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by Barry Johnson
The postcard campaign targeting marginal ALP seats has now been expanded to include eight new seats.
Almost 3000 postcards, which put the Labor Party on notice in these electorates, have been delivered by the Federation as follows:
Blue Mountains--462
Georges River--280
Keira-- 580
Maitland--196
Menai--678
Ryde-- 233
Strathfield--218
The postcards are in the form of a "Notice to Local Member" which advise that the signatory will not be voting for any ALP candidate in the next state election if the Department of Education and Training’s award application proceeds and there is no negotiated political settlement to increase the salary and status of teachers. The cards were sent to Federation members who reside in each electorate for signature and return to the Federation.
The eight new seats are in addition to the seats of Miranda, Clarence and South Coast (Education, February 14).
The cards clearly represent the level of teacher anger and bitterness that has been engendered by this dispute. This is also borne out by copies of the many letters to members of the Government sent to the Federation for information which clearly indicate the political legacy the Government will reap from its attitude and tactics in this dispute.
The Government has failed to recognise its continued insistence on unacceptable changes to working conditions have been totally rejected by teachers. It fails to understand its continued quest for a return to archaic forms of teacher accountability which have no place in a modern education system are simply unacceptable.
It has not realised that to pay teachers in public schools, permanent and casual, less than teachers in Catholic schools underscores the whole of its agenda as an attack on the public education system.
The Government has failed to recognise that its attacks on Federation and its leadership and its attempts to divide teachers from their union will fail.
Its criticism of Federation’s democratic decision making processes orchestrated via the media is both very sad and sinister. One of the great underpinnings of our democratic society has been the public education system.
Members of the Government have to realise that teachers will not forget these attacks and will demonstrate this when next they get to exercise their democratic rights at the ballot box.
Barry Johnson is the Assistant General Secretary (Schools).