❓ Mr Rundle questions the Premier on teacher strikes due to failed wage negotiations. The Premier defends the government's record and commitment to good faith bargaining, accusing the Nationals of political opportunism.
AnsweredQoN 228Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TEACHERS — WAGES
AND CONDITIONS — NEGOTIATIONS
228. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I refer to the planned strike next
Tuesday, during which thousands of public school teachers will walk off the job
to protest the government's lousy pay offer. Negotiations with nurses
failed, negotiations with police failed and now negotiations with teachers have
failed. Would it not be better for the government to strike a deal instead of
its teachers going on strike?
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Education, please desist.
AND CONDITIONS — NEGOTIATIONS
228. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I refer to the planned strike next
Tuesday, during which thousands of public school teachers will walk off the job
to protest the government's lousy pay offer. Negotiations with nurses
failed, negotiations with police failed and now negotiations with teachers have
failed. Would it not be better for the government to strike a deal instead of
its teachers going on strike?
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Education, please desist.
AnswerView source ↗
Madam Speaker, I feel ructions in
the force. We have had two questions from members of the Nationals WA before
the Liberal Party got its turn and then, of course, we need the member for
Cottesloe to have his turn, none of whom speak to each other about what
questions will be asked.
I
welcome the opportunity to talk about WA Labor's proud record in
industrial relations, providing our public sector workers with the wages
and conditions they need so they can continue to be proud members of our public
sector. The government is committed to reaching a negotiated settlement with
the State School Teachers' Union of WA and will continue to bargain in
good faith. We will make sure that the teachers understand that we value their
work and that we are doing everything we can to reach a settlement and avoid
disruption to schools and families.
In the event that industrial action
does proceed—let us be clear, we do not think it needs to proceed—we
put a subsequent offer to the teachers on 10 April. We believe it is a very
generous offer, one that they should carefully consider before pulling the
industrial action trigger. We know that if industrial action does proceed, the
Department of Education is preparing to
minimise the impact on students and parents. Families can expect to receive
information from schools shortly about what arrangements will be in
place should that industrial action go ahead.
This is the first time I have come
across a National Party that supports trade unions.
Dr A.D. Buti : He hates them.
Mr R.H. COOK : They do hate
them. The National Party has provided them with a short moment of political
convenience. State school teachers can be guaranteed of good faith bargaining
and a commitment to valuing our public sector workers. That is something that
they would never get from members of the National Party. We know that they hate
unions and we know that they hate the public sector. We know that the agenda
that they have for teachers is to continue to erode the public sector like it
does every time it comes into government. We know that public sector workers always do better under a WA Labor government, and
that is the message that we are delivering to the teachers as we
negotiate in good faith.
the force. We have had two questions from members of the Nationals WA before
the Liberal Party got its turn and then, of course, we need the member for
Cottesloe to have his turn, none of whom speak to each other about what
questions will be asked.
I
welcome the opportunity to talk about WA Labor's proud record in
industrial relations, providing our public sector workers with the wages
and conditions they need so they can continue to be proud members of our public
sector. The government is committed to reaching a negotiated settlement with
the State School Teachers' Union of WA and will continue to bargain in
good faith. We will make sure that the teachers understand that we value their
work and that we are doing everything we can to reach a settlement and avoid
disruption to schools and families.
In the event that industrial action
does proceed—let us be clear, we do not think it needs to proceed—we
put a subsequent offer to the teachers on 10 April. We believe it is a very
generous offer, one that they should carefully consider before pulling the
industrial action trigger. We know that if industrial action does proceed, the
Department of Education is preparing to
minimise the impact on students and parents. Families can expect to receive
information from schools shortly about what arrangements will be in
place should that industrial action go ahead.
This is the first time I have come
across a National Party that supports trade unions.
Dr A.D. Buti : He hates them.
Mr R.H. COOK : They do hate
them. The National Party has provided them with a short moment of political
convenience. State school teachers can be guaranteed of good faith bargaining
and a commitment to valuing our public sector workers. That is something that
they would never get from members of the National Party. We know that they hate
unions and we know that they hate the public sector. We know that the agenda
that they have for teachers is to continue to erode the public sector like it
does every time it comes into government. We know that public sector workers always do better under a WA Labor government, and
that is the message that we are delivering to the teachers as we
negotiate in good faith.
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