Teachers to stop work again next week as negotiations 'close to being finalised'

Public school teachers are taking more industrial action next week, with a one-hour work stoppage to affect different areas of Canberra each day of the week.

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The action starts in Gungahlin on Monday, where minimal supervision will be provided for most public schools from 8:30am to 9:30am.

The action will then affect Belconnen on Tuesday, Canberra's inner north and inner south on Wednesday, Weston Creek and Woden on Thursday, and Tuggeranong on Friday.

The union has foreshadowed further rolling industrial action in Term 4 if negotiations do not end. Picture by Karleen Minney

Certain schools will not offer minimal supervision during this time, instead closing for the one-hour work stoppage.

Parents at these schools have been notified of the closures.

Preschools will be closed during the work stoppage, opening at 9:30am on the relevant day.

During the work stoppage, members of the Australian Education Union will be letterboxing local communities about the challenges that teachers are facing in ACT public schools.

Education Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith has confirmed that negotiations are close to being finalised. Picture by Keegan Carroll

The AEU is also waiting on a revised salaries offer from the government, expected to arrive in a few weeks' time.

Negotiations have centred on committing to a guaranteed staffing model to ensure that public schools have enough teachers to operate without splitting classes.

On Friday, October 16, Education Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said on ABC Radio that the ACT government has made an effort to meet the AEU's demands "in good faith", and negotiations are close to being finalised.

"We are basically going backwards and forwards on clause drafting," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"There was at least a half-day, if not a full-day, workshop [on Thursday, October 15] to talk through what that language would look like."

Ms Stephen-Smith recognised the frustration of parents and carers, but added that "this is an hour per school next week, between 8:30 and 9:30".

"I don't think that's going to have a really significant impact on student learning," she said.

The minister also confirmed that union members will not be paid for the hour of the work stoppage.

The union has foreshadowed increasing fortnightly work stoppages if a conclusion is not reached, with a two-hour stoppage in week 4, then a half-day in week 6, and finally a full day strike in week 8.

The president of the AEU's ACT branch, Angela Burroughs, said last month that this "could change at any time should we get an improved offer that is satisfactory to our members".

"We all share a desire to get there as quickly as possible, but we're not sacrificing quality for a fast resolution."

Transport Canberra will not be changing bus schedules to accommodate for later opening times.

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