Your campaign in the media

Action
30 June 2008

Check here for the latest media coverage of the AEU's Stop the TAFE Rip-off campaign.

The Age, 6 November - Minister admonishes Victoria Uni
Victoria University has been sent a terse warning from the State Government over its plan to stop taking enrolments at its Melton and Sunbury campuses from 2010. Read the full story (pdf, 251KB).

Bendigo Advertiser, 3 November - Letters: MP urged to act on TAFE teachers wages (and others)
"... It was insulting to read Jacinta Allan's letter and her attempts to convince people that she supports better wages for TAFE teachers..."

Bendigo Advertiser, 1 November - Letters: BRIT staff are at breaking point (and others)
"... Jacinta Allan's letter ... makes clear to TAFE teachers and no doubt many of her Bendigo East constituents just how out of her depth she really is..."

Geelong Advertiser, 1 November - Editorial: TAFE stats not clever reading
...There are endemic problems with the TAFE system, not with what they offer but essentially in funding. Read the full story (pdf, 202KB).

Geelong Advertiser, 30 October - Industrial fight looms
Gordon TAFE teachers rallied against their status as the teaching sector's 'second class citizens' outside Bellarine MP Lisa Neville's office yesterday... Read the full story (pdf, 1.45MB).

Geelong Business News, Issue 168, October - More TAFE strikes on the cards
A leading Geelong-based TAFE trainer has indicated further teacher strike action will continue if the State Government does not meet its criteria for better pay and conditions. Read the full story (pdf, 1006KB).

WIN Bendigo news, 23 October
Union TAFE teachers organised a noisy protest for the ar4riva of Skills Minister Jacinta Allan at Bendigo Institute of TAFE today. Teachers are leaving some roles to teach secondary students as the pay is better...

Ballarat Courier, 23 October - Teachers see red over pay dispute
Ballarat East MLA Geoff Howard was seeing red yeseterday as a group of teachers protested for a pay rise outside his office in Main Road... Read the full story (pdf, 139KB).

Ballarat Courier, 22 October - TAFE teachers continue protest
TAFE teachers will take their pay rise push to Ballarat today... Read the full story (pdf, 156KB).

Ballarat Courier, 21 October - Rally to support salary claims
University of Ballarat TAFE teachers will rally in Horsham today, calling for higher wages and an end to staff shortages... Read the full story (pdf, 485KB).

Herald-Sun, 17 October - Teachers' pay protest
TAFE teachers walked off the job yesterday and rallied outside the office if education minister Bronwyn Pike... Read the full story (pdf, 79KB).

Bairnsdale Advertiser, 17 October - East Gippsland TAFE teachers deliver their message
East Gippsland TAFE teachers held a rally outside Independent Member for Gippsland Eat, Craig Ingram's office on Wednesday morning... Read the full story (pdf, 3.57MB).

Sunraysia Daily, 15 October - TAFE teachers seek "fair go"; Victoria lowest-paid in Australia
TAFE teachers are fed-up - they want more pay and better job security... Read the full story (pdf, 1.19MB).

Sunraysia Daily, 14 October - TAFE teachers to walk off
TAFE teachers will strike in Mildura today to demand increased pay and to highlight the widespread teacher shortage and high number of casual teaching staff in Victoria... Read the full story (pdf, 378KB).

Moreland Leader, 13 October - Rally for pay parity
Teachers from Kangan Batman TAFE, NMIT and RMIT protested outside Premier John Brumby's Glenroy constituency office last Thursday to demand pay parity with school teachers... Read the full story (pdf, 961KB).

The Australian, 12 September - Victorian TAFE teachers to strike over pay dispute
Victoria's TAFE teachers are set to ramp up their campaign for a 20 per cent pay hike with a series of rolling stoppages next month as they put pressure on Premier John Brumby to intervene in the long running dispute. Read the full story

Hamilton Spectator, 2 September - Letters: Don't be fooled by spin
Denis Napthine MP: "... the reality of these so-called reforms is that TAFE courses will be much more expensive for students..." Read the full story (pdf, 129KB).

Ballarat Courier, 27 August - TAFE teachers vow to step up pay action
AEU Victorian branch president Mary Bluett said the introduction of a HECS-style loan scheme for tuition fees would put enormous financial pressure back on ... Read the full story

August 20 stopwork rally

The Age, 21 August - TAFE teachers vow to step up pay action
Thousands of TAFE teachers who yesterday walked off the job for the first time in 13 years have vowed to continue shutting down classes in a state-wide push for better wages and working conditions. Read the full story

ABC News, 20 August - TAFE teachers to strike
Teachers at Victoria's TAFE colleges have voted on industrial action over a pay rise. Read the full story

Herald Sun, 20 August - TAFE teachers stage walkout over low pay and funding
More than 3000 irate Victorian TAFE teachers rallied in the city today to demand better salaries and greater funding. Read the full story

ABC Melbourne, 20 August - Teachers rally in CBD
TAFE teachers have been rallying in Melbourne over their bid for a pay rise. Read the full story

ABC Shepparton, 20 August - TAFE teachers protest over pay
Many TAFE classes at northern Victorian campuses will be cancelled today, as teachers take part in state-wide industrial action. Read the full story The Age online, 20 August - TAFE teachers demand equal pay in Vic
Striking TAFE teachers say they are paid $13,000 less than their school counterparts and they will continue strike action if they don't get equal pay. Read the full story

Other coverage

Progress Leader - Glen Iris, 5 August 2008 - Hawthorn TAFE teachers feel the squeeze
AEU Victorian branch president Mary Bluett said TAFE teachers at the top of the pay scale earned $13000 less than an equivalent-level school teacher. ... Read the full story

The Border Mail, 5 August 2008 - Teacher strike needs backing
Read the full story

Hume Weekly, 3 August 2008 - Second class: TAFE teachers call for better deal on pay
Read the full story

Bendigo Advertiser, 24 July 2008 - BRIT teachers set to join statewide strike
Frustrated Bendigo TAFE teachers look set to take part in a statewide 24-hour strike next month over pay and work conditions. Read the full story

Bendigo Advertiser, 23 July 2008 - Letter: TAFE teacher plea for Allan's support
...We ask you now for your support, Jacinta. Stop pretending you are a spectator in this unfair situation. Read the full story (pdf, 217KB).

The Australian, 18 July 2008 - TAFE teachers threaten to strike
Victoria'S 14,000 public sector TAFE teachers yesterday doubled their pay claim to an immediate 20 per cent rise to keep pace with the pay deal won by teachers in May and signalled the start of strike action. Read the full story.

ABC News, 18 July 2008 - TAFE teachers to strike
The Australian Education Union says TAFE teacher representatives will today endorse a one day strike in late August. Read the full story.

The Age, 18 July 2008 - TAFE teachers set for strike
Thousands of Victorian TAFE teachers are expected to walk off the job for the first time in more than 10 years as a dispute over wages and work conditions hits boiling point. Read the full story.

ABC Goulburn Murray, 27 June 2008
The Australian Education Union says teachers at the Goulburn Ovens TAFE have the lowest morale in Victoria. Read the full story.

Bendigo Advertiser - BRIT teacher speaks out over pay rates
A Bendigo Institute of TAFE sessional teacher has revealed that workforce woes are not limited to full-time employees. Read the full story (pdf, 151KB).

Ballarat Courier, 26 June 2008 - TAFE teachers seeking pay rise
More than two-thirds of Ballarat TAFE teachers have contemplated leaving their jobs in the past year, the teachers' union says. Read the full story.

Herald Sun, 20 June 2008 - TAFE teachers' woes
Victoria faces a TAFE teacher exodus as staff revolt over the worst wages in the nation, a union has warned. Read the full story (pdf, 228KB).

GOLD FM, 20 June 2008
AEU branch president calls for pay parity with school teachers and says TAFE directors should return to negotiations.

ABC Mildura Swan Hill, 20 June 2008
AEU vice president Gillian Robertson says Australia cannot afford to lose TAFE teachers and releases results of survey.

ABC Central Victoria, 20 June 2008
AEU releases results of survey; Gillian Robertson says TAFE teachers cannot afford to be lost to the system.

MIX FM (Melbourne), 20 June 2008
AEU branch president Mary Bluett says the desire for pay parity with school teachers is the reason 75% of TAFE teachers have considered quitting their jobs in the past 12 months.

MIX FM (Melbourne), 20 June 2008
Seventy-five per cent of TAFE teachers have considered leaving the sector. AEU branch president says they have not had a pay rise since September 2006 and are paid 13% less than teachers in NSW.

WIN Television, 20 June 2008
News item: "In spite of all parties agreement TAFE teachers deserve a pay rise, negotiations between the Victorian TAFE Association and (the AEU) have broken down..."

The Australian 18 June 2008 - TAFE loans could go national
Victoria's proposals for a HECS-like loan system for TAFE ... could be a model for a national system ... "Most (TAFE students) will see it as a dark shadow over them," said Gillian Robertson. Read the full story.

The Australian, 12 June 2008 - TAFE showdown looming
Victoria faces a revolt from its TAFE sector over government proposals ... AEU vice-president Gillian Robertson said a significant fee increase would "suppress demand" and that TAFE students from disadvantaged areas would be wary of taking on HECS-style debts. Read the full story.

Mornings with Jon Faine, ABC Melbourne, 2 June 2008 - Mary Bluett takes on Jacinta Allan over TAFE reforms
Skills minister Jacinta Allan tries to justify the Victorian Government's TAFE reforms, followed by AEU branch president Mary Bluett with the AEU's response in a revealing encounter. Listen to the full interview.

The Age, 19 May 2008 - State faces outcry on higher fees for TAFE courses
The State Government faces a backlash over contentious plans to introduce HECS-style loans to TAFEs ... Gillian Robertson (said) TAFE funding levels in Victoria were 13.7% lower than the national average. Read the full story.

Bendigo Advertiser, 16 May 2008 - TAFE rally calls for pay rise
TAFE teachers from across the state rallied in Bendigo yesterday in their fight to increase salaries and reduce casual positions across the sector. Read the full story.

WIN Television, 15 May 2008
Extensive coverage of AEU TAFE members rallying in Bendigo, including interviews with members, AEU branch president Mary Bluett and Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu.

Geelong Advertiser, 09 May 2008 - Gordon TAFE staff rally for better pay, conditions
Angry staff from the Gordon Institute of TAFE demanded better pay and more resources from the State Government at a protest in Johnstone Park yesterday. Read the full story.

ABC Central Victoria, 1 May 2008
TAFE teachers will hold a stop work rally for better pay and conditions - 60% are employed casually.

3SR FM (Shepparton), 30 April 2008
The AEU has met local teachers in its campaign to raise TAFE salaries.

ABC Western Victoria, 30 April 2008
Gillian Robertson says TAFE teachers must be paid properly if apprentices and trainees are to have the best education available.

Ballarat Courier, 29 April 2008 - TAFE teachers to step up industrial campaign
Angry Ballarat TAFE teachesr will step up their industrial campaign over pay and conditions. Read the full story (pdf, 190KB).

WIN Shepparton, 29 April 2008
The AEU has met TAFE teachers in Shepparton to discuss their concerns.

ABC Goulburn Murray, 29 April 2008
Northern Victorian TAFE teachers are planning statewide industrial action in their campaign for better pay. AEU vice president Gillian Robertson says 60% are employed as casuals.

ABC South Western Victoria, 29 April 2008
AEU vice president Gillian Roberton says TAFE institutes must raise salaries to attract the best teachers if Victoria's skills crisis is to be averted.

3BA Ballarat, 29 April 2008
The AEU has held a meeting with Ballarat TAFE teachers to discuss chronic teacher shortages, low pay and casualisation.

ABC Goulburn Murray, 29 April 2008
Victoria's TAFE teachers are the lowest paid in Australia and most are employed casually when they should be full time, the AEU says. Teachers are demanding better pay in ongoing negotiations.