Page 3976 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 1 December 2021
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These figures are consistent with national surveys that report the same findings and link this additional workload burden with burn out and attrition. Clearly, such findings demolish the popular illusion that teachers work 9am-3pm, Monday to Friday and enjoy weeks of additional holidays.
The report continues:
We asked principals and deputy principals how many hours on average they spend on work unrelated to their leadership responsibilities.
Two thirds (66%) say they spend at least 10 hours a week on this. We asked teachers in all settings how much time they need to prepare lessons and how much non-teaching related work they have on their plate.
The report continues:
Adding the weekend to this, where 43% of respondents report working for five or more hours, we arrive at an average workweek of 45 hours and 39 minutes. This far exceeds the maximum weekly hour limit of 38 hours set by the Fair Work Act.
I will say that again:
This far exceeds the maximum weekly hour limit of 38 hours set by the Fair Work Act.
The report continues:
Given this, a conservative estimate would have that 20% of teachers’ work is unpaid.
Using this data, we can make estimates as to the extent that AEU members are subsidising the ACT Government’s education budget.
The average teacher earns a salary of $100,000, which means they are underpaid about $20,000 (20% of their work).
There are approximately 3,794 teachers in the ACT. If we multiply this number by $20,000, we arrive at $75.88 million.
The harsh reality is that ACT public school teachers subsidise the ACT Government’s spending on education to the tune of at least $75 million every year on salaries alone.
That is the crux of this motion today: public school teachers, through unpaid overtime, may be subsidising the ACT government by up to $75 million a year. That is according to the Australian Education Union.
That is not the only cost that burdens teachers. In addition to the financial support being provided by teachers, there is a cost to their safety and wellbeing. Let me quote again from the report:
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