Friday 19 September 2008

NSW teachers continue transfer fight

Teachers from about 30 schools across New South Wales will stop work for two hours today as part of ongoing industrial action against the new transfer system.

A rally is also being planned outside Chifley College in Sydney's west in support of a teacher who was blocked by the Education Department from making a service transfer to fill a vacancy at a school of her choice.

Six schools in western Sydney will be closed between 9:00am and 11:00am (AEST) so teachers can attend the stop-work meeting.

The deputy president of the NSW Teachers Federation, Bob Lipscombe, says his members are angry about new staffing rules that will not allow the transfer of a Mt Druitt High School teacher.

"High schools in the Mt Druitt area will for all intents and purposes close during the stop-work," he said.

"The teachers there are very angry about what's happened. They're very upset about the staffing changes the State Government and Department of Education have put in place, and they're making their feelings known today."

The director-general of the Education Department, Michael Coutts-Trotter, says the action may affect the operation of up to 50 schools but will temporarily close only six.

"Parents have been notified that in the case of six schools in western Sydney," he said.

"The schools will be shut for two hours this morning in a completely unnecessary stop-work meeting. Those six schools will be effectively opening two hours later than normal."

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