Changes to the state wages policy announced by the O'Farrell government could result in cuts to the real income of teachers, police, firefighters and other NSW public servants.
On May 24 the government introduced legislation into NSW Parliament to restrict the role of the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) in matters relating to public sector wages and conditions. It could diminish both pay and leave entitlements.
Any increase in pay above 2.5 percent would have to be funded from 'employee related savings', which must be achieved before any rise is paid.
Teachers are not in a position where reasonable 'employee related savings' are possible. This leaves the IRC unable to grant any more than 2.5 percent, unless conditions are sacrific ed. As inflation is predicted to be above 3 percent in coming years, the government is really imposing annual pay cuts on teachers.
The NSW Teachers Federation totally opposes this legislation.
President of the Teachers Federation, Bob Lipscombe, said today:
"In an unprecedented move, the Coalition has taken upon itself the right to determine whether public sector workers will receive a pay increase or maintain their conditions. No other employer in Australia has that power.
"This legislation attacks the rights of workers to negotiate a fair outcome on pay and conditions.
"It attacks the independence of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission by removing its ability to act as an independent umpire when the negotiating parties cannot reach agreement.
"It will allow the government to reduce the entitlements of public sector workers to hard-won leave and some other conditions, and prescribe a cut in real terms in the pay of teachers and other public sector worke rs.
"The O'Farrell government is on notice that, should this legislation be passed, teachers in public schools and TAFE colleges will not accept such an attack on their industrial rights. Pay cuts of this kind will make it increasingly difficult to both attract and retain the new teachers we need over the next few years to replace those who are retiring."
