Teacher anger rising
A big crowd of teachers is expected to attend the STOP WORK meeting tomorrow in protest against Tasmania Tomorrow, David Bartlett’s flawed restructure of the Tasmanian Post Year 10 education system. TAFE and Secondary College members will attend
The meeting is being held at the Scots Church Hall in Bathurst Street, Hobart.
Greg Brown, the AEU President of the Secondary Colleges Sector, said: “In the two northern meetings last week, the opposition to Tasmania Tomorrow was overwhelming.”
As voting proceeded it was obvious that members at both meetings would deliver a devastating blow to the credibility. Education Minister and Premier, David Bartlett, and the man credited with inventing Tasmania Tomorrow, Education Department Secretary John Smyth.
At the meetings 5 motions were adopted. Approximately 260 members attended the meetings held in Ulverstone and Launceston.
(Motions and results table attached.)
Motion 1: 82% of AEU members supported the current Secondary College system and called for the roll-back of the Tasmania Tomorrow structure.
Motion 2: 87% of AEU members supported the TAFE system and called for the roll-back of the Tasmania Tomorrow structure.
Motion3: 92% of AEU members demanded that no College is to be forced to join the Tasmania Tomorrow structure against the wishes of the majority of its teaching and support staff.
Motion 4: 87% of AEU members demanded the right for Secondary College and TAFE teachers, who entered the Tasmania Tomorrow structure in 2009, to be given a secret ballot to determine whether they should return to their 2008 structures.
Motion 5: 89% of AEU members demanded that the Premier keeps his word and respects the democratic vote by Elizabeth College teachers not to enter Tasmania Tomorrow in 2010, and endorsed immediate industrial action if he fails to do so.
“What we are seeing here is a severe loss of credibility in a man who promised so much when he took over the reins of education from Paula Wriedt. If his teachers think he is a bully and have no confidence in him, then where is he?” Mr Brown said.
“If he thinks his bullying, refusal to consult is winning him any friends he is sadly mistaken The resentment directed at him and his half-baked plan is clear at our meetings. What the Tasmanian school community wants is someone who will show leadership not someone whose only desire is to ram his ideas down students’, parents’ and teachers’ throats.”
“David Bartlett continues to get bad advice. He lack of credibility in the education portfolio now has risen above that of his other failing ministers.”
Download:
A table of results combining the ballots of both the Ulverstons and Launceston meetings.
A table of results from the Launceston meeting.
brownAEU_Stop_Work_TABLE.doc
brown2Ltn_AEU_Stop_Work_Meeting.doc
Greg Brown AEU President Secondary Colleges/PY10
