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VOLUME 4 NO 4 AUGUST 2014

Life Education: A Lesson in StrengthTeachers at Life Education

Victoria deliver great programs that cover

the topics of drug and health education and

anti-bullying strategies. You will have seen the

vans in Primary Schools with a Giraffe ‘Harold’

on the side.

The IEU members at Life Education Victoria have not had a pay increase for well over two years and have been bargaining

for 18 months without success. Management has been employing non-teachers and more casual presenters on lower rates of pay to replace ongoing teachers. They want to cut core teachers’ employment conditions such as pro-rata payment for school holidays, travel allowances and to freeze the pay of teachers on the top two pay points. Teachers would be required to work 10 days of school holidays, use their own vehicles without a

travel allowance for 60 kilometres, and have no ‘due process’ clause in their Agreement. Teachers have offered significant compromises – to attend for 7 days of the school holidays, to accept a pay freeze for one year and to receive only 2.5% increases for three years after that! Management was still dissatisfied and withdrew from bargaining – in response members resolved to take strike action.

Teachers were issued notices saying they will be ‘locked out’ indefinitely with no pay if they take industrial action. This threat had made members even more united and they are

holding firm – they have taken strike action for one day and resolved that if one teacher is ‘locked out’ – all members will go on strike.

If a Life Ed van visits your school – please offer them your support. We congratulate our members for being professional and united during this long dispute – we’ll back you all the way. STOP PRESS: Life Education have now agreed to meet with the IEU after receiving e-mails from principal members and reps who asked them tough questions about their approach to their own staff – thank you!

We stand today on the shoulders of those who built this union and

who, well before the merger in 1994 of the three sector-specific unions, laid the foundations for a union culture in Catholic and independent schools.

It was a great leap forward for these three small organisations to pool their resources, buy a building with the AEU and NTEU, and come together for better economy of scale and, more importantly, unity of purpose. The leaders recognised that there was so much more that united the

members of the three separate organisations than divided them.

In 20 years the organisation has grown significantly in size and capacity. Membership has more than doubled across each of the sectors, and with that, the staff have grown in number from around 20 to 45. Current IEU President Mark Williams was a member of the first Committee of Management, and three other members of that first Committee now work here in the office: Brian Martin, Therese O’Loughlin and Peter Moran. Members of the union on amalgamation are

recorded as ‘foundation members’ and their membership cards identify them as such.

I’m proud to be one of those foundation members. A teacher in Catholic primary schools, I had started work for the union as a ‘field officer’ for the Victorian Catholic Primary Staff Association in 1990 but by the time of the amalgamation had become the Assistant Federal Secretary and was working next door in the Federal Office. Work as a field officer was much simpler in those days compared to the complex and challenging role of

an organiser today. Bargaining in independent schools, increased complexity and intensity of local issues and disputes, as well as campaigning during the bargaining cycle for Catholic schools, has necessitated the development of a broader skill set. It’s a much tougher job than it was 20 years ago but is more rewarding as a result.

We have achieved so much together over the past 20 years and I’m confident that we will continue to grow and increase in strength, influence and capacity to achieve for our members.

Twenty Years of Strength

IEU members in the iconic Life Education Giraffe costume.

GENERAL SECRETARYDEBRA JAMES

Getting VIT rego right

Page 13

Tasmania on strike

Page 5

Tasmanian anti-protest laws

Page 3

Celebrating Twenty Years VIEU & IEU 1994 – 2014Page 10-11

August 2014 THE POINT

3THE POINT August 2014

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CONTACT US

EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING ENQUIRIEST: (03) 9254 1860 F: (03) 9254 1865 FreeCall: 1800 622 889 E: info@ieuvictas.org.au W: www.ieuvictas.org.au

CONTRIBUTIONS & LETTERS from members are welcome and should be forwarded to: The Point PO Box 1320, South Melbourne 3205, or by email to: ThePoint@ieuvictas.org.au

MELBOURNE OFFICE: 120 Clarendon Street, Southbank 3006 HOBART OFFICE: 379 Elizabeth Street, Nth Hobart 7000

The Point is published by the Independent Education Union Victoria Tasmania.

EDITORIAL CONTENT: Responsibility for editorial comment is taken by D.James, 120 Clarendon Street, Southbank 3006. Views expressed in articles reflect those of the author and are not necessarily union policy.

COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENTGeneral Secretary: Debra James Deputy Secretary: Loretta Cotter Assistant Secretary (Tasmania): Angela Briant President: Mark Williams Deputy President: Elisabeth Buckley

Ordinary Members:Patrick Bennett Andrew Dunne Maureen Shembrey Coralie Taranto Emma Wakeling

School Officers:Margot Clark Christine Scott

COUNCIL PRESIDENTS & DEPUTIES

Event Day

Seminar: Handling Difficult Conversations Wednesday 20 August (Melbourne)

Conference: Student Teacher Thursday 21 August (Launceston)

Conference: Student Teacher Friday 22 August (Hobart)

Seminar: ES Reclassification Tuesday 2 September (Melbourne)

Seminar: Managing Your Career Monday 22 September (Melbourne)

CRT Conference: Hands on with IT Wednesday 24 September (Melbourne)

Seminar: Managing Your Career (Students) Thursday 2 October (Melbourne)

TRAINING CALENDAR – TERM 3, 2014

Catholic Primary Council President: Maree Shields Deputy: Vacant

Catholic Secondary Council President: Stephen Hobday Deputy: Ruth Pendavingh

Independent Council President: Cara Maxworthy Deputy: Vacant

Tasmanian Council President: John Waldock Deputy: Jeremy Oliver

Principals’ Council President: John Connors Deputy: Duncan Arendse

@IEUnews IEUVictoriaTasmania/IEUvictas

Behind the WhiteboardA behind-the-scenes look at some of our wins for members page 4

Bargaining roundupBig gains for some of our independent school members page 6

Ruyton Rep profileWe speak to Jo Roszkowski, who is kicking goals at Ruyton Girls’ page 7

Greener pasturesThinking of retiring or changing jobs? Read this first page 8

VIEU’s 20th anniversaryA look back over our union’s history in Victoria page 10-11

Our ageing workforceWhat it means for safety at work page 12

Making education matter in VictoriaFighting for IEU members this election page 14

Student member newsPlenty is happening for our newest IEU members page 17

Building a bigger unionRecruitment advice and success stories page 19

Victorian Teachers GamesDon’t forget to register! back page

Everyone is an expert on teachers because everyone went to school. Everyone

remembers a great teacher, but also has a story about one they didn’t like.

With the current federal government inquiry into the quality of teacher education, the same stories resurface. There is discussion about low ATAR rankings, lack of specialist knowledge, teachers not knowing enough, too many qualifications, not enough qualifications.

Pre-service training underpinned by sound subject

or discipline knowledge is clearly critical in establishing a solid foundation for a career in teaching. It is in practicum that a student teacher really gets tested. It is not enough to know your stuff; you have to face a class of students with divergent abilities and backgrounds, and create an environment where there is receptiveness and a desire to learn. You need fantastic team working skills, energy, the capacity to change track when something is not working, and the commitment to keep going when exhausted. You also need

I have always found the expression ‘Those that can’t; teach’ offensive, but in some ways it captures the fundamental problem besetting our profession – it is a career not afforded its proper status in the wider community.

great mentors who can guide you, critique you, and support you.

Many teachers are expected to take on a student teacher without any reduction in their own workload. The remuneration or time release in almost all cases is paltry or non-existent. Universities increasingly have to search farther afield to place students because the resources or goodwill of neighbouring schools are exhausted. Until proper resources or effective partnerships between universities and schools are established that actually deal with the mentor workload issues, the same tensions will play out.

Even when students make it into their first year of teaching, with all of the commensurate requirements for achieving full registration, many of them will not

have a reduced load (depending on what Agreement covers them), nor will their mentors. If we really take good teaching seriously, we have to provide key supports for new teachers or else we lose them because they are not able to deal with the workload, the classroom management, the reporting, the testing, the camps, the concerts, and everything else that is crammed into school life.

And finally, we have to pay the profession a professional wage. I know many great young people who started teaching but left after a couple of years because they could be paid far more in a less stressful and demanding occupation.

I don’t just know one good teacher, I know scores of them. Those that can: teach.

DEPUTY SECRETARYLORETTA COTTER

Supporting the Profession

Tasmanian Government attempts to stifle freedom of speech and assemblyJust a matter of months after similar changes were introduced in Victoria, Tasmanian Liberal Premier Will Hodgman is following in Dr Napthine’s footsteps and trying to legislate draconian new ‘anti-protest’ laws of his own.

The Workplaces Protection from Protesters Bill, which has already passed the lower

house, now sits with the upper house while Tasmanian unions and other community and civil liberties groups campaign strongly to stop the law being passed.

Similar legislation has been high on the Liberal Party’s agenda in Tasmania since before the state election in March, and was originally mooted as a response to a small number of violent protests in Tasmanian forests. The legislation in its current form however is much broader in scope, and would result in:

■ the ability for the government to create legally binding ‘no go zones’ for protesters

■ $10,000 spot fines for individuals who ‘disrupt’ workplaces

■ $100,000 fines for organisations, including unions

■ three months jail sentences for repeat offenders.Unions around Tasmania have

condemned the proposed laws, with the MUA arguing that the Bill ‘criminalises activity which is in support of a political opinion’, whenever a for-profit business or government operation is prevented, hindered or obstructed in its business activity.

Unions Tasmania is also working hard to make sure the bill is scrapped, with Secretary Kevin Harkins arguing it ‘stifles people’s opportunity to criticise

government. It also takes away our rights to talk about things in the current federal budget that we don’t like.’

Tasmanians are formally petitioning the State Parliament at the moment to have the bill voted down, on the grounds that it:1. harshly punishes free speech

and peaceful assembly on public streets and other public places

2. may contravene the implied right to political communication in the Australian Constitution

3. proposes the creation of mandatory minimum prison sentences, which do not currently exist in Tasmania, diminishing the separation of powers and the important checks and balances provided by

independent courts 4. will lead to unjust outcomes

in individual cases because the court is prevented from tailoring the sentence to meet the facts of the particular case

5. duplicates existing laws, including trespass and public nuisance, which manage to govern protest activity in a way that raises none of the above concerns

6. was drafted in the absence of any formal public consultation process with the legal profession and other expert or interested groups.

Signatures are being collected until Thursday 28 August. If you’d like to add your own name, visit bit.do/protestpetition

THE TEACHERS’ GAMES ARE BACK!The Victorian Teachers Games are on again this year in Bendigo from 22-25 September. This is the fifth year that the IEU has sponsored the games - we invite all members to get together with colleagues and register a team or for individual events. More details on back page.

Registration: Monday, 22 SeptemberCompetition: Tuesday, 23 September

to Thursday, 25 September

To stay in the loop, please go on Facebook and ‘Like’ the Victorian Teachers’ Games Facebook page or follow the games on Twitter at #VicTeacherGames. The website address is: www.victeachersgames.com.au

Times have been grim for an icon of the game. The great player, coach, philosopher and occasional lecturer in journalism, Michael Malthouse, has been subjected to a relentless, unfair, unreasonable, hurtful, mean and often unkind attack by the media. Imagine poor Mick walking with great trepidation into a press conference, not sure if he is going to be humiliated like so many cadet reporters have before him. This disgraceful treatment has hurt him deeply.‘I’m probably opening up my soul a bit here, but I find it very difficult to talk publicly and I have been doing it for 30 years.’ Remember how he struggled to express his gratitude to Eddie for offering him a 5 year job doing nothing post 2011. Remember how Mick struggled to make everyone understand that the 2011 season was all about him and gifted Geelong a premiership. He was then, and is now, hurting badly.IEU footy tipping has always been an unashamed supporter of Mick. We say enough is enough. Leave the man alone.

Not so grim times for our tippers who are on fire:

Mick Guinane (St Richard’s School Kilsyth) on 112 holds a one point lead from Gerarda Hoskin (St Luke’s School Shepparton) on 111. They are closely followed by Reno Borg (St Anne’s School Sunbury), Chris Dolley (St Ignatius College Geelong), Lisa Hitchcock (St Mary’s School Rushworth), Kim Levett (Catholic College Bendigo), Louise O’Connor (St Liborius School Eaglehawk) and Paul Wilkinson (St Kilian’s School Bendigo) on 110.

FOOTY TIPPING 2014

August 2014 THE POINT

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Tasmania on Strike

We saw an amazing response as hundreds of members came

together for meetings in Hobart, Launceston and Devonport. The number of members participating was greater than those who took action in the 3 four-hour stop work meetings in July, and members from even more schools participated. This was an outstanding collegial outcome.

IEU members from around Tasmania stood together as one, to send the clear message to the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office that they:

■ condemned the TCEO’s aggressive tactics in abandoning negotiations with the IEU and deciding to present a non-union Agreement to staff

■ remained united in their determination to achieve a fair Agreement for all staff in Catholic education, with no member left behind.

It was certainly an unusual start to a term. Staff in Catholic schools came back for Term 3 on 21 July and many hoped that the IEU and the TCEO would be able to meet and find a way forward to achieve a new Catholic Education Agreement.

Unfortunately that was not to be the case. The TCEO’s faceless ‘Reference Group’ met at the end of week 1 and following that the TCEO bargaining team agreed to meet with the IEU negotiators on 31 July.

We went along to that meeting prepared to talk, investigate ways forward, discuss – actually negotiate. They did not.

The TCEO team indicated that they were not prepared to move at all on any of the three outstanding issues: Pastoral care time being included in the teaching load for secondary teachers: income and employment security for support staff, and a fair redundancy

schedule. They had not even costed the implementation of these three matters and the financial paper they presented was based on assumptions and vague figures. It certainly did not take into account the additional Federal funding that is to be received by non-government schools in the next three years. Within an hour of that meeting

From these ranks of members school reps emerge, sometimes with gentle persuasion, to take

on a union leadership role at the school level.

Our reps are the vital focus point at each school, being a source of knowledge and advice to members. This has been abundantly clear during the last few months. This period of intensive activity and disputation in the Tasmanian Catholic education sector has been a testing time. We have seen reps take up the sub-branch leadership role during this dispute with vigour and conviction. It has been

inspiring to see groups of members led by the rep proudly turn up holding aloft their banners on the days of stop work action from 1-3 July and again on 7 August.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the courageous and truly admirable leadership reps have shown during this testing time.

Annually we organise a training day for school reps, and this year it will take place late in Term 3 or early Term 4. I encourage all reps to attend that session. It’s a great opportunity to learn, discuss and debate, and meet with reps from other schools.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY(TASMANIA) ANGELA BRIANT

concluding the TCEO had issued a Media Release indicating that they were going to bypass the union and would be putting an Agreement directly to staff in Catholic schools. Members found it hard to believe that a Catholic employer could behave with so little good faith.

At the Hobart, Launceston and Devonport meetings, members unanimously passed a resolution condemning the actions of the TCEO and endorsing further action from the IEU. The full resolution can be read at ieuvictas.org.au

Thursday 7 August 2014 will be recorded as the day on which for the first time IEU members in Tasmanian Catholic schools took 24 hour stop-work action.

Victorian Catholic Agreement Progress ReportNearly a year after the making of the Agreement, the IEU is still working with members and reps to ensure that they understand the plethora of new provisions.

We all work for a wage, but sometimes in the thick of teaching action, we don’t check that our wages are correct. We assume that the employer is honest (which most of them are), will follow the right pay procedures, and abide by Enterprise Agreements and Awards. Most errors occur without deliberate intent. Interestingly, pay queries feature lower on the pecking order of queries across the IEU organiser’s desk – that’s mostly reserved for the parental leave area. Approximately 70% of our members are female after all.

A couple of years back BTW worked with a member at an inner suburban Catholic girls’ school to pursue permanency of employment. The member had been at the school for 3 or 4 years in a variety of time fractions. BTW asked the member whether she had formally requested permanency in writing. She hadn’t, she then did, a meeting was arranged with the Principal, and permanency was eventually granted. Happy member. As the IEU pen says, ‘Get it in writing’.

The same member was having a later discussion with a colleague about her rate of pay. That’s often how the pay query arises. It turns out she was initially employed on the wrong level of the pay scale, that prior experience in the state sector had not been counted as part of her experience, and thousands of dollars of back-pay was won for the member. Justly and fairly won.

Other IEU organisers report similar scenarios. A School Services Officer at a Catholic secondary school had been employed as a ‘casual’ employee for 6 years. The organiser ‘won’ him ongoing employment with its associated entitlements (long service and personal leave accrual) and a whopping great back-pay sum BTW can’t reveal. Other organisers report sums running upwards of $5000 where a phone call, a bit of research, and a proposition to the employer does the trick. And remember, it’s only for members that we work.

As an aside, a common question

Welcome to Behind the Whiteboard (BTW), The Point column that aims to remind you of some of the wins achieved for members, some of the more common areas of the Union’s work that often go unreported, some of the more unusual cases, maybe even the odd rumour or bit of scuttlebutt.

from teacher members goes along the lines of: ‘I’ve been teaching for 10 years, why aren’t I on the 10th point on the scale?’ Remember, pay scales have changed a number of times over recent Agreements, translations occur, and a year’s service doesn’t necessarily mean an increment on the current scale. Best you check with your IEU organiser if in doubt.

And what about:The independent school that failed to read and apply the clause in their Agreement explaining starting levels on the pay scale for teachers. It treated all graduate teachers as three-year trained, not four-year trained, underpaying all teachers who had commenced since 2009. The process of claiming back-pay became interesting when the employer suggested that, because the error had not been intentional, there was no need to back-pay, that individuals needed to meet individually with the employer and nominate if they wanted back-pay or level correction, not both. A group of members gave the authority for the IEU to deal with it on their behalf. Money was forthcoming, levels were corrected.

AndA private TAFE provider in northern Melbourne. Around 100 employees, non-union members, fearful of immediate dismissal if they joined the IEU. A couple of the instructors are ongoing, everyone else is casual, a variety of courses. The owner allegedly has cameras in all classrooms, he monitors them personally, and staff are directed not to talk to each other. There is no lunch room. Teachers have spoken to us of many other concerns in respect to workplace practices but are too scared to meet or complain. Fair Work requires a complaint to investigate.

Watch this space.

The dog’s breakfast that is Practicum Payments (aka Student Teacher Money)

When taking a student teacher, the current arrangement is that the relevant tertiary institution pays the allowance to the school on the assumption that the princely sums are passed on directly to the teacher concerned. $12.45 per day for one method, $21.20 for two. BTW reckons you should reserve that money, if you get it, for Tuesday night special 2 for 1 pizza. That’s if you get it, because we are aware of the time honoured practice of putting the ‘hard-earned’ into a Staff Association fund, or for communal Professional Development use, or to buy some drinks for the fridge and peanuts for the coffee table. BTW knows of one large Catholic school in the growth area of Melbourne where

the Business Manager ‘taxes’ the money before it gets to the supervising staff member, citing WorkCover premiums and payroll tax as justification. Go figure, why would you do it, except for your contribution to the profession?

The exception to the rule is Australian Catholic University which pays the allowances directly to the employee. Even this does not come without complication. If the employee receives more than $450 per month for this ‘casual ‘employment, they are entitled to superannuation. It seems that any super of this type has been going to the ACU default fund, UNI Super, as stipulated in its Enterprise Agreement for ACU employees. The problem is that the supervising teacher is not an ACU employee, and therefore should be able to direct any super to their own fund, for example, Catholic Super.

Following investigations and intervention by the IEU, the ACU have now agreed that supervising teachers in this situation are allowed to nominate their own fund, and should contact their HR or Finance Manager for the appropriate documentation. Member super money may otherwise have gone from the ACU to its default fund and any balances chewed up by fees and insurance.

BTW wishes you a happy third term – remember to contact the IEU office for any industrial, legal or professional issues you may have.

Pay risesEmployees should have received a pay rise on the first pay period on or after 1 August so check your payslip and call the IEU if you have any queries. All allowances including POLs also increased at this time.

Parental leaveEven with the more generous provisions now contained in the Agreement for fixed-term employees, there is the potential for an employee to just miss out on the entitlement. In discussions with the CECV IR Unit we have reached an understanding that if a fixed-term employee’s due date is within 6 weeks of the end of their contract, they receive the 14 weeks payment. Also, if they fall just short of the one years’ service or 4 consecutive school terms (eg. their baby is due in mid-December), they will still be receive the payment as long as they have had less than 15 days of unpaid leave in that year.

Consultation about fixed-term employmentThe Agreement contains a new provision requiring that the employers will, in consultation with the Union, develop proactive processes to ensure that fixed-term employment is only for specified reasons and they will provide data to the Union on a quarterly basis.

There have been two meetings to date this year with the IR Unit with the new provision as a specific agenda item. The IEU has received a summary of data collected by the IR unit. Of concern is the high incidence of fixed-term employment for two main categories of employees – graduate teachers and aides. It is also disturbing that the percentage of fixed-term employment is twice as high in Catholic primary schools as it is in Catholic secondary schools.

The IEU and the CECV are committed to ensuring that schools are educated about their obligations in relation to fixed-term employees, and that we work with them to find proactive mechanisms for reducing the number of staff on contracts. Regardless, if you are on a fixed-term contract and you are not sure why, don’t hesitate to contact the union for advice, and, if necessary, representation.

Other issuesIn Council meetings on 16 August, Primary Council will be looking at how scheduled class time is working in their school, and whether it is in accordance with the new provisions in the Agreement. The July issue of The Point contained information about these provisions. Catholic Secondary Councils will be looking at a few hotspots occurring at the moment – in particular attendance requirements.

HEARING AIDES For personal reasons, committed IEU

member Michelle Wiggins, a Teacher Assistant at St John’s Richmond, was

unable to make it to a stop-work rally on 7 August. Instead, she sent these words to be read out in her absence. We think they’ll ring true for many support staff members across Tasmania:

‘I have spent 14 years dedicated to a job I love and I think that is part of the problem. Loving what I do and willing to sacrifice my needs for the sake of the children. Not any more. Aides deserve to be heard!

Fourteen years is a long time to not have any stability from year to year, never knowing how many weeks or hours I will be given. Sometimes 32 weeks, 36 weeks – who knows? Twelve hours, fifteen hours, twenty hours a week – who knows?

Not knowing how much you are going to earn each year puts a lot of pressure and stress on the budget, and being a single parent with bills to pay and no other income to rely on is hard.

I was lucky in the earlier days having understanding parents who realised, especially around Christmas, that without a wage coming in I needed help.

I could borrow money and pay them back when I started back at work after the Christmas break; some people don’t have that help. Juggling finances became second nature!

I think of all the extra resources aides make in their own time, or the extra hours we work when we are meant to finish at a certain time, but stay later because the children need us to help them.

I just hope that we receive what we deserve for all our dedication. We don’t ask for much, just stability in our working life.’

Tasmania’s IEU Reps are worth their weight in gold

As individuals, union members make a commitment to work together collectively and support each other. The shared goal is to achieve a better quality working life for all, with no-one left behind.

August 2014 THE POINT

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Lauriston Girls’ School Bargaining Team

FLINDERS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

First Agreement for the Collegeallowance for elected Workplace Health and Safety reps (1 period a cycle).

The College has also provided for improved entitlements in the areas of: redundancy payments now to a maximum of 21 or 22 weeks depending on the age of the employee; and fee discount for teachers with children at the school by maintaining the current arrangement as well as expanding it to allow all teachers employed on a part-time basis to access it on a pro-rata basis in the future.

As part of the negotiations, the College agreed to create and implement a consultative committee on each campus to allow teachers to consult with their respective leadership team and Executive Principal on matters relating to the

Agreement as well as workload matters which will be part of the development of this process; the College is also paying an annual allowance to teachers who complete a relevant Masters or Diploma qualification as long as they are employed at the College; provision of a camp allowance; and the intention to reduce the scheduled class time of primary teachers through the life of the Agreement.

The process of coming to this end result involved not just the period of formal negotiation prior to it, but also required an educative process as to the merit and importance of having an Agreement to provide for transparency and consistency of application across the three sites on which the College operates.

Negotiations at The Friends School

To date 9 new Agreements have been approved, together with the Lutheran

Schools Multi-Enterprise Agreement, covering 15 schools. Of these Agreements, one is a first time Agreement, which involved starting from scratch in bringing together all relevant terms and conditions into one document – for more on this see our article on Flinders Christian Community College below. There was also a first at Lauriston Girls’ School where conditions for all staff, previously covered by a Teachers and School Assistants Agreement and an Education Support Staff Agreement were put into one Agreement.

Halfway through the school year, it’s time to pause and think about what we have achieved through bargaining in independent schools and what we hope to accomplish for the remainder of the year.

BARGAINING ROUNDUP

Mid-year Bargaining Progress Report

■ Adventist Schools ■ Alphington Grammar School ■ Bacchus Marsh Grammar

School ■ Ballarat Christian College ■ Bayview College ■ Beaconhills College ■ Berry St ■ Berwick Grammar ■ Christ Church Grammar ■ Cornish College ■ Eltham College ■ Fintona Girls’ School ■ Firbank Grammar School ■ Gippsland Grammar School ■ Highview College ■ Hume Anglican Grammar

■ Kardinia International College

■ Kilvington Grammar School ■ Launceston Christian School ■ Life Education ■ Melbourne Montessori School ■ Overnewton College ■ Ruyton Girls’School ■ St Catherine’s School Toorak ■ St Margaret’s School Berwick ■ St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox

College ■ The Friends School ■ The Geelong College ■ The King David School ■ Tintern Schools ■ Yarra Valley Grammar School

Bargaining continues at:

The IEU has recognised the importance of making a claim for additional paid leave to assist members who may be experiencing the effects of family violence. This leave may be used to attend the police, to go to court, to seek medical assistance or to support someone who is experiencing family violence. It is very encouraging that a number of schools have been prepared to include family violence leave provisions in their Agreements. Lauriston Girls’ School is the first independent school to have an Agreement approved with a stand-alone entitlement to family violence leave. The Agreement provides for up to 5 days leave per annum. It is expected that a number of other Agreements will also be approved in 2014 with this entitlement.

Similarly, we have made progress in extending leave available to cover the vagaries of life. While teachers and school staff do their best to plan holidays, medical treatment and other commitments to fall during school holidays, events often occur that cannot be planned for and that do not attract existing leave entitlements, such as personal leave or compassionate leave. The IEU has claimed special leave to cover events such as the funeral of a close friend, religious and cultural observation, or even the hot water service blowing up! We have been successful including special leave in several Agreements, which have made provision for employees to use some of their personal

leave entitlement in these circumstances. Knowing that leave is available to cover special or unusual occasions that fall during term time can be a great relief and assistance.

Looking to what lies ahead, the IEU is increasingly seeking to extend Agreements to cover teachers and assistants in early learning centres in schools. We are looking at what conditions are important in this area, including contact, preparation and planning time. Ensuring teachers and assistants have comparable conditions with their colleagues in the primary and secondary areas of the school is a high priority in bargaining.

Of course, seeking to obtain the best conditions for all staff in schools continues to be the main objective of our bargaining efforts. While many schools offer the same core conditions to all of their staff, such as entitlements to personal leave and long service leave, it is not uncommon for schools to offer superior conditions to teaching staff at the expense of general staff. The IEU will always seek to bring standards up to the highest level for everyone.

Christmas without a cracker?Know what your holiday pay entitlements are to avoid deflating your Christmas pudding at the last minute.For most members employed for the whole school year the holiday season brings relief at a job well done, a chance to relax and be with family or a chance to assume a horizontal position watching far too much cricket from the couch. Unfortunately for some IEU members, the end of year holiday season can be less joyful if expected pay doesn’t eventuate.

‘...if you haven’t worked for the whole school year or have taken leave without pay above the limits set out above then you should contact your organiser’

For teachers and some categories of education support staff who are entitled to payment for school holidays, the entitlement is dependent on how much of the school year they actually work. In essence for these staff, if they work the whole year they will be entitled to payment up until the commencement of the next school year (ie the whole school holidays). However if they did not work the whole school year, either because they commenced at a later date, resigned before the end of the year or had a period of leave without pay above a certain limit (15 days in Victorian Catholic schools and generally 10 in others) then their entitlement to payment for the holiday period will be reduced.

This can be a real trap for the unwary, especially graduate teachers who may have only got their first job half way through the year and hadn’t planned on being caught short over Christmas.

Every enterprise Agreement and Modern Award will have a clause that sets out the pro-rata entitlement to school holiday pay for relevant employees, but it can be a little bit complicated to work out. So if you haven’t worked for the whole school year or have taken leave without pay above the limits set out above then you should contact your organiser who will be able to point you in the right direction and make sure that, if you are going to be caught short at Christmas, you will at least know about it in advance.

In July, Flinders Christian Community College (FCCC) had its first enterprise Agreement approved by FWA to cover the entitlements and conditions pertaining to the teachers who work in the each of three campuses of the College – Tyabb, Carrum Downs and Traralgon (Latrobe City).

The negotiations for the Agreement commenced in June 2013 with IEU reps – David Crees, Carey Cole and

Steve Burns – representing the interests of the members at each of the campuses. Jill Healey (Executive Principal) supported by Glenn Kruithoff (Director of Corporate Services) and Jayne Gillespie (Head of HR) represented the College at the table. The process was completed in a cordial and respectful manner with the principles

of good faith bargaining being upheld throughout the process.

Being the first Agreement for the College, some of the outcomes were a ratification of existing practices which the College had been applying for a number of years, such as the provision of paid parental leave (14 weeks); personal leave entitlement of 15 days per year of service; compassionate leave (3 days); Induction Program; provision of time release for VIT mentors; and a time

She wasn’t too sure what the role would involve, but she did know that the Ruyton Girls’ School Enterprise

Agreement had nominally expired at the end of 2011 and staff at the school were keen to get going on negotiating a new Agreement. She also knew that the school had a history of strong union membership but had not had a rep since the retirement of the previous rep in 2012; so there was a bit of work to be done to lift the IEU profile. She was more than happy when her colleague in the Art and Design department, Sara Valentino, put her hand up to be a bargaining representative and assist in the negotiations for the new Agreement.

Jo has worked at Ruyton since 1998 and says, ‘I believe that we are lucky as a profession to have a union that supports us in what could only be described as a vocation. I like being part of a collective that looks after its members. A bit of interest on my part and no competition meant I became the elected rep at the school earlier this year. I haven’t been in the role that long but so far I have found the training that the IEU offers

is really valuable and that there have been a number of people in the Ruyton school community who are willing to help.’

Jo made an excellent start by attending our Rep Induction Day early in the year. A chance to spend time at the union office in Southbank together with other reps new to the role proved an invaluable introduction to what the role of rep entails. ‘It was really great to talk to other reps from such a range of different schools, both Catholic and independent, and realise it’s actually quite normal to feel apprehensive about the role and what it might entail.’

Sara Valentino is in her second year at Ruyton but has been teaching for close to 30 years. ‘I am a member of the union to protect myself and because ethically I felt that if I was going to accept the spoils of the

hard work that members put in on behalf of us all for Agreements and better conditions in schools, then I needed to support their work by being a member,’ she says.

Bargaining began in Term 3 and, with the help of Jo and Sara, a claim has been tabled on behalf of members. Sara was involved in the bargaining process at a previous school and so was happy to contribute what she learned there and Jo says she feels pleased to be part of the collective striving to improve conditions for staff at Ruyton. Both agree that the current Agreement contains a number of positive conditions including attractive rates for teachers in their early years and 14 weeks paid parental leave. It is hoped that the current negotiations will be concluded in time to have a new Agreement up and running by 2015.

To date, the employee panel has presented its claim on behalf of teachers. The claim seeks to enshrine

a number of existing conditions in the Agreement, to reinstate some conditions that were lost when the underpinning award moved from the TISTA Award to the Modern Award, and to seek some new conditions.

The employee panel wage claim seeks to move away from linking salaries to state government teachers’ wages. The Friends School has traditionally benchmarked the top of its salary scale at 3.5% above Band 1 Level 12 of the state scale. This has in the past delivered good outcomes for teachers. This was particularly the case when state teachers’ salaries were determined by the use of what was known as the ‘nexus’ which set state rates based on an averaging of mainland public sector increases. This methodology was abandoned by the Tasmanian government approximately 2 years ago. Since then, state wages have been set at 2% per annum subject to productivity gains. In July 2014, however, the Tasmanian government announced its

intention to legislate a wage freeze which would override negotiated wage increases enshrined in enterprise Agreements. This would mean that the wages set in the government teachers Agreement will remain at July 2014 levels until at least February 2016.

The employer panel at the Friends School has previously offered a wage increase in 2015 to maintain the 3.5% margin above state at the top of the scale, 3% across the board in 2016 and to maintain 3.5% above in 2017. The employee panel has countered this proposal by arguing that it is no longer appropriate to link salaries to state benchmarks. The relevant market is other, similar independent schools in Tasmania. One comparable school, The Hutchins School, has already entered a new enterprise Agreement which breaks the link with government school salaries, and it is anticipated a number of other schools will follow in their Agreements this year. If the current model is maintained, teachers at The Friends School will fall behind their colleagues in comparable independent schools.

The employee panel has put this position to the employer panel, who have sought a response from the Board. The outcome of this was for the employee position to be rejected and the initial employer offer maintained. This was despite the fact that in the intervening period, the news of the wage freeze was confirmed. Teachers at the school will not receive a pay increase in 2014 because the margin above state has already been achieved. It now appears almost certain that, if the current offer is accepted, that teachers can also expect no wage increase in 2017 and a very low increase in 2018, due to the ‘pause’ in public sector wages. This represents a considerable potential saving to the school. The employer panel has also indicated that it is not willing to consider any of the claims for improved conditions for teachers unless offset against the wages offer.

Education support staff at The Friends School are commencing negotiations for their new Agreement. As wage outcomes for support staff have usually followed the teachers’ outcome, the implications for all staff of adopting the state government wages position is significant.

Bargaining meetings are scheduled to continue, and it is hoped that what may potentially become an impasse in negotiations can be overcome.

Sara Valentino and Jo Roszkowski

The IEU Victoria Tasmania has been at the table bargaining alongside the Tasmanian Independent School Teachers’ Association (TISTA) in the negotiations for a new teachers’ Agreement at The Friends School North Hobart.

Representing RuytonWhen Jo Roszkowski agreed to take on the role of IEU Rep at Ruyton Girls’ School, she knew it was going to be a big year.

August 2014 THE POINT

9THE POINT August 2014

8

With members looking to reduce their hours to either test the water of the next stage of their career

or as a means of extending their working lives, there are some key factors which need to be considered in making such a decision. Leaving aside the financial implications of such a decision, for which we advise members to seek qualified advice from either their own advisors or from advisors who may be accessible to them via their superannuation fund, there are some employment factors that they need to consider also.

For those members who are employed in full-time positions, the transition to retirement means that the status of your employment will be altered, which could either be a permanent or temporary change.

Where an employee has made their mind up and the attraction of a five day a week position has lost its appeal, then the move to a part-time position needs to be negotiated with your employer. It is important to understand that there is no obligation on your employer to provide you with a part-time position simply because you ask for one as the employer may deem your current role to be best performed as a full-time one and there may not be another part-time position vacant at this point in time.

Assuming that a part-time position is available, in negotiating your hours of work and the new contract of employment, it is important to note that there is the capacity for hours of a part-time employee to be varied in

many Agreements provided that the employer can justify their reasons as to why this should occur eg. changes in funding, enrolments or curriculum structure are often cited as reasons for such changes. So having organised a part-time fraction for the coming year which suits your personal and financial plans, the capacity to have your hours changed in the years beyond is a possibility unless your new contract of employment guarantees in perpetuity your new part-time fraction position.

An alternative arrangement here, which also suits members for other reasons as well, is to maintain your full-time position and seek a temporary variation to your employment status with your school. In essence, you would go part-time for the forthcoming year with the understanding that you could resume your full-time position for the year after. This protects your capacity to return to your original position, should your employer be unable to provide you with a suitable part-time position in the subsequent year(s). This also allows employees who may have thought that a day off a week was going to suit them, when the reality was that the grass of part-time employment was not that much greener; or circumstances beyond anyone’s control or foresight (eg. financial needs of members may change) may necessitate a return to the full-time position.

From the more practical perspective for members who teach in secondary schools, the capacity for your school to offer a clear day off by you going to 0.8FTE may depend on

CAREER PLANNING

Should I stay or should I go?

STUDENT SUPPORT STAFF IN VICTORIAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Are you correctly classified?

The Age ‘My Career’ section is now a meagre shadow of its former self, whilst Seek

is replete with empty promises of too-good-to-be-true promotions in tax-free havens such as UAE, Saudi and the ‘South-Eastern Suburbs’. Meanwhile, for those tempted to change sectors, the government’s Recruitment Online is to teachers what the Westeros Wall is to White Walkers: A foreboding and impenetrable barrier, explicitly designed to deter transition and suppress the curious.

In any consideration about your career, it is important that you are purposeful about your direction. It is fine to remain at one school for 20 years if you are happy, and let nobody argue otherwise. If, on the other hand, you have spent the last 15 years lamenting your lack of promotion, career opportunity and PD, but failed to muster an application for a viable alternative then perhaps there is no time like the present?

To be purposeful, you need to continually evaluate your priorities, goals and values. These will evolve with increased maturity and responsibility or a change in circumstances, but it is essential to articulate what is important to you at any given point, and where work and professional commitments fit in. Ultimately, you need to have a clear idea of your ‘brand’ and leverage your ‘brand value’ when seeking new challenges. Are you Coke or Pepsi? Apple or Microsoft? Manage your own brand identity and convey it clearly. Academic, sporty, artistic, punctual, versatile, organised, team-oriented, committed to co-curricular... The list is endless.

Somewhat like car maintenance, some aspects of your brand identity need constant attention whilst others only need a periodic service. Here are the tools to keep your career in top working order to ensure you make it to your chosen destination:

Professional networksFor many of us, this is the

reason we enjoy our work. Supportive colleagues and friendly staffrooms ensure we cope with stress and workload. Make time to reciprocate support and demonstrate the importance of strong, collaborative working relationships. There are subject associations and industry groups which provide excellent professional networking and development opportunities. We advise people to use these extensively in order to boost their

profile and expand their sphere of influence. Don’t forget online networking too – LinkedIn is gaining traction in educational circles and Twitter can be an excellent means to connect with counterparts in rural areas, interstate or overseas.

Curriculum Vitae This is the most obvious career

tool and needs constant tweaking, even when you are happily employed and not considering a move. Many people treat their CV like their car tyres: They completely forget about them until they need to go somewhere and realise they’re flat and outdated. You need to keep updating, but not inflating, this document so it remains current, relevant and, most of all, engaging:

■ Achievements: What have you accomplished in the past year? What wins? Consider results, feedback, qualifications, initiatives.

■ Roles and responsibilities: Are you co-ordinating a new program? Do you manage someone? Have you supervised or mentored? Have you taught a new subject and/or year level?

■ Activities and Interests: These are worth including as they give a clearer picture of the whole person. Any activity that could lend itself to a co-curricular program is a bonus.

■ Professional Development: List 5 – 15 items, grouped by function (pedagogy, wellbeing, co-curricular, etc.) or chronologically. These

demonstrate that you are engaged in the profession and are willing to undertake continuous learning.

■ Referees: Now’s a good time to make sure you still keep in touch with the people who are going to be vouching for your ability and attributes. Now is a great time to catch up for a coffee, send them an email or a brief message on LinkedIn.

Cover LetterThis is the one that only requires

attention when you want to move. As each cover letter must be unique to the role and school, it relies on specific research when applying. Clearly enunciate your brand, your recent achievements and how the new role fits into your career plan. Show ambition and demonstrate your value to the organisation. Don’t merely regurgitate bits of your CV, but rather draw a connection between the requirements of the advertised role and your performance and

ability. Make it engaging so the Principal wants to put your CV at the top of the pile. And finally, give it to someone to proof-read: Theirs nothing more worse than a resume what has lots of grammer errors!

A bit like booking a regular service, Term 3 serves as a reminder to give yourself your very own career make-over. If this is a struggle, cite snippets from your ARM or ask a colleague how they would describe you, gather evidence and solicit feedback. Read Saturday’s Age – you’d hate to miss out on your ideal job! Invest some time and energy on yourself now so that when an opportunity arises, you’re set to go. Finally, be honest with yourself. What’s your weak point? What does your Principal think about you? What would colleagues say about you? Take a look in the mirror. Would you employ you? If unsure, perhaps it’s time to ring a few changes? After all, better a shiny new Ferrari than a second-hand Fiat.

Transition to retirementThe area of Student Support in Catholic schools covers a wide diversity of employee roles.

These roles include teachers’ aides, integration aides, subject specific assistants,

chaplains, counsellors, psychologists, youth workers, social workers, community liaison officers and other similar roles.

Student Support is one of the three occupational groupings under the general heading of Education Support staff. The others areas are Curriculum Resource Services and Administrative Services.

Changes to the classification structure

The new Education Support Employees Classification Structure in the Catholic Schools Agreement has been restructured from the previous 7 level structure to a new 5 level one. The new structure has combined the previous 7 levels into 4 levels, and added an additional higher level (Level 5).

What level do you work at?

It is very important that staff and school management understand the competency-based classification structure. The new structure is written in two parts:

1. General Work Descriptors – which outline the level of competency; judgement, independence and problem solving; direction; supervision; and qualifications; and

2. Typical duties – which provide examples of the type of work that is ‘typically’ done at the particular level. The list of typical duties which appear in the structure for Student Support are examples of the type of duties that would be done at the given level. As Student Support covers a diverse group of employees, the listed typical duties are in no way meant to be a comprehensive or prescriptive list – they give a flavour of the work done at that level.

That being said, generally employees at Level 1 are closely and directly supervised, work on clearly defined tasks, and do not use discretion and judgement in adapting interactions and approaches involving the students they are working with. Employees at Level 5 are generally going to be responsible for a program area/lead and manage a significant functional area. The levels in between these two reflect increasing skills, knowledge, decision-making and responsibility.

School CounsellingCounselling in Catholic schools

is undertaken by staff with a range of qualifications and backgrounds. Some schools employ teachers

who have additional qualifications in counselling, other employees are registered psychologists, some staff have degrees in social work and/or diplomas in counselling and other qualifications.

Minimum pay level – the Education Support classification structure does encompass counselling staff (who are not employed as teachers). The minimum level that would apply to a counsellor would be ES Level 3. However, it is important to note that the typical duties listed make it clear that a person would only be employed at ES Level 3 for their beginning career years, for example, while provisionally registered. Anyone who is providing standard professional services at an experienced level should be at least an ES Level 4. We expect to see counsellors with one

or two years’ experience at Level 4 as the minimum classification and pay level applying to them.

Anyone who was employed before the new Agreement came into effect at the end of last year should have already been employed at the previous SO Level 7. These employees should have then been translated automatically to the new Agreement classification ES Level 4.

Assisting Student Learning

Teacher aides, integration aides and subject specific assistants working with students also have a range of experience, training, and responsibilities. The classification structure acknowledges the different levels of knowledge and skills, training, judgement, independence and problem solving,

degree of direction received from teachers, and whether supervision of students occurs.

Where assistants receive only general direction and supervision from teachers and are providing more than limited assistance to students, schools should be recognising this experience and skill level and at least classifying these assistants at Level 2. Level 3 of the structure particularly recognises areas of specialisation. For example, assistants who are undertaking specialist intervention strategies that require advanced training and expertise (such as working with speech pathologists), or who undertake liaison work within school communities, should be Level 3.

IEU members who have queries about their classification level should contact their IEU Organiser.

the vagaries of the timetable. So whilst it is easy to think that I will drop from full-time to 0.8FTE and have a day off, it may not be practical to arrange. If a couple of late starts or early finishes will suit your situation, this could be more readily accommodated within the timetable.

The issue then becomes by how much one has to reduce their time fraction to have a day off. This is not to say that there are not ‘creative’ means by which timetabling issues could be addressed to facilitate having a day off eg. on a day where you may be allocated one or two periods a team teaching arrangement could be put in place where you ‘share’ a class with a colleague or it may become a ‘permanent’ extra where you provide the work for the class, you could then counterbalance this by taking a ‘permanent’ extra on another of your scheduled work days.

When shifting to a part-time position, it is also important to investigate and consider any impact that there may be on other entitlements such as long service leave, personal leave, discount on school fees, etc. Again, seeking advice on such matters before making your final decision is vitally important.

Similarly, understanding the obligations of a part-time employee are important to know when one moves from a full-time position as it is a different world in the sense that you are being paid for part of the week, so your obligations are reduced to reflect this change. This may necessitate a change to some habits of a lifetime to ensure that you enjoy the complete benefits of making this transition.

Call it work/life balance; canny planning; extending one’s career; keeping a foot in the door; or not being quite ready to spend more time with those nearest and dearest to you, the transition to retirement has become a significant part of the career process for many members.

Short days and long nights, cold mornings and wet lunchtimes and no prospect of a Public Holiday until November… Term three, unsurprisingly, is historically the time when people reconsider their career options.

Classification & Reclassification for Clerical and Administrative Staff Tuesday 2 September, 4.30 – 6pm (IEU members only)

FEU CONFERENCE CENTRE, 120 CLARENDON STREET, SOUTHBANK

New classification structures in the Victorian Catholic Education Multi-Enterprise Agreement have opened up opportunities for many ES staff in Catholic schools to get reclassified at a higher level.

This seminar gives ES staff who work in Catholic schools’ clerical and administrative services the formation and tools they need to check they’re correctly classified, and apply for reclassification if necessary.

Email training@ieuvictas.org.au (course code ES145) to book, or call 03 9254 1860 for further information.

Just as the amalgamation of the Victorian Catholic Primary Principals’ Association (VCPPA) with the VCPSA in 1990 was

seen as inevitable as far as sustainable resourcing and ensuring the employer body no longer could play off one staff association against the other, so too the committees of management of each association noted above realized the need for solidarity in order to grow membership and to more significantly influence educational and industrial decision-making in Victoria.

It was also a time when unionism in general was very much under threat from falling membership, and as a consequence, Bill Kelty (the then Secretary of the ACTU) planned the amalgamation of small ‘like’ unions into bigger, more sustainable units to represent workers.

1994 can probably now be seen as the ‘coming of age’ of our collective membership as ‘unionists’ and as ‘union’ – words at this time which had been seen as somewhat inappropriate by some – thus the preference by some to remain ‘associations’.

Amalgamation also brought many unseen but vital qualities forward in our membership and in our union office

bearers. The tremendous good will, inclusivity and trust which prevailed amongst the union membership, leadership and union officers from the earliest days of VIEU was simply exemplary and not a feature of other unions’ amalgamations. You would have expected various egos to be problematic, but there was little primary vs secondary or Catholic vs independent rivalry and all leaders had to compromise at some time, reach a common understanding on the way forward and therefore few serious problems got in the way of our progress towards the Union we are now.

From my recollections, both the primary and secondary unions at amalgamation had under 3,500 members each in 1994, with the independents about half that – for a grand total of approximately 8,000 members. That is a far cry from where we sit now at 20,000 members and it was a far cry as to what benefits we could offer the membership, other than school visits. This we did better than most unions of the time and this resulted in us being a union actually growing. I still remember the numerous occasions of being called to the Secretary’s house or into our pokey

rooms at Trades Hall to fill envelopes for a bulk mail out to schools and also being at school and getting a phone call around 3.00pm from one of the officers desperately requesting attendance at a Union branch meeting or staff meeting in Daylesford, Gordon or Preston because the small number of officers at the time were already booked up and someone needed to attend a staff meeting somewhere. I was very lucky to have a very understanding principal!

Humble, honest beginnings, based on the rules of fair play and justice, valuing of the personal touch and incredible generosity of spirit has always been a hallmark of our growing union and the early struggles set up a perspective which appreciates the value of resources we now have at our disposal to defend the rights of workers in our part of the education industry.

Ahhhh!!!... Those were the days...

From Past to President

Union PresidentMARK WILLIAMS (CIRCA 1994)

2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the amalgamation of our staff associations as they were called then – Catholic secondary staff (SACSS), Catholic primary staff (VCPSA) and teachers in independent schools (VATIS/VIESA).

THE POINT August 2014 August 2014 THE POINT

10 11

1994 2014

Celebrating 20 Years of Strength

1990s

2000s

2010s

In 1994, three unions decided to pool resources and became one – stronger and better equipped to represent the interests of their members.

Unions representing staff from non-government education in Victoria

joined forces to form the Victorian Independent Education Union (VIEU), which in turn joined with the IEU Tasmania in 2011 to become today’s IEU Victoria Tasmania.

After much discussion and negotiations between the Victorian Independent Education Staff Association (VIESA), Victorian Catholic Primary Staff Association (VCPSA) and Staff Association of Catholic Secondary Schools (SACSS), a new entity was formed with a staff of 23 located at new offices in South Melbourne. Twenty years later, 40 staff share the same space, with a further 4 based in Hobart.

Membership in 1994 was around 8000, and has grown steadily over the years. Remarkably, over two thousand foundation members of VIEU are still members today, twenty years later! Only two office staff remain from the very first days of the amalgamated union, Systems Manager Paul Garner and Finance Manager Jaswinder Kaur, who have seen first-hand the constant increase in membership each and every year as the combined union has grown to its current 20,000-strong membership.

The first General Secretary of the combined union, Gerry Palmer, said at the time ‘Members of VCPSA, SACAA and VIESA have made an important decision – to combine membership and resources in order to provide the best possible service for staff employed in the non-government education sector.’ Looking back on amalgamation he reflects, ‘Twenty years on, it is pleasing to see that this decision was the correct one.’ And he has this message for all staff and members: ‘Congratulations on twenty years of serving the non-government sector in Victoria!’

Marilyn Forde, who was the Assistant General Secretary of the new union, says ‘Congratulations to all past and present members, staff and volunteers on your 20th birthday. In unity is strength is demonstrated so well in the growth of members and services, whilst striving for greater recognition of the commitment and professionalism of all engaged in the non-government education sector. It was clear, that more could be achieved by working as one sector instead of disparate groups. We discovered co-habiting at Clarendon Street that a more formal merger was the natural next step. In hindsight, we can only ponder why the merger took so long! In giving my congratulations, I would like also to pay tribute to those who are no longer with us who helped build the VIEU we know and love. Wishing the IEU Victoria Tasmania many more years of success.’

Michael Flinn, a senior Officer at amalgamation and then General Secretary has this to say: ‘Who could have imagined that 20 years on the IEU Victoria Tasmania would be the impressive and imposing union it is today. It has become everything we dreamed it might and so much more. To my successors, Tony Keenan and Debra James – congratulations. To the members goes all the glory. We could never have become who we are today without the daily grind of our members and workplace reps.

Happy Anniversary to today’s 20,000 members!’

My most enduring memory of my time at the IEU was the storm we weathered when many Catholic Schools cut our members’ payroll deductions as we struggled for pay equity. Despite this attack on our right to be UNION, we did not falter in our determination. The cold winter morning pickets out the front of the CEO and the determination of our members to win wage justice are memories I hold close to this very day. Congratulations.’

Tony Keenan, who at the time was a senior Officer in the new union and also went on to become General Secretary, recalls ‘In the lead up to the merger, conservatives did what conservatives always do – they tried to appeal to fear, attempted to scare people and focussed on the trivial things that might divide the three unions. Too Catholic! Too radical! Too conservative! The alternative view – which focussed on our common values and the great strength that would be gained through a collective voice – prevailed thankfully’. Asked for his view of the last twenty years,

he says, ‘We have built a strong, progressive union for all staff in non-government education at a time when many unions have been experiencing a decline. Happy Anniversary to today’s 20,000 members!’

The final word belongs to David Campbell, the inaugural President: ‘In congratulating the union on its 20th anniversary I repeat from my first VIEU President’s Report in February 1994: ‘The union is not some disembodied thing that exists out there. The union is you, the members, and it is in your interest and enthusiasm that the strength and future direction of the organisation lie. During difficult times for unions in general, it is encouraging to see the extent to which that interest and enthusiasm continues to bear fruit.’

Here’s to the next twenty Years!

For the last twenty years, VIEUPoint, and more recently The Point, has provided a record of key events, and every-day issues that affect our members. Flicking through the back-copies gives a sense that the more things change, the more they stay the same!

August 2014 THE POINT

13THE POINT August 2014

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Over the past decade, there has been a significant change in the age profile of the teaching workforce in non-government schools. During the last decade, the proportion of teachers aged over 50 has increased from approximately 20% to just over 40%.

Workplace discrimination against parents widespread

During that time we have also witnessed significant change in government

policy toward the participation and retention of older workers. Abolishing compulsory retirement, removing incentives for early retirement, raising the age of eligibility for access to the Age Pension, programs to encourage the retention and employment of older workers, changes to superannuation no doubt influence the decisions of persons nearing the end of their careers. It is almost certain the numbers of education workers aged over 50 will continue to increase, as will the proportion of those aged over 65. No doubt a percentage of the workforce will stay employed for longer.

‘Whether you are 27 or 67 you have the same right to a healthy and safe workplace’

So what does this mean for workplace health and safety, and, what if anything has age got to do with safety? It is recognised that ageing brings with it a number of changes, both physiologically and cognitively. Ageing impacts our vision, hearing, peak strength, peak aerobic capacity and the likelihood of chronic illness such as cardiovascular disease,

diabetes and arthritis. However, the incidence is highly variable between individuals and just because a teacher, laboratory technician, bus driver or gardener is age 63 doesn’t mean he or she is less physically capable at work than their 25 year old colleague. So, what has age got to do with safety?

Work intensification, work related stress, bullying, manual handling, slips, trips and falls are significant agents of injury in all schools. While the effects of aging on our cognitive and physiological capacities may raise the risk of injury, these risks must be considered within the overall context of safety management in the workplace for all workers. In other words, employers who simply blame age for workers sustaining their injuries are simply not compliant with their obligation to identify hazards and design safe systems of work.

Safer workplaces are built because the job-task demands are in sync with the abilities and skills of the workers, irrespective of their age, physical or cognitive capacities. Since the workers know their workplace better than anyone, the demographic will reflect the age related hazards identified. These hazards must then be risk assessed and controlled. Although the hazards are the same for all workers, the risk of injury is likely to be different for older workers and this must be factored into decisions taken to control the hazard.

AVOID THE PITFALLS

IEU Guide to Getting your VIT Registration Right

It is very important that all parts of the invoice are paid for and all the required on-line form processes submitted

before this date. A late fee will be added to the fees paid after 30 September. If the registration fee and required paper work is not completed before 31 December, teachers will find that their registration will have expired, and they will not be able to teach. IEU urges members to be very attentive to the required dates.

What are the key steps involved?1. Make sure VIT has your current

email address2. Make sure you have set up your

MyVIT Account 3. When you receive your invoice make

sure you pay all fees listed and fill out all of the on-line form processes that apply to you well before 30 September. Your invoice will be clear about what processes apply to you individually. You should also have received a letter from VIT in July telling you what processes apply to you.

What will you need to complete on-line?1. Payment of fees if you wish to teach in

Victoria (your invoice may include the Criminal Records Check fee if it needs updating)

2. Criminal Records Check (if your CRC is not going to be current for the whole of this next registration period)

3. Renewal of Registration Form (if your cycle of registration is up, ie. those at the end of their 5-year cycle, and those already on the 1-year cycle)

IEU has been advised by VIT that, once you have logged on, you will be taken automatically through each of the steps/processes that apply individually to you. If, for example, all that applies to you is to pay the annual registration fee, then that is all that will appear for you to complete.

Criminal Records Check ProcessIf you have been informed on your

invoice and July VIT letter that this applies to you:1. Make sure you also pay this fee which

will be included on your VIT invoice2. Complete the on-line consent form

to conduct a new check

Very importantly, when you get the confirmation email from VIT, complete the attached document as instructed, and send it off to VIT with your certified supporting documents (proof of identity, etc).

Renewal of Registration Process

If you have been informed on your invoice and July VIT letter that you need to renew registration, complete the on-line Renewal form. This will include clicking ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to confirm whether you have completed the required days of teaching or equivalent practice or leadership, and the hours of PD.

‘If the registration fee and required paper work is not completed before 31 December, teachers will find that their registration will have expired, and they will not be able to teach.’

The professional practice requirements for the annual renewal of registration are that a teacher has in the past twelve months completed at least:

■ 20 hours of standards referenced professional development activities updating practice about knowledge, content and/or pedagogy; and

■ 20 days of teaching, equivalent practice or educational leadership.

Note that if you have not been able to meet the professional practice days in the last twelve months, the on-line form will allow you to indicate whether you have met the aggregate number of days over a longer period of time to a maximum of the last 5 years; that is 40 days in the past 2 years; 60 days in the past 3 years, 80 days in the last 4 years, or 100 days in the past 5 years.

Equivalent practiceEquivalent practice can be used to meet

the currency of practice requirement by registered teachers who are working in alternative settings or related fields of education but are not teaching in a primary, secondary or special school. A clear relationship between the work of these teachers and the standards of professional practice provides a case for equivalent practice. For the full definition of equivalent practice check the VIT website.

What if you can’t meet the renewal requirements?

If you are unable to meet the renewal requirements, you have two options available:1. You can apply for non-practising

registration. This registration category allows a teacher to remain registered, with their suitability and CRC recognised. You still need to pay the registration fees and have a current CRC. However, you are unable to teach in Victorian primary, secondary or special schools under this form of registration. You will need to complete the Application for Non-Practising Registration Form. There is no minimum or maximum period of time required to be on this category.When you want to return to teaching you need to complete the Returning to Teaching from Non-Practising Registration Notification Form (available on VIT website).

Teachers granted returning to teaching registration will be required at the end of the granted 12 month period, to demonstrate that they have undertaken 20 days teaching (or equivalent practice) and 20 hours of professional development.

2. If you cannot meet the registration requirements you also have the option of letting your registration expire. However, if you want to teach again in a Victorian school you will be required to submit a new registration application with all the paperwork required. Members should consider this option very carefully. If you are not already a four-year trained teacher you will not gain VIT registration once your registration has expired. It is advisable to get advice on this.

IEU members who are concerned about being unable to meet the renewal requirements can obtain further advice from the IEU.

Be Alert! By the end of July this year, registered teachers should have received their invoice from VIT for completion by 30 September.

Risks to older and younger workers alike may be eliminated in the following ways:

■ Apply ergonomic principles to workplace tasks by matching as closely as possible the demands of the task to the capabilities and skills of the person completing it

■ Consult with staff in the design of the task to enable them to participate in decisions about how the task can be completed, identify potential problems and solutions

■ Allow flexibility in the timing of breaks so staff can match the break to better meet their own fitness and health needs

■ Review any issues of work intensification arising from being required to perform the same amount of work in less time or with fewer resources. Work intensification increases the risk of musculoskeletal injury and work related stress

■ Allow longer periods of time to adapt to the introduction of change ■ Design or review a safe system of work to eliminate or reduce

the likelihood of manual handling injuries arising from physically demanding tasks

■ Regularly inspect and improve the physical nature of the workplace by giving attention to housekeeping and storage, lighting, humidity, temperature, glare, task lighting and noise levels

■ Redesign or review workstations to ensure risks of injury are reduced ■ Provide training, information and supervision to ensure staff have

the knowledge and skills to perform their work in a manner which is safe

■ Initiate flexible working arrangements that provide for job share, family-friendly arrangements or support for injured workers returning to work

■ Support the health and safety committee to promote health and fitness initiatives in the workplace and encourage the participation of staff.

An Australian Human Rights Commission study just released found that one in two women and one in four men have experienced discrimination relating to their family obligations.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick said the findings shocked her. ‘Whether it’s in the

corporate world or the public service, a school classroom, a corner store or a science lab discrimination is experienced by 49 per cent of pregnant women and working mothers.’ The survey found that discrimination is widespread across all sectors and levels of seniority, although workers in large companies were more likely to suffer than those in small organisation.

Ms Broderick said ‘At the senior levels we often heard women being told: ‘Your

choice: the job or the baby’ to the woman who is not allowed a toilet break. I mean she’s pregnant for heaven sake. A lot of these views are coming from female managers. Women with children. I found that shocking.’

The study found 22 per cent of women who had suffered discrimination opted out of the workplace entirely. Discrimination creates costs for everyone – the affected individual , their family, the workplace and the wider economy, the report found. The hidden costs for organisations include loss of talent, knowledge and skills, lower productivity among employees and higher

staff turnover resulting in increased costs to the employer as a result of the loss on investment made in employees. The report makes the link to women continuing to be significantly unrepresented in leadership levels in workplaces despite current research demonstrating that gender balance has a direct positive impact on efficiency and performance.

The Human Rights Commission has surveyed hundreds of parents, employers and business groups and found cases where maternity leave was denied, job contracts were torn up, careers stunted, demotions and resignations were commonplace. ‘For an individual woman or man affected by it, it’s about the mental health impacts; it’s about the loss of job security; it’s about financial impacts. It impacts on the family. I met people who, because of one partner – the pregnant

woman – being pushed out of work, could no longer afford their mortgage,’ Ms Broderick commented.

The report makes wide-ranging recommendations to improve awareness amongst both employers and employees. Ms Broderick said the findings show there is a need for greater awareness about workplace rights and made a case for tackling negative stereotypes about workers with caring responsibilities.

Given the significant improvements in improving the legal framework around parental leave and family and carer responsibilities, it shows that still more needs to be done to stamp out unfair and illegal practices in workplaces.

If you have concerns about potential discrimination due to pregnancy or family obligations, start by getting advice from your union.

So, what has age got to do with health and safety? Whatever your age you will be confronted by hazards at work. Your age will influence the nature of the risk presented by the hazard, but your age doesn’t affect the duty of care

owed to you by your employer to identify, assess and eliminate the hazard. Whether you are 27 or 67 you have the same right to a healthy and safe workplace and your employer has same duty to you.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

What has age got to do with safety at work?

THE POINT August 2014 August 2014 THE POINT

14 15

Asian Study Tour

During May a group of primary principals from the Diocese of Sale participated in a School Improvement

Study Tour to Shanghai and Singapore. The tour, organised by the Diocese of Sale in conjunction with the Asian Education Foundation, included visits to schools, education departments and universities. We were fortunate to listen to a range of speakers providing a government, university and school perspective of education within Singapore and Shanghai.

‘I have returned to Australia with a renewed confidence in the broad range of experiences offered to students in our schools and an appreciation of our efforts to develop the whole child.’

With many varied and wide-ranging experiences packed into two short weeks it is difficult to succinctly assemble thoughts and ideas. However, the following impressions remain strongly with me:

■ The government in both Shanghai and Singapore invest heavily in education and in resourcing schools

■ Schools are beautifully appointed, technology is a strong focus and every possible space (including steps on stairwells!) utilised to support and promote learning

■ Principals must have exemplary teaching backgrounds

■ Teachers and the profession of teaching are highly respected throughout society

■ Teaching is a much coveted career, attracting the top university students

■ Teacher learning is valued as much as student learning

■ Teachers are given opportunities to study and learn from the foremost educational experts from around the world as part of ongoing professional learning

■ Teacher mentoring, observation and feedback sessions are utilised extensively for professional development

■ Throughout the community there is an inherent culture and commitment to learning with high expectations of achievement particularly associated with exam results

■ Class sizes are large, school hours long and several hours of homework the norm for all students including those in lower primary school

■ Students are focussed on achievement and even primary-aged students are aware that good exam results will ensure entry into top secondary schools and universities.

Both Singapore and Shanghai have received world recognition for their success in education, particularly with outstanding PISA results. In both systems, educationalists and experts acknowledged that PISA is only one tool for assessing education and not an end in itself. (PISA is one component of an overall strategy to assess educational effectiveness.) Educationalists emphasised that in using a wide range of tools they were able to fully understand the challenges facing their education systems.

Areas for improvement and development included:

■ Ensuring creativity and diversity have due emphasis within the curriculum whilst maintaining a rigorous approach to learning

■ Reducing stress levels of students ■ Developing a broader understanding

of what is ‘success’ in education ■ Developing individual talents and

valuing these across all areas of the curriculum

‘Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed for a lifetime.’ (Confucius)

I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend the study tour, to share experiences with colleagues and to broaden my perspectives around global education. I have returned to Australia with a renewed confidence in the broad range of experiences offered to students in our schools and an appreciation of our efforts to develop the whole child.

The inclusiveness of Australian schools and our ability to promote and encourage a range of talents and abilities should not be underestimated. Whilst we should always seek to improve, we are developing global citizens who are creative, resilient and inquisitive life-long learners and this is cause for much celebration.Jan Gubbins, PrincipalColumba Catholic Primary School Bunyip

Creating Order in the Classroom

Think about it – 28 students, 28 IT devices, an open-plan learning environment, differentiating the

curriculum to meet individual needs, managing an emotional disturbance with one student, assessing the learning capacity of another, responding to a concerned parent and all this time, a north-wind blowing.

Creating and maintaining a supportive and safe learning environment is a challenge. The AITSL standards for proficient teachers require you to:

■ Support student participation ■ Manage classroom activities ■ Manage challenging behaviours ■ Maintain student safety ■ Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically.

If you need additional strategies in any of these areas then check out the professional learning opportunities with the Teacher Learning Network (TLN), the professional development organisation of your union.

Online opportunitiesBehaviour management in the IT classroom

Thursday 14 August 4.00pm – 6.00pm with Mark Richardson

Stop bullying in your school

Tuesday 26 August 4.00pm – 6.00pm with Kate Chinner

Instilling good primary learning behaviours

Thursday 28 August 4.30pm – 6.30pm with Amy Coath

Motivating students Thursday 4 September 4.30pm – 6.30pm with Jo Lange

These are great opportunities for people in rural and regional Victoria and right across Tasmania. You can do these professional development workshops from your school or from home. No travel, no parking, no hassle.

Face-to- face opportunitiesEngage and motivate students

Friday 22 August 9.30am – 3.30pm AEU building, Abbotsford with Jenny Mackay

Beyond telling off Friday 17 October 9.30am – 3.30pm AEU building, Abbotsford with Jo Lange

These are full day opportunities with two of Australia’s leaders in classroom and behaviour management.

You can find out more and register for these programs at www.tln.org.au

If your school is a member any and all of these programs are FREE for you to attend. If your school is not a member of TLN, have a chat with your Principal. For just $350 for the average primary school and $600 for the average secondary school, you are members for 12 months and all programs are free of charge to all staff in the school.

Too good to be true? No, just supported by the IEU! Contact Michael Victory at mvictory@tln.org.au or 9418 4992 for more information.

Jan Gubbins is currently in her eighth year as Principal of Columba Catholic Primary School Bunyip. Jan is an IEU Member who believes in the principle of inclusiveness and this aspect is promoted in her school community. Jan recognises the importance of the Arts and at Columba children have the opportunity to express themselves in a number of different modes. In doing this Jan sees this expression as important to the development of the whole child.

The IEU thanks Jan for sharing her thoughts from a recent study tour supported by the Sale Diocese where a contingent of principals were able to visit Singapore and Shanghai.

Making education matter this election

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For more information email: educationmatters@ieuvictas.org.au EducationMatters

We’re kicking off a campaign called Education Matters which is about making sure issues that

are important to IEU members get the attention they deserve from all parties.

We’re putting a series of proposals to the Coalition, Labor and the Greens for their consideration and comment, and their responses will be passed onto you, so that you can make an informed call about who deserves your vote.

The issues Victorian IEU members will be campaigning on over the next few months include:

■ providing more special needs funding for students in non-government schools

■ maintaining the current indexation of non-government school funding

■ reforming the Equal Opportunity Act to prevent employers being able to arbitrarily discriminate on the basis of sexuality or marital status

■ stopping the introduction of performance pay into Victorian Schools

■ better funding TAFE and VCAL, including a reversal of recent cuts

■ actively promoting the Safe Schools Coalition in non-government schools, so that all schools can create a safe, more inclusive environment for GLBTI students

■ improving public sector bargaining, so it’s conducted faster, in good faith, and isn’t bound by arbitrary government wage policies.

■ empowering regulatory authorities like the VRQA to better investigate and regulate non-government schools, so IEU member jobs are better protected from poor financial management

■ ensuring free and fair elections for VIT Council, and seeking a guarantee that teachers will be appointed to this key body.

Our work around these issues will be complemented by a series of events over the next few months, to make sure MPs and candidates in marginal seats are well aware of our concerns, and can’t afford to ignore us.

The Education Matters campaign forms the major plank of our contribution to Victorian Trades Hall Council’s We Are Union juggernaut. That campaign, powered by volunteers from all Victorian unions, is focussing on union members talking to their friends, family and neighbours – and it is having a huge impact.

The campaign is a genuine grassroots effort that has seen over 1000 people volunteer their time to make calls and knock on doors, talking about the important issues like jobs, health, education and emergency services.

We Are Union isn’t just about challenging the Napthine Government: it’s about changing the way union members engage in Victorian politics.

Union volunteers are making sure that the issues working people care about, including the concerns of IEU members,

are front and centre: that this government hears our concerns and is held accountable for its failures.

Since the election in 2010, 46 jobs each and every day have disappeared, there are now more than 215,000 people who want to work but can’t find a job, and the unemployment rate has reached 7%. In the face of these alarming statistics, the Napthine Government still has no jobs plan.

Meanwhile, they have cut millions of dollars from health, education, the TAFE system, fire services and our ambulance service. In one way or another, every Victorian worker has been let down by the current government. They have to be put on notice.

Trades Hall is relying on ordinary union members taking the extraordinary step of volunteering their time, particularly in the marginal seats of Bellarine, Bentleigh, Carrum, Frankston, Monbulk and Mordialloc. If you think you can help, check out the opportunities to get involved at www.weareunion.org.au, or call us at the IEU on 9254 1860.

In the lead-up to the Victorian state election on 29 November, IEU members will be fighting for a better deal from whoever wins government.

‘You cannot open a book without learning something.’ (Confucius)

August 2014 THE POINT

17

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IEU – Student ServicesStudent membership of the IEU is free, but there are plenty of other really good reasons why it makes sense to be part of the union while you’re a student.

The IEU works in your best interests, speaking for staff working in Catholic and

independent education, and protecting and representing you.

From time to time, you may need the help and support in your career that the IEU can provide. Teaching is one of the most demanding professions around with parents making increased demands, a litigious culture and high levels of stress, so anyone working in the industry should have access to guidance, support, and legal and professional advice if they need it.

The IEU provides all these services and much more, including:

■ raising the status of staff working in Catholic and independent schools

■ campaigning for better resources for schools

■ working for a healthier and safer working environment

■ promoting equality in schools and other educational settings

■ providing high quality training and professional development

■ supporting members experiencing difficulties

■ campaigning for improved salaries and conditions of service through enterprise Agreements.

If you are offered a job in a non-government school we can check your contract and advise of any potential problems before you sign.

We keep you up-to-date with issues affecting the education sector through publications including The Point and Independent Education. These are an excellent reference point for

those entering the profession and can provide ideas to assist in job applications and interviews.

Other member benefits include access to Union Shopper and ACTU Member Connect which can save you time and money, competitive banking services through ME Bank and Victoria Teachers Mutual Bank, and discount health insurance through Teachers Health.

The IEU offers a number of training and professional development opportunities

specifically aimed at student teachers. These include:

■ Beginning Teacher Conference ■ PD in the Pub ■ Student Teacher Conferences

More training opportunities for students can be seen online: ieuvictas.org.au

Remember to stay in touch facebook.com/IEUVicTas Twitter: @IEUnews Linkedin: IEUVictoriaTasmania

Launching Your Career: CV Writing & Interview Skills For Student MembersThursday 2 October 9.30am – 12.30pm

FEU CONFERENCE CENTRE, 120 CLARENDON STREET, SOUTHBANK COST: $10 FOR MEMBERS ONLY

This training provides you with some of the information and skills you need to enable you to fully plan, enjoy and control your career.

The seminar is aimed at students members, and will include information on careers and work, networking, CV writing and interview skills.

Please note that places are strictly limited. To book: www.ieuvictas.org.au/launchyourcareer

Student Teachers are ready to ‘Get that Job’

Making the transition from study to teaching will always be a challenge – however, over 150 participants at the IEU ‘Get that Job’ Student Conference know that a little extra preparation can go a long way.

This year students heard from a group of Principals: Lisa Moloney St Paul’s Grammar School Warragul

& Traralgon, Simon Gipson St Michael’s Grammar, Mary Farah St Aloyisus College Nth Melbourne, Mary Stack Kilbreda College and Anthony Falls St Mary’s Lancefield.

Each talked about what qualities they look for in a graduate teacher and how these qualities, such as enthusiasm and

knowledge of contemporary pedagogy, are integral to schools and their ability to deliver the best possible education to students.

Importantly, a large part of the conference focused on CV writing and interview skills. In this session IEU Organiser Steve Whittington took participants through the process of writing a great CV and the planning behind presenting exceptionally well at interview.

Do you want the insider’s guide to getting a job in the non-government sector?Sign up to Linkedin and follow the IEU Early Careers page to get access to the ‘Get That Job!’ insider’s guide and other resources targetted at improving your CV and preparing you for the trial of interview.

Sarah Stone

Excited about working in maths; students often fear it and I’d like to get them excited about it.

In my previous job of 9.00 til 5.00, 5 days a week without having to take work home, I’m worried about how I’m going to manage the time and work.

I’m excited. I’ve had a couple of other jobs before this so I’m really looking forward to doing something I want to do.

I’m worried about parents and their expectations.

Aniela Bialecki

August 2014 THE POINT

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News UpdateAustraliaNegotiations in NSW have not yet reached a stage where the IEU is recommending a ‘yes’ vote, due to many issues surrounding pay and conditions for teachers and support staff. Thousands of support staff and teachers stopped work for three hours and attended rallies all over NSW this month, protesting the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations’ proposed Agreement. A huge rally at Sydney Masonic Centre, garnered massive media coverage across TV stations and print. Balloting for industrial action in the Canberra-Goulburn Diocese will begin shortly. New Agreements for about 200 schools in NSW and the ACT are still required. These Agreements will replace current ones, which expire in October. The new Agreements are set to be finalised once members have voted on them.

From around the WorldTeachers in Argentina are again striking in support of a living wage and investment in education. A 48-hour strike action has been called. This follows strike action earlier in the year which resulted in a small wage rise, since eroded by inflation pressures. Argentina is home to one of the oldest public school systems in Latin America and has a higher adult literacy rate than that in the US. Inflationary pressures as a result of international influences combined with internal policies promoting private education are threatening this legacy. Teachers and their unions will continue to fight to prevent more damage to their system, and the union’s slogan is ‘Public education is not to be sold but to be defended’.

In South Korea, the government continues to attack teacher unions with police raids on union offices and materials seized. Frighteningly, police openly admit that the data will be analysed in order to determine which members have taken part in anti-government rallies, as recent legislation has made it illegal for teachers to engage in political activity of any kind. This legislation has also been used to ban the union itself from promoting political activity. This is all against a background of suppression of union activity of all kinds which saw over a hundred union leaders, including the leader of the Teacher Union, arrested at the headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in December.

In Nigeria, the governor of the central state of Kogi has fired the chairman and members of the State Universal Education Board, claiming the sacked officials misused funds allocated to paying the salaries of teachers. Claims of non-payment of wages since January resulted in an investigation that uncovered widespread corruption and led to widespread strike action. While the strike was officially called off for a period, teachers and their union are refusing to go back to work until all their back-pay has been restored. The governor has promised that outstanding salaries backdated to May would be paid immediately in order that primary schools could re-open.

And finally, parents have criticised as inappropriate the school bus of Alexandria Park Public School in Sydney, NSW, which featured advertising promoting Sexpo. Whilst no-one is suggesting the advertising was deliberately chosen for this particular bus and featured no imagery, we’re sure there were some interesting parental explanations of the slogan ‘most fun you can have with your clothes on...’

Join in June a Great Success

Traditionally, June is a slow month for new memberships of our union.

However this June we had almost 200 new members.

A large number of these new members utilised our new online joining system simply by clicking on the Join button on our website’s homepage www.ieuvictas.org.au

Data from new members showed a noticeable increase in recruitment from our independent sector for the month. New members from this sector increased by a proportion of over 10% of the total of new members joining compared to an average month. It was also encouraging to see over a quarter of the new members were

recruited by a fellow member.Anecdotally it seems that members also found the Join in June campaign successful. Many commented to us that while they were nervous at first, they found the experience empowering and were keen to continue to approach other staff members in the future.

Growing our union is a task for all of us including union staff, elected reps and members of the union. Hopefully the campaign has inspired members to take the first step and help us all in growing our union.

Our recent Join in June campaign which launched in conjunction with our new online joining facility proved a great success.

Any union is only as strong as its members. With more members comes greater strength.

In recent years, the IEU has been successful in growing both in density (the number of

members to staff per workplace), and in overall size. We are one of only a few unions in the country that can lay claim to such growth. However, with a constant loss of members through both retirement and movement out of the sector, we need to continue to strive every year to not only maintain our current levels but also to grow.

Encouraging potential members to join our union is a task that falls to all of us, staff in the union office, elected reps and each and every union member. In fact, our recent member survey reinforced academic research which showed that it is members who are most effective at encouraging non-members to join our union.

We need your help to continue to grow. Whilst approaching colleagues to join you in union membership can seem daunting at first, this column and those in upcoming editions of The Point will give you the skills you need. When considering who to approach about becoming a member of our union we suggest first considering those colleagues who you feel most comfortable in talking with.

‘... over 50% of non-union members answered that they would join a union if approached by a colleague.’Remember that IEU membership is open to all staff in our schools and hence you don’t necessarily need to approach someone from your cohort.

Once you have thought about who you might approach, then

consider the reasons you are a member of our union. Is it for the work our union does in negotiating your Agreement? Did you join to provide insurance in case something goes wrong? Perhaps you wanted to be a member of the body that speaks positively about your profession? Or was it for the benefits such as Union Shopper or Teachers Health? Whatever were your reasons, discuss these with the potential members.

If, by chance, you have chosen a member of staff who is already a member of your sub-branch, why not encourage them to help you approach a mutual friend on staff? You could try a team approach to helping our union become larger and stronger.

When thinking about whether you feel comfortable in approaching a potential member, it is worth remembering that academic studies have shown that over 50% of non-union members answered that they would join a union if approached by a colleague.

A Larger Union is a Stronger Union

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