TEACHERS’ STRIKES Victoria introduces tough penalties

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32565, 26 March 1971, Page 9

TEACHERS’ STRIKES Victoria introduces tough penalties

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) MELBOURNE, March 25. The Victorian Government yesterday imposed tough new regulations aimed at preventing strikes by the state’s teachers.

Described as the most severe industrial measure in recent years, the regulations affect longservice leave entitlements and initiate a system of “reporting” industrially active teachers.

The Victorian education system has been wracked by strikes and stoppages in the last two years. Earlier this month the Government promised stem action after a four-week strike by teachers at the Melbourne High School.

The new regulations, approved at a special meeting of the Executive Council, apply to the State’s 48,000 teachers from today. Under the amendments to the Teaching Service Regulations any teacher “who is unjustifiably absent without leave or unjustifiably refuses or fails to carry out his du-

ties” will forfeit one year of his service in the computation of his long service leave entitlement. If he is reported twice in one year he will forfeit five years of his service. Head teachers will be required to report directly to the Minister for Education any teacher who is unjustifiably absent without leave or who fails or refuses to carry out his duties. If the Minister believes that absence, refusal or failure constitutes serious misconduct, the fact will be recorded against the teacher’s name.

Announcing the measures, the Minister for Education (Mr Thompson) said that the object was “to give the kids a go.”

He said that the regulations would be a deterrent to the disruption in schools and added: “I hope it will reinforce the position of the majority of teachers who are opposed to the present wave of rolling strikes because they realise the only ones who suffer in the long run are the innocent pupils.” Mr Thompson also said that other action could be taken against striking teachers by legislation in the present session of Parliament. The Government’s move is sure to meet strong opposi-

tion from the militant teacher groups.

The powerful Victorian Secondary Teachers’ Association, which has been involved in strike action this year, will convene an emergency executive meeting to consider the new measures.

And the president of the Technical Teachers’ Association (Mr G. Lees) said that teachers would hold strikes until the Government repealed the legislation.