TEACHERS at a Berwick Primary School will be providing comments for students’ reports despite their efforts for better pay and work conditions.
Principal Henry Grossek said that out of 40 staff, there were 22 teachers who were members of the Australia Education Union Victorian branch (AEU). After a meeting, each had decided they would write comments in the reports.
AEU regional stoppages have been part of the Victorian public teachers, principals and education support staff campaign for a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement that provides improved pay and conditions.
As well, throughout term four, there was a ban on reporting student achievement to the Education Department, limited comments in student reports, a one-hour ban on scheduled meetings per week and bans specific to the work of education support members.
Mr Grossek said he had no part in his staff’s decision but was proud of their move.
“Personally, I agree with them. Children are innocent. Reports are important to kids and the teachers’ comments about them are memorabilia. If the children don’t get comments, they don’t understand why,” Mr Grossek said.
“On the other side, I have seen (this issue) create a lot of school division among teachers. Some schools are all supporting the AEU, some aren’t.
“Parents are getting caught between supporting a good claim or paying on behalf of their children. That is an unnecessary risk for the AEU to take in pursuing their claim. That’s the heart of my concern.”
Mr Grossek said he agreed with the teachers’ fight for better pay and conditions, but disagreed in the approach being taken by the AEU.
“I agree in principle strongly that teachers need better pay and a career structure – there is no question of that,” he said.
“I think the Baillieu Government has betrayed teachers with a promise they didn’t keep.
“My view is about the tactics being used. The AEU asked teachers not to tell the principals what they are doing and I think that is insulting. We shouldn’t be kept in the dark. Also, work bans don’t work as effectively as a whole day stop workages – as it creates more work later on for the teachers. The government really needs to come to the party.”
AEU Victorian Branch President, Mary Bluett said negotiations with the Baillieu Government broke down on Thursday 22 November for a second time after the premier refused to respond to the union’s considerably revised salary offer which was in line with the police pay deal.
“The Baillieu Government has shown a complete lack of respect for public school staff in Victoria by publicly saying that they want this issue resolved, but behind closed doors, not even having the decency to negotiate in good faith and respond to what is a very reasonable offer.”
