Lab tech VS library assistant

[noona]

Hi All
Grtting back to the question in DEPT schools we all get paid the same
it makes no differance if you work in the office or kitchen or science
only the SAM gets paid more
Noona

[rae]

Love the picture of the blown up lab!! Where is it??

Lorrae

[Slartibartfast]

Sadly we are viewed by our governments as mums (mainly) who work in schools to help them out and because the hours suit them.

The PSA as well as school admin officers also has members that include the police, correctional services, parts of the medical system etc etc and they are much more in the public eye than us who are very much behind the scenes of every school in every state.

Unions need to pull their fingers out and do something for us. There is no excuse for not getting back to a member who has an equiry. We pay their wages from our wages. About 6-7 years ago there was a massive move to form our own or to join the teachers federation here in NSW because of union inaction when teachers were getting all sorts of pay increases approved. They begged us to reconsider, now looking back, bugger all has changed.

I don't know about you, but I would love an increase in hours to a 38 hour week, at least I could get most things done and get an increase in my take home pay every fortnight.

[Labbie]

I agree one hundred percent Richard, I would really benefit from a 38 hour week. Yes more pay, but more hours, that would be so much better. Its ok now, my ankle is getting better, (Damaged on 14th Dec last year) had six months of physio. I could have done with extra hours during that period, when I was so slow on my feet. I gave up flex days, as I just could not keep up, due to the ankle. Oh for extra hours.

[Ian]

I admit that my working hours have been cut back to 75% this year, and so I am not earning as much as I did, but it is interesting that if I subtract the tax from my earnings, and then compare what I earn with what my wife gets (tax free) from "Family Payment" as a full time stay at home Mum of 6 kids, SHE is actually the primary income earner for our family!

Why would a Mum leave that to come here and wrestle with teachers all day? At least the washing machine will generally do as it is told. (although it is generally me that operates the washing machine these days.)

Ian

[RosalieM]

A deli chick at Coles earns about $20/hr and then gets I think 10% (maybe 20%?) discount on their groceries, so they are probably better off than we are! And to think I spent 9 years (some part-time) at uni! At least my wage is so low I don't have to pay my $33,000 HECS debt back!

[rodannt]

If I stay working as a lab tech I don't think they will ever get the HECS out of me!!!!!

[smiley]

Actually it a 5% discount at Coles. Seems like a lot of effort to get $5 off out of every $100 you spend.

Cheers, K

[Lis]

I have been the "check out chick", at bilo, I didnt think the money was so good,it is only 5%disc, but you can use your disc card at target, liquorland and some other places, the hours are awful,and the customers can be terribly abusive, especially when I thought they can wait for their smokes, Im a non-smoker if you didnt guess.
I would take my job any day.

[louie]

Hi there, just for comparison I am at a private school and the annual rate of pay for school assistants is 43,646 at level one then up to 51, 652 at level 4. But remember that is for 38 hrs per week with only 4 weeks annual leave. If you have more holidays you have to average it out the reason being that they are not really holidays at all but time that you are stood down so to speak, regards Sue

[SGG]

Louie has it right for private schools. My gross was $27000 last financial because my time was "averaged" over hols and I don't work Fridays. You don't get a choice in what hours you work and the various support staff are all on different conditions - very hard to get together with anyone to push for more! Oh well it helps us to survive with a mortgage (my husband will be 77 before its payed off - as long as there are no more rate rises)
Regards
Sue G