NSW teachers have staged a mass walk-out in their second strike in six months, amid an escalating industrial dispute with the state government over pay and conditions.
Most public schools across the state are operating with skeleton staff and offering supervision only, while others are closed.
Thousands of teachers marched to state parliament on Wednesday morning demanding better pay and conditions. Credit:Nick Moir
Thousands of NSW Teachers Federation members, chanting “more than thanks”, marched from Hyde Park to the steps of NSW Parliament on Wednesday morning. They are demanding a pay rise above the government’s legislated 2.5 per cent public sector wage cap.
Union president Angelo Gavrielatos said crippling teacher shortages felt across the state would not end without boosting pay.
“My message to the premier is … we are ready to negotiate,” he said. “We won’t accept anything less than what we deserve. We are going to continue campaigning until we win.”
The union, which wants a pay rise between 5 and 7.5 per cent, pushed ahead with the 24-hour strike after Premier Dominic Perrottet pleaded for the action to be delayed until after the June state budget.
Teachers went on strike for the second time in six months. Credit:NIck Moir
NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell on Tuesday told teachers to “do the right thing” and go to work.
“I say to our hard-working teachers, you do not need to follow the directions of union bosses, you can do the right thing tomorrow and stay in the classroom, knowing that the government is looking at addressing these issues in good faith,” she said.
