1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,599 Speaker 1: Last week we heard from the president of Union ZNT 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: that some public servants are going to be taking a 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: day of action tomorrow and going on strike. We now 4 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: know that's public servants in Darwin. Alice Springs and Catherine 5 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: are going to be taking that day and by and 6 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: large the strikes so far have not had a huge 7 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: impact on many of us, but a lot of us 8 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: parents waiting to hear exactly what the situation is when 9 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: it comes to teachers. And joining me on the show 10 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: is the Australian Education Union president for the Northern Territory, 11 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: Michelle Airs. 12 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Michelle. 13 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 3: Good morning Katie, Michelle. 14 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 2: What is the situation. 15 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: Will teachers be taking industrial action and going on strike tomorrow? 16 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 3: Yes, Katie, they will and why is that? 17 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: What's the decision or the reason behind that decision. 18 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 3: So we've been working with the government to try and 19 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 3: come to an agreement that the teachers can sign off 20 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 3: on where now into week I think it's week seeks 21 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 3: the teachers. We're getting really close to the end of 22 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 3: the year. We're seeing teachers leave the territory. So so 23 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 3: many teachers have already made the decision to go, so 24 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 3: many more thinking about whether or not they'll go, and 25 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 3: we are yet to see an agreement that we'll get out, 26 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 3: you know, incentivize people to either say or get recruit 27 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 3: people here for next year. I have spoken to a 28 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 3: school principle in the last week who said that he's 29 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 3: unable to get people through his door for next year. 30 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 3: At the moment, he's yet to fill one position. 31 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 2: So, Michelle, that two percent is not good enough. 32 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 3: Two percent does not put us above Queensland as far 33 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 3: as our salary rates go. And I've mentioned before I 34 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 3: think on your show and with other people, but so 35 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 3: long as we're competing with lower salary rates than we're 36 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 3: seeing in Victoria and Queensland, it is going to be 37 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 3: really hard to get people to leave those places where 38 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 3: there's more amenities, the cost of living is lower, and 39 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 3: they're closer to the family to come here to the 40 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 3: Northern Territory, where it's a harder jurisdiction to teach in 41 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,639 Speaker 3: lower funded classrooms. So we need to see something that 42 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 3: going to get teachers here. 43 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: At the end of the day, Michelle, I understand that 44 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: you are set to meet with the Public Employment Commissioner today. 45 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: What are you expecting to happen? 46 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 3: Yes, So, We're really hoping that they're able to put 47 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 3: out an agreement that we can we can put forward 48 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 3: to our teachers to and endorse from the aau's perspective, 49 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 3: so that people can vote on it and we can 50 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 3: get teachers not only paid but back paid. Because it's 51 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,799 Speaker 3: eighteen months since the public sector has seen a pay rise, 52 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:45,839 Speaker 3: or at least teachers in the public sector have seen 53 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 3: a payrise, and that's considering the cost of living pressures 54 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 3: we're under. It is really hitting them hard. 55 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: Michelle, what if there is a great offer put on 56 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 1: the table today, will you still strike tomorrow. 57 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 3: At the end of the day. The decision for that 58 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 3: is with the individual teachers. We had to make a call, 59 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 3: and I had to tell the Commission of a Public 60 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 3: Employment that we gave her a deadline and said, we 61 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 3: have to make a call. Our teachers need to know 62 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 3: if they're going out on strike. So if we get 63 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 3: a good offer today, if we get any offer today, 64 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 3: my intention is to put those numbers to the teachers 65 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 3: and let them make the choice. Do you want to strike? 66 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:27,679 Speaker 3: Are you fed up and frustrated or some people there's 67 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 3: two versions. Are fed up and frustrated. There are teachers 68 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 3: who are burnt out and tired and telling me, Michelle, 69 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 3: I just want to be with my class, I just 70 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 3: want to be teaching. There are teachers who are burnt out, 71 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 3: tired and frustrated who want to go and yell on 72 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 3: scream at the government. And at this point I don't 73 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 3: blame either of them. 74 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: So at this point, by the sounds of it, you know, 75 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: those members are a little bit divided in the sense 76 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: that some of them sort of even though they're frustrated, 77 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: they're prepared to stay back in the classroom because it's 78 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: towards the end of the year and they're over it, 79 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: and others are thinking, no, I want to get out there. 80 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 2: I want to make sure my voice is heard. 81 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. 82 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 3: Absolutely, And that's you know, it's the end of the year. 83 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 3: As a teacher, the end of the year is the 84 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 3: hardest time you're pushing through to get to the end 85 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,279 Speaker 3: of term. Teaching is a really hard gig at any point, 86 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 3: but especially when you haven't been you know, I haven't 87 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 3: seen a pay rise in eighteen months. There's a teacher shortage, 88 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 3: so most of these teachers are covering gaps and that 89 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 3: adds pressure. Everything that we're seeing this year where it's 90 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 3: the end or where Perry pandemic. Really, it's not over yet. 91 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 3: So all of these things are just adding pressure and 92 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 3: pressure and pressure to teachers, and teachers are burning out, 93 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 3: and that's a huge concern. That should be the biggest 94 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 3: concern for our parents. 95 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 2: At the moment, I think, well, look, you know, the 96 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 2: kids are ratty. 97 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: Everyone's a bit over it towards the end of the year, 98 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: so it must be an incredibly hard time. I mean, 99 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: I'm over it by the end of the year, so 100 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: I can't imagine what it's like if you've got twenty 101 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: twenty five thirty kids that supervising and trying to educate. 102 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 2: You know, it is getting so close to the end 103 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 2: of the year. 104 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: Four weeks until the end of the year, Michelle, what 105 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 1: is going to happen if there isn't an agreement reached 106 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: by the end of the term. 107 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 3: I've always said, Katie that if we do not have 108 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 3: an agreement by the end of the term, it is 109 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 3: going to be detrimental to our education system because, as 110 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 3: I said, principles are already struggling to get people through 111 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 3: the door. With four weeks to go, positions should be 112 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 3: being filled. So if we do not have teachers in 113 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 3: front of kids next year's I honestly can't tell you 114 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 3: what the government's going to have to do, so really 115 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 3: this is on them. We're trying to work with them, 116 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:42,679 Speaker 3: but at the end of the day, it's the government's 117 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 3: responsibility to get teachers here next year, and so we're 118 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 3: really hoping they live up to that. 119 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: You said before that there are already teachers making that 120 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: decision to leave. Do you have any idea at this 121 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: point what those numbers are looking like. 122 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 3: It's a really tricky one to make a call on. 123 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 3: We've got a very large northern territory. I know I 124 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 3: could give you statistics for one school, we're out of 125 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 3: eighteen teachers at the school, something like sixteen fourteen or 126 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 3: sixteen are leaving. So you know there will be schools 127 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 3: that this isn't a case of a teacher can just 128 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 3: cover the class. If we don't recruit. There are schools 129 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 3: that will not be able to operate next year. If 130 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,919 Speaker 3: they cannot recruit people in their biggest schools, maybe they'll 131 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 3: lose you know, ten percent of their teachers or five 132 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 3: percent of their teachers, and they it will mean that 133 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 3: it's harder next year and that the teachers that stay 134 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 3: will have to put in even more work to cover 135 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 3: those classes, and those teachers, considering how burns out they 136 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 3: are now, that isn't sustainable. That's not going to last 137 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 3: very long. So this is hugely worrying if we can't 138 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 3: get an agreement across this year. 139 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: Michelle, I know that there's going to be parents that 140 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: are listening this morning that are going to be annoyed. 141 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:56,919 Speaker 1: They're going to be thinking this is hugely disruptive so 142 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: close to the end of the term. I mean, what 143 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: would you say to the those. 144 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 3: Parents, Yeah, I'd ask them to stick with us. The 145 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 3: parents and the parent voice has been one of the 146 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 3: biggest assets that we've had as far as breaking that 147 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 3: wage freeze and getting us to the point where we 148 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 3: are right now. I would also say the fact that 149 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 3: it's taken this long, this isn't on the union. This 150 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 3: is on the government who have held out so long. 151 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 3: They waited until the very last moment of the school 152 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 3: holidays at the end of term three to break the 153 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 3: wage free It wasn't until week three that we were back, 154 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 3: you know, bargaining for an enterprise agreement. So when it 155 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 3: comes to who is the one who's disrupting education. Us 156 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 3: going out for four hours is actually doing a lot 157 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 3: less to disrupt education than the government holding back on 158 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 3: that on giving us an agreement. 159 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: So, Michelle, four hours is what it's going to be tomorrow. 160 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: What time is that and where is it going to be. 161 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, So the strike itself is from nine to one, 162 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 3: So teachers will be at school in the morning. They'll 163 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 3: head out of school at nine in Darwin, they'll head 164 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 3: down to Raintree Park to meet up with the other 165 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 3: mp public specting unions that you mentioned before, and then 166 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 3: they'll be a bit of a march down of Parliament 167 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 3: House at ten am and then the teachers will head 168 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 3: back to school by one pm and afternoon classes will resume. 169 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: Well, Michelle airs, we're really interested to see exactly what 170 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: happens here, whether the government comes to the table with 171 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: a payoffer, with a you know, with an offer that 172 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: teachers do deem acceptable. I know that this is across 173 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: the board with a lot of different public sector unions 174 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: and you know, let's be honest, the government has not 175 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: managed the books well and that is why we're in 176 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 1: the situation that we're in. I think that a lot 177 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: of territory and sort of you know, very much understood 178 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:50,959 Speaker 1: that a couple of years back when we were going 179 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 1: through that situation. But right now, you know, CPI is 180 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:56,719 Speaker 1: six point eight percent. I think it is here in 181 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory, the cost of living's astronomical. 182 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 2: And I do think that if we are. 183 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: Going to recruit teachers from interstate, if we're going to 184 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 1: retain our wonderful teachers, then you know a deal needs 185 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: to be done. The Northern Territory government needs to get 186 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: to the table and negotiate with you guys. That was 187 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: Michelle Airs there, who is indeed the Australian Education Union 188 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: Branch president for the Northern Territory.