Every day of learning counts, but the safety of Tasmanian students is the number one priority for this Government.
As a result of the Australian Education Union’s direction to its members to participate in stop work action, most of Tasmania’s public schools will need to close from 12.15 pm on Wednesday, 9 November.
But year 11 and 12 exam centres, at the eight Colleges, King Island District High school and Scottsdale High School, will remain open so exams can proceed as scheduled.
With the AEU encouraging staff across the State to participate in the stop work action, other schools will be unable to provide adequate duty of care for students from 12.15 pm so families will need to make plans for their children to leave school early.
Buses will operate their usual timetables, so families will need to make alternative travel arrangements for students who rely on buses to get home in the afternoon.
Schools will be communicating with families in relation to these matters from today.
The Government is committed to negotiating with the AEU in good faith and has done so for a number of months.
The planned industrial action does not help these negotiations, it only disrupts learning and makes life difficult for Tasmanian families.
It is particularly disturbing that the AEU booked this stop work action before even taking the Government’s latest wages offer to members, in the middle of the first week of Year 11 and 12 exams.
Our final wages offer to unions is fair, affordable and reasonable, and gives our valued State service employees a pay rise, cost of living relief and improved conditions.
The AEU’s actions will disrupt not only students and their learning but also families and their workplaces, many of which are small businesses.
If the AEU is truly committed to students and good faith negotiations, it will immediately call off this disruptive action to enable talks to continue and ensure children don’t miss out on learning next Wednesday.
