Photo by Callae Sutton, 2023 TAFE photography competition WA winner

Executive has endorsed recommendations from the TAFE Committee to issue directives for industrial action, which commenced from 8am, 10 June 2024, to support the TAFE Log of Claims. The SSTUWA will continue to negotiate with the employers on salaries and conditions. It is now six months since the expiry of the current Agreement. An agreement in principle has not been reached, with only one offer being made to date. The bans agreed to are:

1.    Ban on entering results

Marking of assessments is to continue but results should not be entered into any platform. Hard copies of results to be handed to managers.

2.    Ban on attending meetings

Members can only attend meetings concerning critical incidents or student welfare issues.

3.    Ban on answering internal college emails

Members can only answer emails concerning critical incidents or student welfare issues.

Please refer to your SSTUWA representative for further information.

State of TAFE

The latest State of TAFE survey has revealed that increased workload and class sizes, as well as a decline in staff wellbeing continue to be major issues affecting WA’s TAFE educators.

The survey, run from October to November last year, showed 75 per cent of WA respondents reporting an increase in workload, with 81 per cent indicating that the pace and intensity of their work had increased over the past two years.

Half of respondents said class sizes have increased over the same period, and 71.5 per cent said the amount of time spent marking had increased over the past two years.

Fifty-eight per cent indicated they felt generally unsupported, or not supported at all, in terms of mental health and wellbeing.

About 74 per cent reported a decline in staff wellbeing over the last two years.

Other WA results from the survey included:

• Fifty-one per cent of respondents indicating they felt generally unsupported, or not supported at all, in terms of supporting students who are falling behind.
• Sixty-two per cent of respondents indicating they were not allocated sufficient time for students to learn and practice skills.
• Fifty-three per cent of respondents indicated the pace and intensity of their work had increased since the introduction of Fee Free TAFE.
• Three-quarters of respondents indicated that mental health needs were much more prevalent for students enrolled in Fee Free TAFE, 76 per cent indicated literacy and numeracy needs and 60 per cent digital skill needs – but only 21 per cent indicated additional learning and student support services had been allocated to meet these needs.
• Sixty-five per cent of respondents said they had considered leaving their job in the last 12 months.
• Additionally, 65 per cent of respondents said they did not believe students today are receiving the same quality of education as they did two years ago.

The results of the survey strongly validate information provided by members and delegates to the SSTUWA in Western Australia over a number of years and support key items presented in the Log of Claims.

Photography competition

The SSTUWA is supporting the national TAFE photography competition for students again this year. The theme for this year’s competition is the Heart of TAFE. Entries close 5pm on 10 July 2024. For more information visit aeufederal.org.au/photography-comp