STATES SHOULD REJECT COMMONWEALTH
12 May 2005
The states should strongly oppose the Howard Government’s latest interference in the TAFE sector and reject the unnecessary requirement to offer Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) to staff, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
“The states have supported a successful collective bargaining system in the TAFE sector. There is no reason to introduce AWAs other than to reduce salaries and conditions,” Mr McGowan said.
“There is already flexibility in the system to reward ‘high flyers’. Many TAFE Institutes already have performance pay systems. This is once again part of the Howard government’s ideological obsession to micro-manage industrial relations in the education sector.”
“Where the Bill talks about more ‘authority’ for TAFE Directors in recruitment and remuneration, what the government really means is removing protections and limits on casual and contract employment, and giving Directors more power to set salary levels.”
Mr McGowan was commenting on the tabling of the “Skilling Australia’s Workforce Bill 2005” in Parliament. The Bill will require the states to fulfil a range of conditions in order to receive commonwealth funding for the VET sector, including TAFE.
These conditions include the requirement that all TAFE employees be offered Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs), and that TAFE Directors should be given more authority in recruiting staff and determining salary levels.
The Bill follows the government’s announcement on 29 April of similar new workplace relations requirements that universities will need to meet to obtain future funding.
“We call on the Bracks government and the other states to reject the Howard government’s unwanted and unnecessary interference in both the TAFE sector and universities.”
For more information and comment:
Matthew McGowan Victorian Division Secretary 0417 054 110
Michael Evans Communications Officer 0418 241 664