Australian Education Union Tasmania teacher and educator members are set to hold state-wide stop work action for improved working and learning conditions.

Teachers and support staff have waited more than a year for the State Government to recognise and alleviate untenable workloads in schools and colleges and improve education for every Tasmanian child.

But shockingly, the Rockliff Government has stood by as Tasmanian educators burn out, early career teachers drop out of the profession and stress leave claims spike; all while student learning suffers.

Australian Education Union Tasmania President David Genford said educators – who worked tirelessly to keep schools running throughout the pandemic – had grown fed up with being taken for granted by the Rockliff Government.

“Stop work action is always a last resort for educators,” he said.

“Teachers and support staff do not wish to inconvenience families or disrupt learning; however, it’s clear our students’ learning conditions will continue to suffer unless the Government delivers the desperately needed solutions to lift learning for our students.

“We want Tasmanian students to thrive, and our state’s education system to flourish for generations to come, but that won’t happen unless conditions in Tasmania’s schools and colleges get the reform they so desperately need.”

The AEU last year tabled to the State Government the education fixes needed to improve conditions in schools, but disappointingly, not one Government step has been taken to address the dire working conditions in our schools as our state’s teacher shortage worsens.

Mr Genford said the two-hour stop-work events – to be held Wednesday September 28 – would take place at 15 locations across the state, including Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and Devonport.

He said the upcoming action was about educators standing up and highlighting the need for more in-class support, and more professional support staff – such as school psychologists and social workers.

“It’s also about shining a light on the need for more teachers, allowing them more time to teach and providing additional support for new teachers,” he said.

“Tasmanian educators are proud to stand up for the education reforms needed to lift learning for our students and will continue to do so until real change occurs.”