The NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) has accused the state government of an “act of betrayal” after a breakdown in pay negotiations after a one-year agreement was withdrawn on Wednesday.
NSWTF president Angelo Gavrielatos said negotiations with the Minns government began in April, with an agreement reached on May 31 at a meeting with the NSW Education Minister Prue Car and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey.
The agreement included a commitment to increase the starting salary for a teacher by nearly $10,000, and raise the maximum teaching salary by about $9,000, Mr Gavrielatos said.
Mr Gavrielatos said the deal was reaffirmed in June, but on Friday last week the government said it had decided not to proceed.
“This is unheard of. This is unprecedented. In my decades of experience, never before has a government walked away from a deal in the way that we are experiencing now. This is an act of betrayal,” Mr Gavrielatos said.
In response, Ms Car said negotiations were ongoing.
“We have reached many agreements with the Teachers Federation… but there are some things we haven’t yet reached agreement on,” she said.
“I’m pretty disappointed about where we have landed today, but I urge the federation to continue negotiating with the government.”
Fair pay for teachers was one of Labor’s key election promises in the lead-up to the 2023 state election.
Source: ABC News.
