NSW teachers staged a mass walk-out on Wednesday in their second strike within six months, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Thousands of teachers marched from Hyde Park in Sydney to the steps of NSW Parliament, as they chanted “more than thanks” and vowed to continue their fight with the state government over pay and conditions.
They are demanding a pay rise above the government’s legislated 2.5 per cent public sector wage cap.
NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet, has previously flagged the 2.5 per cent wage cap on the public sector would be dumped in the state budget, but has yet to nominate an alternative wage plan.
At the protest, the President of the NSW Teachers Federation, Angelo Gavrielatos, said the union will continue to cause classroom chaos “until we win.”
“My message to the Premier is negotiate. We are ready now to negotiate,” Mr Gavrielatos said to thousands of cheering teachers.
“My message to the Premier is… we won’t accept anything less than what our profession and our children deserve.”
In response, NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the strike was incredibly disappointing and the teachers union seemed “hellbent on this disruption for kids.”
Thousands of children stayed home from school after more than 250 public schools were listed by the NSW Education Department as non-operational on Wednesday.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.
