1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: And as we discussed yesterday on the show, teachers are 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: going to be going on strike on Friday. The strike 3 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: is set to impact urban schools from the Darwin and 4 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: Palmerston region, including Humpty Doo and to minmn Now, the 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: Chief Minister told us on the show yesterday that all 6 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: schools are going to remain open. I know that I've 7 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: received an email from my children's school this morning to 8 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: say that things are certainly going to be changed. It's 9 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: not going to be the usual program and kids will 10 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: join in two other classes etc. 11 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 2: Or classes will merge. 12 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: But teachers are indeed striking in protests to the Northern 13 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: Territory government's four year wage frees. Now the Chief Minister 14 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: yesterday question the timing of that action and if it 15 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: was politically motivated. The Department of Education received that formal 16 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: application from the Northern Territory branch of the Australian Education 17 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 1: Union that the strike, as I said, it's going to 18 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: happen on Friday between nine am and one pm. Now 19 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: joining me on the line to tell us more about 20 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: the situation is the head of the Education Union here 21 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: in the Northern Territory, Adam Lampey. 22 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, them. 23 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 3: Good morning Candy, Adam. 24 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: Why did teachers decide to take this action, Well. 25 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 3: It's to encourage the government to come back to the 26 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 3: bargaining table because their position is the wage freeze and 27 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 3: they're not moving on it. 28 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 2: So, Adam, what's the concern here? 29 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: Is it the fact that you know that now we 30 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 1: have got teachers into state that are being paid more 31 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 1: than territory teachers, so it's harder to get teaching staff 32 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 1: to the territory or what are the concerns. 33 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 3: Well, it is recruitment and retention. I guess our pay 34 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 3: claim is more about retention. Recruitment is a difficult issue 35 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 3: at the moment nationally because we have a chief teacher shortage, 36 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 3: but we need to try to encourage people to stay 37 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 3: in the Northern Territory and at the moment, Victorian and 38 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 3: Queensland are offering far better pain conditions. And as it happens, 39 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 3: as it happens, Victorian and Queensland are the tea jurisdictions 40 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 3: where we heavily recruit from the Northern Territory. So maybe 41 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 3: they're just getting sick of us posing their teachers. But look, 42 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 3: if if we don't offer something equivalent up here, we 43 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 3: just won't keep people here. 44 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:16,239 Speaker 1: Adam, what are those other states offering that is more attractive, 45 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: Like how much more money and what kind of different conditions. 46 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, So in Victoria they agreed to a two percent 47 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 3: pay rise plus a bonus at the end of the year, 48 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 3: so idea that they had a pay rise in July, 49 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 3: which puts them ahead of us. On top of that, 50 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 3: the Victorian government has committed to increasing non contact time, 51 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 3: so that's less face to face teaching time by an 52 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 3: hour and a half and they're creating two thousand new 53 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 3: jobs over the next four using Victoria in order to 54 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 3: do that. In Queensland they've offered four three and three 55 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 3: with a commitment by their government to review the cost 56 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 3: of living at the end of each year and if 57 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 3: the pay riders don't cover the cost of living, they 58 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 3: will get a bonus as well. And on top of 59 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 3: that they're making extra superannuation contributions as well as looking 60 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 3: at teacher wellbeing and work lads. So, I see you seriously, 61 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 3: it's you know, it's it's very it's die for us 62 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 3: if if the territory government does it get a bit 63 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 3: creative and and offer us offer us something now, because 64 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: we just won't keep people here. 65 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: Since that announcement came through yesterday, since you know, since 66 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: you decided that there was going to be the strike 67 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: on Friday, has there been any movement from the Northern 68 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: Territory government. 69 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 3: So we've had we've had some informal conversations, very informal, 70 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 3: and we've received no commitments that They asked us, was 71 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 3: there any way to not go ahead with the strike 72 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 3: on Friday, and we said, well, if you give us 73 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 3: an offer by Wednesday that we could recommend to members, 74 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 3: we might consider it. But you know they've left it. 75 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 3: It's too late. I mean, people tell me miracles happen, 76 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 3: so I guess there's still hope. But yeah, it's going 77 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 3: to be very difficult for them to come up with 78 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 3: an offer within forty eighty hours. 79 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 2: Adam. 80 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 1: Yesterday, the Chief Minister on this show questioned the timing. 81 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: She said that there is a by election on the 82 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: weekend and wondered if it was politically motivated. 83 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 2: Is it? 84 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 3: Well, Catie, the chief ministers being very disingenuous. Look, the 85 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 3: majority of teachers who will be turning up for the 86 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 3: strike action on Friday do not care who wins on Saturday. 87 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 3: The fat boy by election because most of their teachers 88 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 3: won't be voting in that by election. All they want 89 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 3: is to pay rise. The government has known about the 90 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 3: fact that we were planning strike action, we put in, 91 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 3: we've worn and about it months ago. They were just 92 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 3: drugging their shoulders and you know, basically go ahead. Now 93 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 3: the Chief Minister is getting upset because they might, you know, 94 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 3: she might suffer some personal consequences as a result industrial action. 95 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 3: So seriously, you know, saying something like that is just 96 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 3: you know, being naive at best. 97 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,119 Speaker 1: Now, I know a lot of people listening are going 98 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: to accept that, you know that their teachers doing an 99 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: incredibly difficult job and deserve to be paid as much 100 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 1: as their counterparts into state. But they will be questioning, 101 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: you know, what arrangements are going to be in place 102 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: for their kids, and why you've gone, you know, to 103 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,919 Speaker 1: this degree, which will you know which which will disrupt 104 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: children and will disrupt education? On Friday, what would you 105 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: say to those parents and cares that are listening this 106 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: morning thinking. 107 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 3: That if we don't do what we're doing, things are 108 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 3: going to get worse, a lot worse, and parents won't 109 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 3: won't be able to send them their kids to school 110 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 3: with the confidence of getting a good quality education because 111 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 3: the teritory government won't be able to staff schools. We 112 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 3: are in a public education crisis right now. The teritor 113 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 3: government is doing nothing about it. At least Victoria and 114 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 3: Queensland are trying to mitigate things a little bit. But 115 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 3: in the teachers are doing this not just for themselves, 116 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 3: but they're doing it for to keep a public education 117 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 3: system viable. And if we do not have paying conditions 118 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 3: that can attract teachers here or people will just be 119 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 3: able to walk into a job, literally walk into a 120 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 3: job anywhere else in Australia. 121 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: So Adam essentially what our teachers want at this point 122 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: tell us exactly what they want, you know, and I 123 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: think you know, so that everybody's aware exactly what you're 124 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: asking for, so you know, I know that then they 125 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: can't kind of like the government can't, you know, pretend 126 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: that politics is being played here. They can actually hear 127 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: it for themselves. Exactly what our teachers. 128 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 3: Need well, we need to put we need to We 129 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 3: need real wage increases, not bonus. There's no future in bonuses, Katie. 130 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 3: Bonuses are actually a disincentive. You know, people might stay 131 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 3: till December to collect the bonus, and they'll take the 132 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 3: money and run. But there is no future in bonuses. 133 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 3: There's only a future in real wage increases, where you know, 134 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 3: at least mitigate can mitigate the cost of living which 135 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 3: we all know is an issue for everybody at the moment. 136 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: Now, Adam, what is your message for the government this morning, Get. 137 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 3: Back to the table. Let's let's let's let's talk some 138 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 3: some real real wage increases, and let's let's talk about 139 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 3: trying to stop the train wreck, which is a public 140 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 3: keach essentially what public education is in the Lawn territory 141 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 3: at the moment. 142 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: Goodness me, I mean, it does sound like a worry, 143 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: And you know, I want to say on the record 144 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: that I think our teachers do a phenomenal job. You know, 145 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: every teacher that I've ever had teach my children at 146 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: public school do an amazing job. They are absolutely fantastic. 147 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: And I know that that. Obviously, this strike is going 148 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: to inconvenience some families and it's going to cause some 149 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: pressure for some schools. But our teachers do need to 150 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:48,839 Speaker 1: be renumerated appropriately. We need to make sure that we're 151 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: competitive with other states. Otherwise, like you've said, Adam, we 152 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: are going to find it bloody hard to keep teachers 153 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: in the Northern Territory and even more difficult to try 154 00:08:57,440 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 1: and recruit them to come and live and work here. 155 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, it's going to get worse if we do 156 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 3: not do this. Obviously, teachers are doing it for their 157 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,599 Speaker 3: own benefit, but they're doing it for the benefits of 158 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 3: the kids as well. In the long term, you know, 159 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 3: we need to have equivalent paying conditions otherwise that the 160 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:22,839 Speaker 3: situation is just going to become untenable. 161 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: Adam, I will just ask you one question that's come 162 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 1: through on the tech sign a couple of times. What 163 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: happens with the bonus that's already been paid to teachers 164 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: if they do get a paid. 165 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,319 Speaker 3: We didn't get a bonus. We rejected the bonus, so 166 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 3: the bonus unfortunately the general Public Service agreed to it, 167 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 3: which a lot of them are regretting right now, and 168 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 3: we didn't. So we had it was the employee ballot. 169 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,319 Speaker 3: Eighty seven point five, not just union members, but all 170 00:09:54,600 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 3: public school teachers rejected the bonuses. We haven't received any bonus. 171 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: That is really important, I reckon for our listeners to know, 172 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: because I think that a lot of people were thinking 173 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,199 Speaker 1: that teachers had received a bonus and were then obviously, 174 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: you know, striking on this wage freeze when as you've 175 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: said there, teachers did not get that bonus. 176 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 3: No, we haven't had a pay freason in well overrated 177 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 3: months now. 178 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:22,199 Speaker 2: Pay rise do you mean, Adam? 179 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: Yeah? 180 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 2: Mate, I appreciate your time this morning. Please keep us 181 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 2: up to date. 182 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: If you do hear back from the Northern Territory government, 183 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 1: we'd be very interested to hear and get that update. 184 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 2: We'll talk to you again very soon. Thank you. We 185 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 2: appreciate your time.