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ACT teachers delay direct industrial action
By LISA WALLACE
A meeting of more than 2,000 gov
ernment-school teachers at the
National Sports Centre yesterday
voted to delay direct industrial action
over the Government's recent pro
posal for stafF reductions.
An ACT Teachers' Federation
council recommendation that teach
ers stop work for two half-days a week
beginning next Tuesday, was defeated
by a motion from the floor calling for
a moratorium-on direct action until
after the Minister for Education, Sen
ator Ryan, announced where the
planned cuts were to take place.
It was resolved that "the meeting
direct the executive to call a stop
work meeting as soon as the minister
announces her decision, from 1.30pm
for half a day, and to arrange a suit
able venue on that day for a general
meeting of students, parents and
teachers to voice their condemnation
of the Government's action and to
talk jointly with the media".
The resolution added that individ
ual schools should brief their com
munities and seek maximum support
and attention of the community at
that meeting.
Although there will be no im
mediate strike action, the meeting
agreed on a number of bans, including
participation in activities with non
government schools, and activities
"which rely on the goodwill of teach
ers" — including after-hours meet
ings and involvement in the ACT
Sports Association.
Members were directed to refuse to
handle official correspondence to the
Government or Departments of
Education and Finance, and to refuse
to take part in the compilation of
surveys in schools other than those
implemented or approved by the fed
eration executive or any modification
of normal class assessment pro
cedures as a result of time lost during
the dispute.
A direction was also given that
members "refuse provision of any
information to the schools authority
or office concerning application or
implementation of the cuts, applica
tion of the authority's so-called 'ad
vice' to the minister or information
on staff which may be declared 'sur
. plus'."
A motion recommending im
mediate and indefinite industrial ac
tion was defeated.
The general secretary of the feder
ation, Ms Joan Corbett, said the main
tactical problem was the attitude of
the Federal Government.
"It has no teachers or members
who have worked in education except
for Senator Ryan and Dr Blewett,"
she said. "It believes Canberra to be
'advantaged* and has not looked
further than skin depth to assess that
assertion which we know to be a
myth.
"It fails to understand the nature of
our system and its commitment to
principles of school-based decision
making, high retention rates, choice
and diversity, responsiveness to stu
dent and community needs and some
industrial democracy.
"The solution to the problem is a
concerted campaign to reverse this
disastrous thinking."
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