TasTAFE and the Australian Education Union set to negotiate contracts

The Tasmanian Government and TasTAFE chief executive Grant Dreher have countered these, with Mr Dreher saying hiring efforts are on target.

The launch of the 'Fair Go at TasTAFE' campaign comes as the AEU and TasTAFE executives head to the bargaining table over new employment agreements.

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AEU Tasmania TAFE President Tristan Sabol said TAFE staff were overworked and leaving the organisation due to burnout.

"Teachers and support staff are walking away," Mr Sabol said.

"Privatised TasTAFE executives are making the problem worse by attacking the working conditions that are crucial in retaining teachers and support staff at TasTAFE.

"Cutting conditions is not a Fair Go at TasTAFE, and it's putting the Fair Go for all Tasmanians at risk."

Mr Sabol said although the government had promised 100 extra teachers at TasTAFE, staff were quitting as fast as they were being hired, and TasTAFE proposals would worsen working conditions.

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AEU members have issued a series of demands, including a seven per cent salary increase in the first year of any agreement, increasing superannuation employer contributions to 17 per cent and retaining the current annual teaching load of 760 hours.

The union also seeks parity with the Tasmanian State Service award on several entitlements like weekly working hours, and a review of class sizes to "maximise student learning outcomes".

Formerly part of the Tasmanian State Service, TasTAFE became a publicly-owned not-for-profit on July 1, 2022.

After the reforms, existing staff remained on their original employment agreements while new staff were offered contracts with lower wages and penalty rates, fewer leave entitlements and longer working hours.

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The Fair Work Commission ruled all staff at TasTAFE had to be offered the same employment agreements, however in June 2023 TasTAFE lodged an appeal.

In an opinion piece published by The Examiner on July 2, 2023 TasTAFE CEO Grant Dreher said the reforms had boosted staffing levels, and the organisation was "well on the way" towards meeting the 100 teacher target.

"From January 2022 to December 2022, 48 new teachers joined TasTAFE," Mr Dreher said.

"As a result of our current teacher recruitment campaign, we have also had 60-plus short-listed applicants.

"TasTAFE has been able to attract and employ more teachers under the new modern award put in place as of July 1 2022, than under the previous conditions."

Mr Dreher also said enrolment figures had increased since the reforms.

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Opposition leader Rebecca White attacked the government's handling of TasTAFE, claiming the reforms to the organisation had failed and the organisation was not meeting industry demands for trainees.

"This is not working for our community, it's not working for our economy, and it's not working for the teachers at TasTAFE," Ms White said.

Liberal Lyons MHA Guy Barnett defended existing policy, saying investment in TasTAFE was at a record-high.

Mr Barnett said although bargaining was yet to start, the government would cooperate with the union to find an "affordable and responsible" path forward.

"We're already delivering a record investment into TasTAFE employing more staff, upgrading facilities," Mr Barnett said.

"That's what we expect to deliver for Tasmanians to increase their skills development in training and apprenticeships.

"We hope for an outcome which is mutually agreeable, affordable and responsible."

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