Maitland teachers will join a state-wide public school strike on Wednesday, May 4 to protest unmanageable workloads and staff shortages.
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Andrew Clifton, president at Maitland Teachers Association said the biggest issue Maitland teachers are experiencing is the lack of casuals to cover classes.
He said the lack of casuals is forcing principals and specialist teachers from support programs to step away from their main roles and into mainstream classrooms.
Mr Clifton said a completely unmanageable workload, teachers leaving the profession in droves and people not signing up to study education degrees is causing the teacher shortage.
"Kids should be in the classroom. We know that and we want nothing more than for kids to be in the classroom," he said.
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"We don't take industrial action and go on strike over something small, or take this action lightly.
"The problems that we are experiencing are affecting our kids in such a deep way, and it's so harmful to their educational achievement, that this is action that we need to take."
Mr Clifton said more teachers need to be attracted and retained because so many are leaving the profession, and the way to do this is to pay teachers more and make their work load more manageable.
NSW teachers are striking for 24 hours on Wednesday, May 4 to call for a 5 to 7.5 per cent pay increase, an additional two hours per week of planning time and reduced administrative burdens.
Currently, teachers are only allocated two hours of paid planning time each week, where they need to plan lessons, mark work, collaborate with colleagues, discuss the students and come up with creative solutions for problems in the classroom.
Mr Clifton said teachers are currently paid based on 7.5 hours per day of work, which he finds 'absolutely shocking' as he doesn't know anyone who works those hours, every teacher he knows is putting in far more.
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NSW Teachers Federation regional organiser, Jack Galvin Waight, said teachers in Maitland and across the Hunter are fed up with the government, and they have been left with no alternative but to act.
"Shortages are crippling our schools, particularly in Maitland and the Upper Hunter," he said.
"The government has known about the worsening shortages for seven years and they have done nothing."
Mr Galvin Waight said there has been a 30 per cent decline in the amount of people studying teaching, and also an ageing workforce.
A recent member poll by of 10,000 members by the NSW Teachers Federation found 73 per cent of teachers in Maitland and across the Hunter say their workload is unmanageable; 30 per cent are being forced to teach outside of their specialist subject area and 89 per cent disagree that pay reflects expertise and responsibilities
Mr Galvin Waight added the state government needs to reduce workloads and pay teachers a competitive salary that reflects their expertise and responsibilities.
"Next Wednesday, for the future of our students and the profession, teachers in the Hunter will join their colleagues across the state to strike and rally in Newcastle," he said.
Member for Maitland, Jenny Aitchison, said no one wants industrial action but teachers have felt like they have no other choice.
"There are serious issues that are affecting the quality of education in NSW," she said.
"Teachers are raising very real concerns about teacher shortages, fair pay and administration workloads, which are impacting on education results.
"The NSW Labor opposition looks forward to announcing a comprehensive education plan in the lead up to the next NSW election to address the significant issues raised by teachers and school communities."
NSW teachers last striked on December, 7 in 2021 which was the first strike in a decade.
The Independent Education Union of Australia which represents NSW Catholic Schools has endorsed the NSW Teachers Federation's strike.
Last week, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the planned strike was disappointing after two years of classroom disruption.
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