Teachers & Educators UCA Update # 19

6 February 2008

STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAYS

KEY TO GOVERNMENT OFFER 

At the AEU-NT Teachers and Educators negotiating meeting on 5^th February with Ken Simpson, the Public Service Commissioner and officials from NT DEET, the message was clear:  The Government regards our opposition to school development days during recreation leave and stand-down as a priority before other issues.

The Government’s offer still stands at:

• THREE School Development Days in the week prior to students returning from school from the Christmas break, plus

·          TWO more days in the week prior to students returning to school from the mid-year break.

A total of FIVE days.  Teachers and Educators will be classed as being on duty during these periods.

Therefore, a new clause would be included in the next Agreement breaking up the current six weeks of recreational leave over Christmas into the first four weeks of the Christmas break, (allowing the last two weeks to be reclassified as stand-down and teachers and educators to be recalled to duty in schools), and the first two weeks of the mid year break.

The AEU-NT was presented with two arguments for the necessity of School Development Days:  Firstly, that teachers need the time to prepare themselves for the start of the school year; and secondly, that parents want certainty about the start of the school year.

At present the AEU-NT position is as follows:

·         Retention of current recreational leave and stand-down arrangements.

·         No school development days scheduled during stand-down.

·         No mandatory requirement for teachers and educators to be on duty during stand- down.

·         Four school development days made available during school time, approved by the Chief Executive, requested by the relevant school community/council.

Mr Simpson said, unless we move on School Development Days other parts of our claim, which includes salary increases and a Professional Isolation Allowance, are not able to be progressed.

We are scheduled to meet again on Tuesday, 12 February.