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Rolling widespread industrial action is set to continue affecting Tasmania's public sector, however, the educator's union says there are no plans at this stage for another teacher walkout. Strike action by public sector unions has taken place in each region around the state this week, as bargaining negotiations with the government reached an impasse. Public servants refused to start work until 11am on Tuesday morning in the north-west, on Wednesday in the north, and on Thursday in the south. Following the rally on Hobart's parliament lawns, which was attended by more than 1,000 people, unions said members were not yet willing to drop their fight for better pay. Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) state secretary Robbie Moore — who represents pharmacists, hospital orderlies, social workers and more — said his members would be "stepping" up action next week. "We are looking at issues that hit government when it comes to revenue, Medicare rebates and bans that are going to hurt the government where we need to hurt them," he said. Members from the wide-ranging Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) will continue to take actions, including ministerial drivers wearing red ties. End-of-year school exams won't be affected The Australian Education Union (AEU) does not have plans for future industrial action and has said Year 11 and 12 exams would not be affected. "We want to see the government come back to the table and actually talk to us about what can meaningfully change in schools instead of just being focused on pay," AEU Tasmanian president David Genford said. The state government has said the action has been disruptive for families and impacted learning, with schools staying closed in each respective region as action took place. Teacher left 'battered, bruised and bleeding' Those assembled on parliament lawns heard from a hospital pharmacist, an orderly, a teacher, and a teaching assistant, who all told the crowd that their concerns were not being listened to. High school teacher Jake Pike told the crowd that it had been a tough week on social media, as parents expressed frustration with the school shutdown. He told media afterwards he felt it was being encouraged by government members, who were trying to make teachers look "greedy". "We're talking about a handful of percentages [for pay rises] over the next few years, which still doesn't even put us in line with mainland pay. It wouldn't even put us in the middle," he said. Mr Pike said he had been seriously assaulted four times while teaching in Tasmania. "If I break that down to times I've been pushed, times I've been verbally abused to the point of I go home and cry — I can't name the amount of times that has happened." Mr Pike said the biggest thing teachers needed was an investment in "tier 3 and tier 4" intervention programs for children with high needs. "We notice that every time a program disappears, there's no support for these students," he said. Government's 3pc offer rejected Unions have rejected the government's offer of a 3 per cent pay rise for one year, which was updated last week to include further leave entitlements. The state government said the offer is fair and reasonable, and that the one-year hold on industrial action could be used to work through specific matters in each profession. HACSU state secretary Robbie Moore said workers did not want a one-year blanket deal, as was being offered by the state government. "The offer that they've put to us this week is the same for everyone — yet the issues are so different," he said. "If you're a paramedic, they're worried about their rosters and not having to work overtime. If you're a teacher, you're worried about the amount of children in the classroom and making sure that that's manageable." When asked if there was a pay rise high enough for unions to accept a short-term, single-year deal, Mr Moore did not identify a number. "It's just saying, 'Ohh, let's just have a one year and we'll think about next year'. Meetings cancelled with striking unions Union figures expressed disappointment that the state government had cancelled a scheduled bargaining meeting for today. "Part of the reason our members rejected the first offer was because they thought that the government wasn't listening to their claims," the CPSU's Natalie Jones said. A government spokesperson said meetings were taking place with unions that were not taking industrial action. "We are committed to reaching a fair and affordable agreement through respectful and constructive negotiations," they said. "We look forward to re-engaging with all unions when unnecessary work bans are lifted."
