TAFE 4 All - Fight The Cuts! Rally

A rally called by the Australian Education Union.

+ Stop the (effective) privatisation of TAFE!
+ End government subsidies to private colleges!
+ Fully fund public education!
+ Fully fund support services to enable equal access to education!

The Australian Education Union (AEU) has called a rally on May 10 outside Premier Ted Bailieu's office to protest the State Government's devastating cuts that leave the future of TAFE in doubt.

Teachers, students, parents and members of the public are urged to join the rally at 12.30pm outside 1 Treasury Place to voice their support for the public TAFE system and signal their determination to fight for its survival.

TAFE institute CEOs have already begun alerting staff to the need to make drastic job cuts following the announcement in the state budget yesterday that course funding will be slashed. The TAFE system is expected to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, with the loss of hundreds of teachers' jobs.

A first round of funding cuts last October led to 300 ongoing teachers' jobs being shed and untold numbers of contract and casual teachers being let go at the end of their employment.

Acting vice president Greg Barclay said: "The impact of these cuts is not only a threat to our members' jobs but to the viability of the entire public TAFE sector.

"This is the system that has given hundreds of thousands of Victorians a route into employment. It has been the mainstay of our state's economy, providing high-quality training and education to all comers. All that is now at risk."

The Government announced that funding for popular courses such as business, hospitality and retail will be slashed from between $6.50 and $11 an hour to less than $2.

TAFE institutes will also lose the additional funding they receive over private providers to reflect their public service obligations. The money is allocated for study support, library facilities, counselling services and other support for students.

Barclay said: "The Government has no mandate to dismantle TAFE. We will take this fight to members' electorates and to the media to ensure voters understand the damage this government is doing to accessible TAFE training for all who need it."

TAFE4ALL - Fight The Cuts! Rally
Thursday May 10
12.30pm–1.30pm
1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

More info:
http://tafe4all.org.au/753133_10002.html
https://www.facebook.com/tafe4all?ref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/aeuvic
http://www.aeuvic.asn.au/862256.html
http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/minister-breaks-ranks-201205...