Fix this text
EDUCATION
Fix this textJOURMAL OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEACHERS FEDERATION
Fix this textAgreement No. PP255003 00104
Fix this textVo!. 78 N 0.13 October 27, 1997
Fix this textDSE acknowledges casual shortage
Fix this textby Sue Simpson
Fix this textRecent publicity concerning the
Fix this textcasual teacher shortage has led to
Fix this textdiscussions between Federation,
Fix this textthe Education Minister’s office
Fix this textand the Department of School
Fix this textEducation (DSE) on ways to alle-
Fix this textviate the shortage.
Fix this textThe casual teacher shortage,
Fix this textparticularly in Sydney’s West and
Fix this textSouth West, and rural NSW, has
Fix this texthit disadvantaged school commu-
Fix this textnities the hardest.
Fix this textMembers’ action in alerting
Fix this textpoliticians of the number of
Fix this textphone calls required to get a
Fix this textcasual and of the lack of educa-
Fix this texttional continuity and over-
Fix this textcrowded classrooms that arise
Fix this textwhen casual teachers can not be
Fix this textfound has meant the Government
Fix this textand the DSE now see there is a
Fix this textproblem that requires a systemic
Fix this textresponse.
Fix this textFederation is currently dis-
Fix this textcussing with the DSE:
Fix this text• the provision of in-built relief
Fix this textin secondary schools;
Fix this text• the provision of district relief
Fix this textteachers for primary schools;
Fix this text• casual teachers earning credit
Fix this textfor service as a means of
Fix this textadvancing their priority date
Fix this textfor a permanent job; and
Fix this text• the use of the Internet as an
Fix this textemployment agency for casual
Fix this textteachers.
Fix this textWhile Federation has indicated
Fix this textto the Government and the DSE
Fix this textthat the casual teacher shortage is
Fix this texta state-wide problem, clearly the
Fix this textproblem is most acute in those
Fix this textareas already disadvantaged.
Fix this textMembers have reported through
Fix this textsurveys and at meetings in
Fix this textSydney’s West and South West of
Fix this texthundreds of secondary students
Fix this textbeing minimally supervised in
Fix this textplaygrounds, and of primary stu-
Fix this textdents being denied Support
Fix this textTeacher Learning Difficulties/
Fix this textEnglish as a Second Language
Fix this textlessons as teachers are diverted to
Fix this texttaking classes of teachers who
Fix this textcould not be replaced. This is
Fix this textoccurring in schools where there
Fix this textis already a higher proportion of
Fix this textbeginning teachers and students
Fix this textwho require specialist programs.
Fix this textIt is an educational disaster for the
Fix this textstudents and for the teachers. It
Fix this textcontributes to lower morale and
Fix this textbum out and sees teachers denied
Fix this textentitlements to leave.
Fix this textThe DSE is currently surveying
Fix this textthe waiting list to see just how
Fix this textmany teachers are actually seeking
Fix this textpermanent employment with the
Fix this textDSE. Federation believes one of the
Fix this textreasons for the casual teacher short-
Fix this textage is the number of casual teachers
Fix this textalready filling part-time vacancies.
Fix this textUnder the new staffing agreement
Fix this textthe School Staffing Unit is ferreting
Fix this textout those part-time positions which
Fix this textshould be converted to permanent
Fix this textpart-time positions. This is good
Fix this textnews for those casual teachers who
Fix this textwould much rather enjoy the
Fix this textgreater job security and better con-
Fix this textditions that come with permanent
Fix this textemployment. When these two
Fix this textprocesses are complete, the DSE
Fix this textand Federation will have a better
Fix this textview of just how many casual
Fix this textteachers are available for casual
Fix this textrelief work and where those casual
Fix this textteachers are located. Until this is
Fix this textdone the DSE is not prepared to
Fix this textagree with Federation that the
Fix this textcasual teacher shortage is merely
Fix this textthe first manifestation of a general
Fix this textteacher shortage.
Fix this textSue Simpson
Fix this textis the Deputy
Fix this textPresident.
Fix this textPrincipals threatened with OH&S fines
Fix this textby Joan Lemaire and
Fix this textWayne Patterson
Fix this textIn a heavy handed attempt to fill
Fix this text10 places at a four day
Fix this textOccupational Health and Safety
Fix this textCommittee course, the Depart-
Fix this textment of School Education has
Fix this textthreatened that Work Cover may
Fix this textfine principals.
Fix this textA fax addressed to all principals
Fix this textof high schools, central schools
Fix this textand PI and P 2 schools in the
Fix this textBathurst District offered
Fix this textOccupational Health and Safety
Fix this text(OH&S) training on the following
Fix this textbasis:
Fix this text■ Two days relief provided by
Fix this textDistrict
Fix this text■ Other two days to come from
Fix this textschool’s T&D budget
Fix this text■ No relief for principals
Fix this text■ Travel and accommodation (if
Fix this textany) to be paid by the school
Fix this text■ Cost of venue and meals to be
Fix this textprovided by District Office
Fix this text■ Ten places available
Fix this text■ Priority given to schools which
Fix this textalready have a committee
Fix this textestablished and where a mem-
Fix this textber/members have not been
Fix this texttrained
Fix this text■ Another course will be run in
Fix this textIst term 1998.
Fix this textUie Department obviously felt
Fix this textthat on these terms many schools
Fix this textmay find it difficult to send staff |
Fix this textso they threatened principals in I
Fix this textthe following terms: “NB:
Fix this textPrincipals are responsible for
Fix this textensuring that all committee mem-
Fix this textbers receive training. The
Fix this textWork Cover Authority has indi-
Fix this textcated that it has the power to fine
Fix this textworkplace managers where train-
Fix this texting has not taken place.”
Fix this textThis fax presents an interesting
Fix this textinterpretation of the Occupational
Fix this textHealth and Safety Act 1983 and
Fix this textthe regulations concerning train-
Fix this texting for Committee members.
Fix this textRegulation 13B(1) states:
Fix this text“For the purposes of Section
Fix this text25(2) of the Act, the x
Fix this texttraining to be provided,
Fix this textto members of an
Fix this textoccupational health i
Fix this textand safety committee (-
Fix this textestablished at a place
Fix this textof work shall be pro- |
Fix this textvided by the employer of
Fix this textthe persons employed at that
Fix this textplace of work.”
Fix this textThis clearly indicates that the
Fix this textemployer must provide training
Fix this textfor all committee members.
Fix this textRegulation 13B(2) indicates
Fix this textthis training shall include training
Fix this textin relation to duties of a commit-
Fix this texttee member but also: “(i) training
Fix this textin connection with the industry or
Fix this textbusiness with which the commit-
Fix this textTo: Principals of high
Fix this textschools, central schools
Fix this textand P 1 ana P 2 schools
Fix this textFrom; Pathurst District
Fix this textOffice
Fix this textRe: Work Cover has
Fix this textinaicatea that it has the
Fix this textpower to fine workplace
Fix this textmanagers where training
Fix this text/ has not taken place.
Fix this texttee is concerned and in special
Fix this texthazards to which employees are
Fix this textexposed in that industry or busi-
Fix this textness; and
Fix this text(ii) refresher training in their
Fix this textduties as members of the com-
Fix this textmittee.”
Fix this textRegulation 13B(4) gives occupa-
Fix this texttional health and safety committees
Fix this textthe power to determine: “(a) which
Fix this textaccredited training courses (if
Fix this textany) its members should attend
Fix this textunder sub clause 2(a);
Fix this text(b) which further training
Fix this textcourses (if any) its members
Fix this textshould attend under clause
Fix this texti (2)(b) and the times for atten-
Fix this text-1 dance; and
Fix this text1 (c) whether its members
Fix this text1 should attend together or sepa-
Fix this text-1 rately.”
Fix this text1 These regulations state that
Fix this textI the employer is responsible for
Fix this textI providing and paying for all
Fix this text1 OH&S training for OH&S com-
Fix this textmittee members on the
Fix this textterms described above.
Fix this textThis means that
Fix this textOH&S committee
Fix this textmembers who choose
Fix this textnot to attend the
Fix this text/ Department’s course or
Fix this textdecide they need refresher
Fix this texttraining must be given the
Fix this texttraining requested by the com-
Fix this textmittee.
Fix this textThe Act does not specify
Fix this textwhether this training should be
Fix this textfunded through the school’s
Fix this textglobal budget or by districts or
Fix this texthead office. The Department’s
Fix this textfax indicates that they will allow
Fix this textprincipals to be prosecuted by
Fix this textWork Cover if training is not
Fix this textprovided..
Fix this textThe Department identified
Fix this textsafe, happy schools as a priority
Fix this textin Agenda 97. This facsimile
Fix this textsuggests that schools must pay
Fix this texteven if it creates problems in
Fix this textterms of resourcing other priori-
Fix this textties like learning resources
Fix this textand staff development. The
Fix this textDepartment will have to take the
Fix this textpolitical responsibility for a situa-
Fix this texttion where schools are forced to
Fix this textchoose between safety and learn-
Fix this texting resources.
Fix this textFederation believes OH&S
Fix this textshould be a priority and should be
Fix this textfunded centrally. We will con-
Fix this texttinue negotiations on this issue. In
Fix this textthe meantime it is clear that prin-
Fix this textcipals have no choice, they must
Fix this textprovide training as requested by
Fix this textthe OH&S committee or face
Fix this textprosecution by Work Cover. This
Fix this textcould involve personal fines of up
Fix this textto several thousand dollars.
Fix this textPrincipals should not allow
Fix this textthemselves to become the scape-
Fix this textgoats for the Department’s fail-
Fix this textings in terms of OH&S.
Fix this textIf any principal is threatened
Fix this textwith prosecution they should con-
Fix this texttact Federation immediately for
Fix this textassistance.
Fix this textJoan Lemaire
Fix this textis an Industrial
Fix this textOfficer and Wayne Patterson is a
Fix this textCountry Organiser
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
With your Trove account you can:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663858645
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. (1919). Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Retrieved August 14, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663858645
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation and New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Sydney: The Federation, 1919. Web. 14 August 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663858645>
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. 1919, Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation The Federation, Sydney viewed 14 August 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663858645
{{Citation
| author1=N.S.W. Teachers' Federation.
| author2=New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation.
| title=Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation.
| year=1919
| section=volumes.
| issn=0013-1156
| issue=Vol. 78 No. 13 (27 Oct 1997)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=The Federation
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-663858645
| id=nla.obj-663858645
| access-date=14 August 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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