ACT public school teachers have been told to accept a deal or face arbitration as the Government put its ''fourth and final'' offer for a new EBA on the table.
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The Australian Education Union was yesterday presented with an offer that included a new set of salary figures, 3 per cent increases in the out-years of the agreement and an extra $8000 a year for school counsellors to meet professional costs.
The salary changes represent an average 13.8 per cent increase over three years for all classifications, with classroom teachers earning $89,487 a year by the end of the agreement and principals jumping more than 25 per cent to $132,071.
The Government claims the offer brings classroom teachers, executives, deputies and casuals to pay parity with NSW.
But the union disagrees, saying some teachers will be left between $100 and $480 a year worse off compared to their interstate counterparts.
ACT branch secretary Penny Gilmour said the Government had at least made a ''genuine'' offer.
But she was hesitant to say whether it would be good enough for her members.
''Some things are better and some things are not as good as they were before, so it's a bit of a curly one,'' she said. ''We've had an increase in the out-years to 3 per cent, which is better than the 2.5 per cent that was on offer, but this will not be enough to match likely inflation or cost of living pressures and no doubt our members will be concerned about that.''
''I wouldn't like to make a call on which way it will go, we really will have to take this to our members to seek their views.''
The AEU called a special council meeting last night and is likely to ask members to vote on the offer on Tuesday.
The Government warned members that this would be its ''fourth and final'' offer and that it would seek arbitration should the package be rejected.
''Rejection of this offer package will mean withdrawal of all offers and the likelihood of an arbitrated settlement on a new enterprise agreement,'' a statement on the Education and Training Directorate's website said.
Ms Gilmour was not worried by the threat.
She said the union was unlikely to agree to such a request and doubted the Government would pursue it without their co-operation.
''The employer can apply for termination of the bargaining period, which creates requirement for compulsory arbitration, but that's a pretty serious step for an employer to take,'' she said.
''Termination [of bargaining] usually revolves around intractable disputes or incredibly disruptive industrial action, and there would be a substantial argument over whether this was warranted or whether our members were engaging in a legitimate exercise of their rights.''
A copy of the new EBA offer can be found on the ACT Education and Training Directorate website.