¶ COLLIE teachers joined colleagues around the state in walking off the job to protest wage and working conditions on Tuesday.
The State School Teachers’ Union of WA and the Education Department have been unable to negotiate a new enterprise agreement, resulting in the half day of stop-work action.
The union is seeking a 12 percent pay rise over two years, while the government has offered 11 percent over three.
Collie teachers attended action in Bunbury and gathered afterwards outside Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns’ office.
Fairview teacher and union representative Nichole Jasper said wage conditions were just one component of the protests.
“We are after better working conditions, better school conditions, smaller class sizes and more support for children with different needs,” Ms Jasper said.
“We are not getting the support to cater for diversity. We are asking the government to come to the table and improve our public school system for the benefit of everybody.”
Parents had been supportive of the action, Ms Jasper added.