NSW teachers have been awarded a six per cent pay increase over two years by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) following a year of negotiations and industrial action.
Welcoming the IRC’s decision, the Minister for Education and Early Learning, Sarah Mitchell urged teacher unions to work constructively with the Government.
Ms Mitchell said that under the pay deal, teachers are to get a three per cent increase this year, to be backdated and paid in a lump sum on 22 December, and another three per cent extra from 1 January.
“Teachers will also receive an additional one-off payment outside the Award, amounting to 0.25 per cent of their annual salary as at 30 June 2022,” Ms Mitchell said.
“This will be paid as a lump sum once the award is finalised, and means teachers will effectively receive three per cent from July,” she said.
Minister for Finance and Employee Relations, Damien Tudehope described the award as a fair deal for teachers in line with the Government’s new wages policy which caps wage increases at three per cent, including a 0.5 per cent superannuation guarantee.
President of the NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF), Angelo Gavrielatos said the amount was well below inflation (currently 7.3 per cent) and limited by the State’s wage capping system.
Mr Gavrielatos warned that delivering what amounts to a real wage cut to teachers would only worsen the teacher shortages and make the profession less attractive in a highly competitive labour market.
