Public school teachers across Griffith joined together with teachers across the state today to rally for better pay and better support from the Department of Education.
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Teachers gathered at the Southside Leagues club, tuning into the rally in Sydney and coming together to find solidarity amongst their colleagues.
The 24 hour stoppage is the first in more than a decade by the NSW Teachers Federation and comes in the wake of the State Governments failure to address unsustainable workloads and their unwillingness to provide competitive salaries to attract more teachers to the profession.
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Griffith High Schools teachers federation representation Richard Wiseman was staunch in his message to teachers.
"We need to fight for things we deserve us teachers, for us, for our families and for our students," Mr Wiseman said.
"We are in the midst of a massive statewide teachers shortage, Griffith being one of the worst areas, we struggle to attract staff.
"It is more than just pay, we need a competitive salary, we need a reduced work hours to attract people to the occupation."
Kevin Farrell addressed the crowd, telling them of his over 60 years of industrial actions, calling on the Department for better working conditions.
"I attended my first teachers strike in 1963 and not much has changed since then. We fought like hell then and we are in the same boat now," Mr Farrell said
"The only constant is that politicians continue to put teachers in their place and run down public education."
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Member for Murray Helen Dalton was in attendance and as a former teacher herself, understood the struggles that teachers are facing, and have always faced.
"Stay strong, and stay together," Mrs Dalton told attendees.
"Investing in teachers is investing in the future."
Mrs Dalton actually taught Jenna Woodland, President of the Griffith Teachers Association in Primary School, both women saying how great it was to see a sea of red shirts come out in support of the industrial action.
"An increase in salaries, a decrease in workload and improvements in working conditions for teachers can only have a positive impact on students," Ms Woodland said.
"We live in hope, but I don't think the politicians are listening.
"We just have to keep up the fight and stay strong."
More information about the action that public school teachers are seeking can be found at morethanthanks.com.au
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