NSW: Teachers impatient for new salary talks to start

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-1999
NSW: Teachers impatient for new salary talks to start

SYDNEY, April 20 AAP - New South Wales teachers had not yet heard from the state government
on new salary awards despite a pre-election pledge to re-negotiate, the teachers' union said
today.

NSW Teachers' Federation deputy president Jennifer Leete said Education Minister John
Aquilina had late last year urged a quick and harmonious negotiation of a new award.

The current teachers' awards expire on June 30.

"Following his re-appointment as Education Minister, the federation wrote to John Aquilina,
seeking discussions on our salaries claim," Ms Leete said in a statement.

"Teachers and their union have not yet had a response."

She said the union was prepared to meet at short notice to resolve the claim in accordance
with the time frame proposed by the ALP before the election.

"It is in the interests of public education that we avoid a repeat of the unnecessary and
protracted dispute over teachers' salaries which occurred three years ago," Ms Leete said.

A spokesman for Mr Aquilina said tonight the minister had been sworn in only last week.

"He's not quite in a position to begin negotiations at this stage," he said.

"Under the current award, teachers received a 17 per cent pay rise and are now the highest
paid teachers in the country. The average teacher earns about $50,000 a year."

The spokesman said he did not know when negotiations would begin.

AAP dep/bm

KEYWORD: TEACHERS NSW

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