Not since 2011 had TAFE NSW Federation members walked off the job at Gymea. But this month they felt it was necessary to take action.
Union members took protected industrial action on Tuesday, September 20. For one hour, they walked out of their classrooms.
Gymea was one of 18 TAFE colleges across NSW that took part in the walk-off meeting from midday outside their campus.
Federation members had rejected the NSW Government's salary offer of 2.53 per cent in the August Ballot. A total of 73 per cent of TAFE teachers voted 'no' to the Employer's Ballot.
Members then voted 'yes' to the strike this week as part of the Protected Action Ballot Order.
It was the first time since September 2011 members took industrial action. With raised placards in hand, they campaigned for improved salaries and conditions for the benefit of their students.
Their log of claims in the Enterprise Agreement 2022 campaign was for fairer wages, job security, sustainable workloads and defending working conditions. The federation stated that these claims were rejected by TAFE NSW in the first round of negotiations.
A spokesperson for TAFE NSW said it was disappointing that the federation encouraged its members to undertake industrial action at a time when the nation's leaders of government, industry, education, and the labor movement were coming together to try and solve critical skills shortages.
"As Australia's largest training provider, employers depend on TAFE NSW to provide a pipeline of skilled job ready graduates to staff their businesses," she said.
"Industrial action, which includes rolling stoppages, bans on student administration, and interfering with the enrolment of new students will hinder the supply of job ready graduates to industries that are already facing skills shortages."
She says TAFE NSW is committed to the good faith bargaining process for a new Teachers Enterprise Agreement under the Fair Work legislation and will continue to negotiate with the NSW Teachers Federation as part of the process.
"This year's State Budget set out a wages policy for public servants with a maximum remuneration increase of three per cent (comprising 2.53 per cent salary and 0.5 per cent superannuation). In order to pass this increase on to staff as quickly as possible, TAFE NSW opted not to seek any changes to the provisions of the existing agreement, including seeking any productivity gains."
Want more local news? Sign up for your free weekly newsletter.
