Premier Denis Napthine shelves performance pay in teacher standoff, but AEU warns fight is not over

    Wes Hosking, Matt Johnston
    Herald Sun
    March 19, 2013


HALF-day stop-work action is still planned for Victorian schools in term two despite a major backdown by the Napthine Government in the bitter teacher pay dispute.

But parents and teachers are optimistic a deal can be reached quickly to avert the industrial action after the Government scrapped its insistence that pay be linked to performance.     :-?

Premier Denis Napthine said the removal of the key sticking point in the ugly battle showed his "real commitment" to resolving the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement stalemate.

"The Government can announce today that it has decided to take discussions on performance pay off the table, and deal with this issue ... outside the current EBA processes," he said.

Dr Napthine said the Government was still committed to a merit-based pay system in the long run.

The head of the Australian Education Union in Victoria, Meredith Peace, said the backdown by the Government wouldn't mean an end to the industrial action.


This includes rolling half-day regional stoppages, set to hit schools in May and June, and a ban on teacher overtime, which has forced the cancellation of school camps, productions, sports and excursions outside school hours.

"We will stop campaigning when we get an agreement with the Government," Ms Peace said. "This doesn't resolve the dispute.     ;)

"There are a number of outstanding issues ... salaries is one of those, workload, class sizes, the high level of contract employment."

The union and Government will meet again today to discuss the issues.

The AEU in November reduced its pay claim to 12.6 per cent over three years, while the Government offered 2.5 per cent a year plus performance pay.

Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews said industrial action was hurting parents and small businesses that ran camps and other extra-curricular activities.

He said the Premier should get personally involved in the dispute to achieve a quick outcome.

Parents Victoria executive officer Gail McHardy said she hoped the dispute could be resolved in time for the end of term one next week.

"Common sense has prevailed. Let's get on with educating these kids," she said.

Institute of Public Affairs policy director Tim Wilson said the Government must push ahead with performance pay.

"We should be making sure there are incentives so that teachers deliver the best outcome for kids and can be judged against that," Mr Wilson said.

Have your say now: heraldsun.com.au

Mr Napthine will you be able to resolve the teachers dispute, before they go on strike again?.     :-?    

How about giving him time to find where the Xerox paper is kept???

What a shame Mr Baillieu didn't get it sorted out.  Now he, did have time.     :(   

Why is their a teachers dispute.

They need to get off the fckn arse, and educate Australians, so we don't end up with more illiterate Australians.

Do the JOB the government Pays them too do.

The teachers need a fair pay rise.     ;)

Just get to work you lazy arseholes. >:( >:(

wrote on Mar 20^th, 2013 at 6:59am:

The teachers need a fair pay rise.     ;)

They don’t want a “fair pay rise”.

Baillieu made a moronic election promise and they are holding the state and most importantly their students to ransom till they get it. This is nothing but people thinking only about themselves.

Stupid politicians and greedy teachers is all this is about.

Backing away from performance pay is a sensible move which should help reach a resolution. Let's hope so.

We will stop campaigning when we get an agreement with the Government," Ms Peace said. "This doesn't resolve the dispute.     :)    

"There are a number of outstanding issues ... salaries is one of those, workload, class sizes, the high level of contract employment."

FriYAY wrote on Mar 20^th, 2013 at 7:47am:

wrote on Mar 20th, 2013 at 6:59am: The teachers need a fair pay rise.     ;) They don’t want a “fair pay rise”. Baillieu made a moronic election promise and they are holding the state and most importantly their students to ransom till they get it. This is nothing but people thinking only about themselves. Stupid politicians and greedy teachers is all this is about.

Wow! So when a politician promises people something, then doesn't deliver, those people shouldn't hold him to it.

What an interesting admission.

wrote on Mar 20^th, 2013 at 7:48am:

We will stop campaigning when we get an agreement with the Government," Ms Peace said. "This doesn't resolve the dispute.     :)     "There are a number of outstanding issues ... salaries is one of those, workload, class sizes, the high level of contract employment."

Wow! So when a politician promises people something, then doesn't deliver, those people shouldn't hold him to it.

What an interesting admission.



;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Peter Freedman wrote on Mar 20^th, 2013 at 7:52am:

FriYAY wrote on Mar 20th, 2013 at 7:47am: wrote on Mar 20th, 2013 at 6:59am: The teachers need a fair pay rise.     ;) They don’t want a “fair pay rise”. Baillieu made a moronic election promise and they are holding the state and most importantly their students to ransom till they get it. This is nothing but people thinking only about themselves. Stupid politicians and greedy teachers is all this is about. Wow! So when a politician promises people something, then doesn't deliver, those people shouldn't hold him to it. What an interesting admission.

;D ;D

Like it never happens does it. ::)

Well Mr Napthine, we would strongly suggest you sit down with the teachers union, and negotiate a fair and reasonable outcome.     :)               

wrote on Mar 20^th, 2013 at 8:00am:

Well Mr Napthine, we would strongly suggest you sit down with the teachers union, and negotiate a fair and reasonable outcome.     :)

Who the bugger is "we".

I hope to bugger you are not a teacher.... :(

The good people of Victoria, support a fair go for the teachers.     :)      

KJT1981 wrote on Mar 20^th, 2013 at 7:54am:

wrote on Mar 20th, 2013 at 7:48am: We will stop campaigning when we get an agreement with the Government," Ms Peace said. "This doesn't resolve the dispute.     :)     "There are a number of outstanding issues ... salaries is one of those, workload, class sizes, the high level of contract employment." Wow! So when a politician promises people something, then doesn't deliver, those people shouldn't hold him to it. What an interesting admission. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Numberplate is one of the best examples of the failure of the Australian education system. Mind you, it was working with inferior material.

She reminds me of the dinosaur whose brain was so tiny, it was only dimly aware it was alive.

wrote on Mar 20^th, 2013 at 8:06am:

The good people of Victoria, support a fair go for the teachers.     :)

Moron.

The good people of Victoria are sick to dam death of having to disrupt their work and children to cater for these self centered, greedy arseholes.

Well then, I suppose the government better sit down and start negotiating.     :)   

warrigal wrote on Mar 20^th, 2013 at 6:45am:

Why is their a teachers dispute. They need to get off the fckn arse, and educate Australians, so we don't end up with more illiterate Australians. Do the JOB the government Pays them too do.

We definitely need to teach people the difference between " their" and "there".