Unions say a proposed deal that would make NSW public school teachers the highest-paid in the country will go some way to alleviate the workforce shortages and stressful conditions they have long fought to improve.
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The NSW Teachers Federation has reached an in-principle agreement with the state government that will boost all teacher salaries.
A new teacher's salary will rise 12 per cent from $75,791 to $85,000, while those at the top of the pay scale will receive an extra 8 per cent, lifting their salary to $122,100.
"This salary reset is a significant step in the right direction," the union's acting president, Illawarra resident Henry Rajendra, said.
"It is a significant component in addressing teacher shortages."
Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car said there was "much more to do" but this marked an important step forward in improving the education system.
"In order to tackle the teacher shortage crisis we must restore respect to the teaching profession, so teachers are free to do their jobs without additional stress," Ms Car said.
The NSW Teachers Federation's executive will recommend that the state council endorse the deal at a meeting on Saturday.
The proposed agreement is also an expected boon for most of the state's Catholic school teachers, whose employers - 10 dioceses, including Wollongong - have previously said they will at least match the state government's pay.
"It's an enormous financial benefit for teachers who are in the system," Bernadette Baker, the Illawarra-based Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT vice president systemic schools, said.
Mrs Baker said the pay increase was a "carrot" that showed prospective teachers that education offered a financially viable career option.
She said it would also probably keep more experienced teachers in the profession who were considering leaving.
Mr Rajendra said once the agreement was finalised, the NSW Teachers Federation would seek formal talks with the government to address workload issues.
"We've had teachers taking on more and more students in the classroom, teachers taking on additional supervision in the playground or library," he said.
The teacher shortage played a significant role in this issue, Mr Rajendra said, and once the new deal was struck it was critically important to encourage university students into teaching by showing that NSW offered the highest pay of any jurisdiction.
But there Mr Rajendra said there were a number of issues that could be investigated to lessen the burden on teachers in the meantime, including "unnecessary" administration work and an examination of whether certain data collection teachers were required to do was necessary at all.
Mrs Baker said Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong had made a concerted effort this year to look at school programming demands on teachers and had in the past week introduced steps to reduce this load.
The union wanted teachers to only do the programming was required by the NSW Education Standards Authority, she said, because currently they were asked to do more than what was needed to be compliant.
Mr Rajendra said the proposed agreement would mean the current award, due to expire this year, would be extended until next October and salaries would be adjusted accordingly.
He said the agreement stipulated that the union and the government would negotiate a new three-year award before October 2024.
"Both parties will arrive at the negotiating table with their respective policies and positions; until that time, it would be speculation," he said when asked what the future award might entail.
Meanwhile, the state government said wages in the three years following October 2024 would continue to rise in line with its wages policy.
Mrs Baker said the agreement would not have happened without the cooperation of teachers and the collaboration of the two unions.
Unions have organised a number of protests in Wollongong in recent years, with one in June 2022 attracting more than 2000 people.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
