The Education Minister says she did receive advice on what changes to pay equity would mean for teachers, meaning she agreed to them in full knowledge it would cut their future pay.
That’s despite attempts by the Government to shut down questions on pay equity at both the workplace relations and education scrutiny hearings today when both Ministers appearing have responsibility for decision-making and announcing these changes.
“Erica Stanford made a big show of thanking the teaching workforce today, but she failed to stand up for them at the Cabinet table when her Government chose to cancel their pay equity claims,” Labour education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said.
“She says she did receive advice verbally on what cancelling pay equity claims would mean for the teaching workforce, so she knew this would cut teachers’ future pay.
“Not only did her Government scrap all existing pay equity claims, but it also left secondary teachers out completely by changing the thresholds for what determines a female-dominated workforce.
“It shows we have a Minister who pretends to care but fails to act on teachers’ behalf when it counts.
“Making these changes under urgency was the last straw for many teachers who have told me they feel like they’ve been slapped in the face. Today we found out what we all suspected – that she doesn’t care how much teachers get paid,” Willow-Jean Prime said.
