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31-Mar-08 10:10 [Asia Pacific]
Australian teachers to organise pay protests Teachers in state schools in Australia are organising protests over the government's refusal to meet their demands over pay and employee reward.
Strikes could also be included in the industrial action carried out by the teachers, who want an increase in wages, more maternity leave and a reduction in class sizes.
Australian Education Union's south Australian branch president Correna Haythorpe told the Advertiser Adelaide: "The rallies will be designed to minimise disruption for students but cause maximum discomfort for the government. We will begin action and escalate it until the Government turns rhetoric into reality."
She added that the government has had three years since the last agreement to work on this offer and teachers are now "fed up".
In 2005 the union managed to secure a 14 per cent pay rise after half day strikes forced 150 public schools to close halfway through the day.
The Australian Education Union has around 165,000 members.
Executives at Australian airline Qantas are to meet with representatives of striking maintenance engineers next week in a bid to end a pay dispute that has seen dozens of flights cancelled.
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New legislation in Australia will give employees the right to request flexible working arrangements and improved parental leave.
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The general secretary for the Australia’s New South Wales Nurses Association (NSWNA), has warned that nurses and midwives are angry that the government has not responded to calls for better pay and conditions.
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