Teachers in Tennant Creek took to Peko Park to protest against the national crisis in education. Around 16 staff from the both Primary and High Schools who are members of the Australian Education Union NT (AEU-NT) were armed with placards to promote the cause.

A spokesperson for the Barkly’s union contingent said the event was held to advocate for students and the future of all Territory students. “Education is an investment in the future prosperity of the Territory,” she said.

“It’s an investment in opportunity for our young people. Yet what we have seen is a continued de-prioritisation of that.

“We have to stand up and fight back. I hope that teachers taking action and giving up a days pay yesterday proves to be a worthwhile investment.”

She said teaching has been put under strain by unsustainable workloads, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There are not enough teachers to go round,” she said.

“Every other state’s strategy for recruitment is to lure teachers in from other states and they’ve passed deals to achieve that: higher pay, better conditions, investment in training, relocation. Meanwhile, the Territory is seeking to drastically cut real (inflation adjusted) wages.

“And the result will be that some kids in the Territory may not have a teacher in front of them next year.

“We want to keep and attract quality educators in the Territory.”

The teaching enterprise agreement term ended in October last year.

“The Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment provided an offer that was decisively voted against by teachers last year,” she said.

“They have failed to return to the negotiating table to discuss the future of teachers in the Territory, leaving teachers with no choice but to take industrial action.”

Teachers who took part in the strike were not paid on the day. The AEU-NT says around 75 per cent of schools in the Territory are understaffed with 59 per cent planning to leave the profession.

It is estimated teachers work 20 hours a week unpaid. After long-time teaching veteran Ben Whippy retired last year, it has taken more than five months to find a replacement.

“We’re very grateful for the amount of community support we had yesterday including all the people who came out to have a chat and everyone who gave us a honk!” she said.

This article appeared in Tennant & District Times, 2 September 2022.