Address Unpaid Stand Down Requirements
www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today marked the end of the school year by releasing their election policy commitment, Teacher Aides and Support Staff: Standing Up for the Stood Down, which will increase the number of employed weeks for school support staff from the current 42 to 48 weeks, as well as maintaining the hard-won benefits secured during recent industrial negotiations.
Greens Leader and Education spokesperson Nick McKim MP said that the Teacher Aide’s policy commitment, estimated to cost $4 million annually, will provide the option of an additional six weeks of paid work, which would put up to an extra $2, 400 in staff pay packets each year.
“The Greens realise that Teacher Aides do so much of the heavy lifting in our schools, and it is about time that they received fair remuneration for the massive contribution they make to our education system,” Mr McKim said.
“Forcing Teacher Aides and other support staff onto Centrelink benefits every summer is simply unfair, and the Greens will take action to significantly improve the current situation.”
“As the school year ends, there are many Tasmanian teacher aides and support staff who face enforced and unpaid stand down over the summer holiday break due to the government imposing a 42 week maximum number of employed weeks on these workers, which is an unfair and inequitable situation.”
“The Greens’ election commitment will increase the number of employed weeks to 48, bringing it to the level of other states, which will provide an additional six weeks of employment for those support staff who wish to access it.”
“After a decade of Labor, the conditions of Tasmania’s Teacher Aides and support staff have been allowed to fall behind the rest of the country, and this policy commitment seeks to put them on an equal footing with their national counterparts.”
School support staff fulfil the roles of Teacher Aides, Library Technicians, Laboratory Technicians, Participation Assistants and Vocational Education and Training (VET) Student Assistants.
Dec19_School Support Staff_N McKim_ATTACH.pdf
Nick McKim MP Greens Leader and Education spokesperson
