NSW: Hearing on fines for teacher test ban postponed

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2000
NSW: Hearing on fines for teacher test ban postponed

SYDNEY April 6 AAP - The New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) today
postponed imposing fines on the Teachers Federation over its bans on high school literacy
tests.

The IRC was told a separate pay dispute between teachers and the NSW government was

at a delicate stage.

The NSW Labor Council intervened in today's proceedings, saying the imposition of a
penalty for the ELLA test bans might impede settlement of the ongoing pay dispute.

The NSW federation faced fines of up to $10,000 for breaching an IRC order when it
imposed the bans on literacy tests in February.

Commissioner Francis Marks was reluctant to postpone the matter but said he did not
want to impede a possible settlement of the pay dispute.

The federation and government have been involved in eight weeks of talks in an attempt
to resolve the pay matter.

The IRC today was told a settlement in the protracted dispute was likely to be reached next week.

The matter of a penalty over the ELLA test bans was adjourned to May 30.

AAP nd/tsm

KEYWORD: TEACHERS FINE

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