NSW schools are closed as teachers strike for the day, and take to the streets demanding higher salaries.
Thousands of teachers are expected to descend on Sydney’s CBD on Thursday, angry at a NSW budget that offered no more than a 3.5 per cent pay rise.
It’s the third strike in six months called by the NSW Teachers Federation and Independent Education Union NSW/ACT, representing 85,000 teachers.
The strike is expected to affect about a million families with classes cancelled on Thursday, just a day before a two-week school break.
“We have a crisis in the form of a teacher shortage, a crisis that is the government’s own making,” NSW Teachers Federation President Angelo Gavrielatos told reporters on Wednesday.
“The government has known for years the causes of this crisis: uncompetitive salaries and unsustainable workloads.
“Students have been denied not only their learning opportunities but are also being denied their futures.”
It’s the first time in more than 25 years both unions have joined forces to strike for 24 hours, in a show of strength.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said she was deeply disappointed the two teachers’ unions had decided to strike.
“This strike is unnecessary and will cause major upheaval for hardworking parents,” she said.
Ms Mitchell defended the government’s public sector wages policy, calling it the most generous in the country.
Meanwhile, the rail union says industrial action will continue this week despite a verbal commitment from Transport Minister David Elliott to spend $264 million on safety modifications of a Korean-made fleet.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has been locked in long-running stoush with the government over the modifications.
RTBU Secretary Alex Claassens said the union wants to see the complete package and commitment in writing, and discuss it with members, before any action can be called off.
“It’s great the NSW government has again admitted that safety issues with the New Intercity Fleet need to be rectified before we can allow commuters to travel on it,” Mr Claassens said.
“Rail workers and commuters have been burnt too many times to believe what one minister in one meeting says”.
The union began industrial action on Tuesday, by slowing down speed to 60 km/h, and vowed on Friday to stop operating foreign-made trains even after Mr Elliott’s offer.
Transport for NSW has warned this will cause delays and cancellations for commuters, with Sydney services to be reduced by 70 per cent during peak periods.
© AAP 2022
