PUBLIC and Catholic school teachers across New England will walk off the job together for 24-hours next week in demand for better wages and workloads.
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The decision to walk shoulder to shoulder on June 30 was made after an historic joint meeting between the NSW Teachers Federation and the NSW and ACT sub-branches of the Independent Education Union of Australia, on Tuesday.
New England and North West regional organiser Katie Sullivan said the unified demonstration highlighted the gravity of the situation for teachers in all schools.
"We've both come together for the failure of the premier to respond the the urgent concerns of the profession," she said.
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"It just shows that it's not just public schools that are affected."
The decision to strike came just hours after the NSW 2022-23 budget was handed down, which Ms Sullivan said did nothing to address shortages and wages.
"There was nothing to address the teacher shortages and there was nothing to address the workload which is rising unsustainably at the moment," she said.
"And as we know, teachers' pay relative to other professions has been in decline for the last few decades."
Ms Sullivan said demands would also be made for a two hour increase per week for lesson planning.
"There's just not time to do it and it's leading to teacher burnout," she said.
Independent Education Union North West sub-branch president Libby Lockwood said the meeting between the public and Catholic teacher executives was like "history being made".
"It's pretty special to know that you're fighting the fight for everyone else in the same profession as you," Ms Lockwood said.
"We're going to keep fighting the good fight until our voices are heard."
Despite marching together, the demands of public school teachers will be directed towards the state government, while Catholic school teachers will be pleading with their employers to negotiate agreements.
"Our employers are making the choice not to give us what we are worth," Ms Lockwood said.
Catholic school teachers will be demanding better pay for both teachers and support staff, staff hiring, and cuts to paperwork among their list of requests.
"Teachers deserve good workplaces," Ms Lockwood said.
"Teachers want to provide top class education for our students and we are not able to do that with staff shortages wreaking havoc through our schools."
Public and Catholic school teachers will go on strike for 24-hours on Thursday June 30.