Me again
I used to think that the overwhleming political agenda for public schooling in Australia was to privatise it at all costs...most of what we see around us makes sense when you accept that political reality. NAPLAN, teacher workload, SES funding models, negative press, poor behaviour management etc.
Now I believe there is an even deeper agenda running and it is to keep teachers wages low, no matter who gets damaged...teachers, students, parents...even politicans themselves. It's related to privatisation but much more fundamental - it saves mega bucks if it is done properly.
In Queensland alone there are 45 000 public school teachers. WA must be over 30 000 - the other states? Who knows but there is a hell of a lot of us...must be well over 150 000? Much more than nurses and police put together i bet.
Imagine the cost to government if we were paid a professional salary. Michael Chaney - the former president of The Business Council of Australia came out last year and said $150K for a good senior teacher is realistic...imagine that? That is what we are worth - not a lousy $70 or $80K.
Don't get me wrong, the agenda to keep our wages low is not because the powers that be think we don't do a difficult job, not at all. I'm sure a lot of them would run a mile if they had to teach in a public school; what we do is irrelevant, it's a numbers game, good old economic rationalism. Why pay them more if they themselves don't expect it? Teachers I've worked with, time and again don't really expect those kinds of wages and unions reinforce it. Those that do believe don't do anything to try and secure it. overworking teachers has it benefits...how much DOTT time do we get? How much time to reflect and take action?
In Queensland we are in the middle of an industrial campaign; we're currently in arbitatrion and have just been awarded a lousy interim 4% pay rise. Of course, the Union executive have been party to the farce all along, just like WA but over here there is no Union opposition team, no PLATO, no political opposition and no state election...it's very dire and teachers are angry.
Of course, the Union has recently expressed anger at our Premiere, Anna Bligh and told her she will lose the next state election if she doesn't 'value our teachers'. Powerful stuff hey? Union reps at my work have proudly announced in strong tones that whatever happens they won't vote for her again...staff nod in agreeement - wow, that really improves my wages doesn't it?
Too late - the agenda is set, teachers wages will be kept low again, the government saves mega bucks and it is totally irrelevant if the current Premiere loses her job - the money matters most.
Smithers
