to call on their union for support from time to time? Their union is saying to them that, if they sign an individual agreement, they may as well not belong to the union. They may as well tear up their cards and stop paying the union dues. The nonsense that is being put forward by union officials, in part at least, is being put to rest today by the circular.
As far as I am concerned, the game is up. It is all over. There will not be a separate EBA, for all of the logical and obvious reasons that we have given. Teachers have won 95% of what they were pursuing. There is now more than a 2:1 ratio of teachers who accept the package unconditionally. Even the others are asking for the 95% because it is a good deal.
Page 1478
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016