NSW: TAFE teachers walk off job over teaching hours

AAP General News (Australia)
08-11-2009
NSW: TAFE teachers walk off job over teaching hours

SYDNEY, Aug 11 AAP - TAFE teachers angry at a NSW government push to increase teaching
hours are holding stop work meetings across the state, saying the changes could destroy
jobs.

Thousands of teachers are expected to walk off the job on Tuesday morning, with meetings
being held to discuss the possibility of further industrial action.

They are angry about a NSW government push to increase the teacher year by 71 hours,
and the removal the current limits on weekly teaching hours.

Teachers won a pay rise earlier this year but the government is now calling for changes
to teaching hours to pay for the increase.

NSW Teachers Federation president Bob Lipscombe said the government proposal went too
far in trying to achieve cost savings and could even cost jobs.

"These changes would mean savings to the government far greater than anything needed
to fund the recent salary increases," he said in a statement.

"They could result in thousands of part time casuals losing their jobs or having their
hours and income drastically reduced, as well as hundreds of permanent teacher positions
being made redundant or not filled.

"I call on the Premier (Nathan Rees) and Minister (Education Minister Verity Firth)
to show leadership to resolve the matter."

The two-hour stop work meetings, expected to be held in 40 separate venues across NSW,
begin at 9am (AEST).

AAP ab/evt/dep/

KEYWORD: TAFE

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