The CPSU comments: Community and Public Sector Union Media release 3 December 2013 WHO IS RECKLESS AND IRRESPONSIBLE, ASKS PUBLIC SECTOR UNION The safety of Northern Territory schoolchildren is at risk if key support and administrative roles are cut, the Community and Public Sector Union warns. CPSU Regional Secretary Kay Densley said the NT Government is cutting the very roles it says guarantee the safety and whereabouts of students – support and administrative staff. “Before [Public Employment] Minister Elferink attacks teachers he should remember that it is his government that is cutting the very jobs in schools that ensure student safety. For him to criticise teachers and say that their actions undermine the safety of students is plain hypocritical,” Ms Densley said. On Monday Fair Work Australia ordered a suspension of industrial action by teachers until March next year after it found against a teachers union campaign that instructed members to not enter electronic attendance data of students and hand over manual rolls. The decision prompted the Minister for Public Employment to condemn teachers and the union for being “reckless and irresponsible”. The CPSU’s Ms Densley said: “It is administration staff in schools who enter this data, and his government is overseeing the cutting of at least 30 jobs this year alone. Many of these staff also undertake important safety roles in schools, such as first aid officers and fire wardens.” Ms Densley said the NT Government is hiding from the community and workers the number of cuts to administration roles in schools. More than 150 school-based and department positions in everything from IT support and counselling to vocational training and manning the front office are set to disappear from schools under wide-ranging cuts announced by the NT Government. “This comes on top of already announced job cuts to vital support to teachers in the classroom. They make sure kids with behavioural issues do not disrupt the class, computers are working, school functions run smoothly and that those kids who want to pursue a trade are on the right path. If they go, then so too do those services and that will put extra pressure on the class teacher and put Territory kids at risk,” Ms Densley said. Ms Densley is calling on Minister Elferink and Education Minister Peter Chandler to start talking about student safety and reverse these decisions. “You can’t have it both ways. These mixed messages are wrong and insulting and the children and the community deserves better”, Ms Densley added. NOTE TO EDITORS: The cuts include: 186 Education Department staff, of which 85 are being redeployed to regional areas, leaving 71 staff to find alternative employment in the public sector, face redundancy or, if they are on temporary contracts, not have their contract renewed. On top of this are 30 school-based administrative support staff in schools, of which 20 are permanent employees and 10 believed to be on temporary contracts. For further information please contact Kay Densley on 0402 182 003
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 09:01:01 +0000
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