Local principals are currently working out how to keep schools open when teachers go on strike next Tuesday.
The State School Teachers’ Union of WA (SSTUWA) has advised its members to stop work for half a day on 23 April if a new enterprise agreement isn’t reached with the Department of Education before then.
An initial offer received on 7 March was rejected because it failed to address a number of concerns around workload, conditions and violence in schools, the SSTUWA said.
“Teachers and school leaders are overworked, underpaid and frankly, they are over it,” union president Matt Jarman said.
“It’s time for the government to show teachers they respect the hard work they do by presenting them with a fair and reasonable offer.”
Local schools cannot advise how many teachers are planning to strike – teachers are not compelled to disclose that information.
But it is understood that some local schools will run on skeleton staff, with larger-than-accepted class sizes, and admin filling in supervising roles. While others are anticipating a half-day closure if a negotiation is not reached before Tuesday.
Teachers are expected back at class by 12.30pm.
