Canberra Schools to Close as Teachers Announce Further Strike Action
Canberra’s public school students will face another day of disruption as teachers and school staff are set to walk off the job on Thursday, June 11th. This industrial action follows a two-hour work stoppage last month, marking the first full-day strike by ACT public school educators in 15 years. The ongoing dispute stems from deep-seated frustrations between the Education Directorate and the Australian Education Union (AEU) during negotiations for a new enterprise agreement.
The decision to close all public schools has been made by the Education Directorate, citing the paramount importance of student and staff safety during the industrial action. This means that no on-site supervision will be available for students on Thursday. Individual schools have been instructed to inform families directly about any potential impacts on assessments, excursions, or other scheduled activities.
In a statement released on its website, the Directorate emphasised that “The safety and wellbeing of students and staff remains our highest priority.” They acknowledged the significant disruption school closures cause for families and stressed that such decisions are not made lightly, especially given this is the second such disruption this term. The Directorate assured that efforts have been made to provide families with as much advance notice as possible to facilitate planning.
The Roots of the Dispute: Unaddressed Concerns
The decision for a full-day strike was made by union members following last month’s shorter work stoppage. According to the union, teachers are resorting to this action because the government has failed to adequately address their core concerns regarding staffing levels, escalating workloads, and the increasing size of classrooms.
Angela Burroughs, the ACT branch president of the AEU, expressed the sentiment of many educators, stating in May that public school staff were “fed up.” She articulated that teachers do not relish taking strike action but are feeling “exhausted” and are “putting up with the unacceptable.” Burroughs added, “our members’ patience has expired.”
Progress in Negotiations?
Despite the ongoing industrial action, the ACT government maintains that negotiations have been progressing in the weeks since the May 22nd strike. Education Minister Yvette Berry informed the Legislative Assembly that recent meetings between the Education Directorate and the union took place on Wednesday and Friday of the previous week.
Minister Berry also addressed a promised review into the pay classification of some education staff. She acknowledged that this review, a commitment from the previous enterprise agreement, had not progressed as it should have and offered an apology for the delay.
Impact on Student Learning and Support Services
The Education Directorate has assured that while student assessments may be affected by the strike, measures will be in place to ensure students are not disadvantaged. “Students will not be disadvantaged by the closure,” the Directorate stated, adding that “Schools will advise families and students of any adjustments required.”
Crucially, school bus services are expected to operate on their normal schedule, unaffected by the strike action.
For families relying on out-of-school-hours care, companies providing these services will be in direct contact with parents and guardians to inform them about their operational arrangements for Thursday, June 11th, in light of the strike.
