Mr KELVIN THOMSON —This year the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE has unilaterally removed the traditional entitlement of TAFE teachers to the school holidays, some 27 days non-attendance time. TAFE teachers have always had the same entitlement to non-attendance time in school holidays as primary and secondary teachers, university lecturers and so on. Management offered teachers 20 days non-attendance time, a reduction of seven days, if they signed an individual contract and agreed to waive a number of conditions they are entitled to under the federal award. Over half the teachers at the Northern Melbourne Institute refused to sign these contracts. They were forced to attend for work over the first-term school holidays while other primary, secondary and post-secondary teachers were not. Even more seriously, some of them were sent letters which said:

You chose to not accept the Management Position . . . As you are obviously dissatisfied . . . you may use the enclosed form to terminate the employment contract.

A notice of resignation was also enclosed. That is how industrial relations is being carried out in Kennett's Victoria.

Mr SPEAKER —Order! It being 2 p.m., in accordance with standing order 106A the time for members' statements has concluded.