Tasmania Stands Up for Fairness & Respect

They’re the numbers Tasmanians have been reading about in the

newspaper over the last few weeks, as IEU members in Tasmanian Catholic schools, frustrated by a breakdown in negotiations for a new Agreement, took to the streets to let their anger be known and exert pressure on the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office (TCEO) to come back to the bargaining table with a fair and reasonable offer.

The Tasmanian Catholic Agreement expired at the end of 2012, and since then there have

been countless meetings as the IEU and TCEO sought to put aside differences and work towards a fair deal for everyone concerned. Unfortunately, 27 meetings later, and after reaching agreement on a number of other provisions, bargaining became unstuck around a small number of important claims.

These different sticking points, relating mostly to support staff wages, instructional loads for teachers, and redundancy, are examined in detail on page 5. What they all have in common, though, is that the TCEO claims they can’t afford to pay for them.

Unfortunately for the TCEO, we’ve heard that all before and know it to be rubbish. In the 18 months since the last Agreement expired, employer representatives have been unable to produce a compelling financial argument to back up their assertions. In fact, despite the TCEO’s claim to be cash-strapped, we know for a fact that federal government funding to Tasmanian Catholic schools will increase by 26% from 2014 to 2017.

And so, from 1 to 3 July, 150 IEU members from Launceston, 250 members from Hobart and

a further 100 from Burnie marched through the streets before unanimously pass the resolution on page 5.

IEU members in Tasmanian Catholic education can be proud of the strong turnout for these unprecedented and historic stop-work actions. Catholic employer representatives now know that we are fed up, but we won’t give up. Let’s hope they see the sense in coming back to the bargaining table soon with a fair and reasonable offer that respects the work members do.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 >

Eighteen months since the Tasmanian Catholic Agreement expired. Twenty seven bargaining meetings with the Catholic Education Office. Three rallies, in Launceston, Hobart and Burnie. Hundreds of angry, fed up IEU members taking to the streets.

PRINT POST 100010937

VOLUME 4 NO 3 JULY 2014

One hundred proud IEU members marched through Burnie

Federal Budget Condemned Page 3-4

Education Matters campaign

Page 20

Bargaining Roundup Page 6

Green Schools

Page 15

Council and Rep Forum Page 10-11

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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.auCONTRIBUTIONS & 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 BuckleyOrdinary Members:Patrick Bennett Andrew Dunne Maureen Shembrey Coralie Taranto Emma WakelingSchool Officers:Margot Clark Christine Scott

COUNCIL PRESIDENTS & DEPUTIES

Event Day

IEU Leadership Program Tuesday 17 July (Melbourne)

Formative Assessment Seminar Tuesday 29 July (Hobart)

Formative Assessment Seminar Wednesday 30 July (Launceston)

Experienced Rep Training Friday 1 August (Melbourne)

OHS Training: OHS 5-day course 11/12/13, 25/26 August (Melbourne)

Student Teacher Conference Thursday 21 August (Launceston)

Student Teacher Conference Friday 22 August (Hobart)

TRAINING CALENDAR – TERM 3, 2014

Catholic Primary Council President: Maree Shields Deputy: VacantCatholic Secondary Council President: Stephen Hobday Deputy: Ruth PendavinghIndependent Council President: Cara Maxworthy Deputy: Vacant

Tasmanian Council President: John Waldock Deputy: Jeremy OliverPrincipals’ Council President: John Connors Deputy: Duncan Arendse

@IEUnews bit.do/IEUlinkedin/IEUvictas

Tasmanian Catholic actionHundreds of Tasmanian IEU members took to the streets pages 1,5

Bargaining RoundupNew Agreements are coming in thick and fast page 6

Fixed-term contractsWhy one school is ditching them in favour of job security page 7

Scheduled class timeGet the lowdown for Victorian Catholic schools page 9

Manual handlingSteps to a safer workplace page 12

Principals Council on the roadSetting the agenda for the next few years page 13

Green Schools ConferenceSustainable fun with Costa Georgiadis and Rod Quantock page 15

30 Years of Anna StewartWorking for gender equality through the union movement page 17

Local and International newsEducation news from home and abroad page 19

Education mattersOur campaign for the Victorian state election back page

We also know that teachers, support staff and school leaders

often have to subsidise the cost of providing such support from other areas. Staff ‘make do’ with already stretched resources.

In recommending significant additional funding for students with special needs, the Gonski Review spearheaded collaboration from all school sectors to collect nationally consistent data about what adjustments were specifically needed for such students. For the first time in decades there

was hope that historic tensions would be set aside, and a funding model would be established to actually target support where it is needed most. The federal government went to the election on a unity ticket saying it would not dismantle existing arrangements.

And then the budget came down. On top of blunt cuts that will entrench disadvantage in areas such as health and community services, there is no commitment at all for following through on the Gonski reforms, a key plank being the establishment

The IEU has long campaigned for better funding for students with special needs. We know that it should not matter what school you attend, every child deserves appropriate specialist support and resources.

of loadings for children with special needs. The inadequacies of the current funding system will continue and the vision of redressing inequality a goner.

The IEU has asked all members to lobby their federal senators with a clear message – additional funds must be directed to the education of special needs students. This campaign is one part of a longer term battle that union members are called on to lend their voice to. The budget in totality is not only unfair, it is wrong. Silence about this government’s attacks on the poor, on public services, on refugees, on unions, is akin to accepting that there is nothing we can do.

The IEU will continue to lobby government and to participate in the broader trade union

movement’s campaigns to speak up for those who need our collective voice. The fact that thousands have taken to the streets more than once in ‘Bust the Budget’ protests is indicative of the strong feeling in the Australian community that the cuts have sliced too deep.

We will also continue to advocate for a fair and consistent funding model within which there are the resources needed to support every child, particularly those most in need. As David Gonski said in his address at Melbourne University last month, the purpose of any funding system is to ‘ensure that differences in educational outcomes are not the result of differences in wealth, income, power or possession.’

DEPUTY SECRETARYLORETTA COTTER

Federal government fails students with special needs

Budget Busts the Social CompactThis year’s Federal Budget provided billions of dollars’ worth of cuts to education, and even though agreement had previously been reached with the states (or at least some of them), the Better Schools funding package was effectively thrown on the scrapheap.

Traditionally, teachers and education support staff turn their attention to the

expenditure section of a Federal Budget to check whether there have been any new initiatives introduced, or whether funding in their sector has been expanded or slashed.

What makes the ‘education effect’ of this Budget worse is the ‘front-line’ impact on the daily lives of teachers and ES staff. Clearly, it impacts on them directly in terms of their own financial decisions, but it is likely that interactions with students and families will become even problematic as a result of the budget decisions. The way Australians have learned to live their lives, the access to a ‘fair go’, the ‘social compact’ we have become historically used to, is

under huge attack in this Hockey/Abbott Budget. It is as much about ideology, and an attack on those less able to defend themselves, than it is about any government financial imperative.

Consider the effect on the ‘family’ budget of the $7 GP fee, the cuts to pensions and welfare, and the increased petrol tax, for example. All will have a negative effect, and will be even more pronounced in those areas more in need than others. This is hardly the backdrop for a family to go about making considered and pragmatic choices on education needs.

For many women, the Budget will position them as the ‘biggest losers’. Unemployed and single mothers lose huge percentages of disposable income as a result of pension cuts. There will be significant increases in child care

fees, and changes to university funding and housing security are likely to impact on women disproportionately. Marie Coleman, Chair of the National Foundation for Australian Women, says that this is a Budget which will harm ‘virtually every woman in the country – particularly poorer and disadvantaged women.’

The landscape presented for future young Australians is also a gloomy one. The increasing costs to tertiary education will in all likelihood return universities to the precincts of the privileged. Melbourne University vice-chancellor Glyn Davis referred to the federal government’s proposed changes to higher education as a ‘social experiment without precedent in Australia’. It is clear he is pessimistic as to how students from poorer backgrounds will deal with university fees that are set to soar by up to 60 per cent.

Into this landscape, add cuts to TAFE funding that are creating havoc in this area of

education across Victoria, and the government’s new punitive arrangements around ‘work for the dole’. Essentially, this will mean for many that there is little hope for tertiary education, a job market that ‘picks and chooses’ the young, that proposes no solid alternative in TAFE education, and a government that provides no safety net for those not able to find work. A dreary landscape, just as dreary and problematic for those charged with the care and nurturing of younger generations.

That’s the thing about this abhorrent Budget – it is designed philosophically to attack those least in the position to defend themselves. It is about class-driven politics. The IEU encourages its members to give great consideration to rejecting its negative consequences, and to work politically to have its impacts reversed. Only then we will have a fair Australia with the social compact we are accustomed to living by.

The planned dates are as follows:

Registration: Monday, 22 SeptemberCompetition: Tuesday, 23 September

to Thursday, 25 September

THE TEACHERS’ GAMES ARE BACK!After a few months of uncertainty we can finally confirm the Teachers’ Games are on again. The Games have found a new home with School Sport Victoria. They are busily working on the website so stay tuned for a full list of sports available as well as further registration and competition details.

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

DECLARATIONThe Independent Education Union of Australia Victoria Tasmania Branch has met its obligations concerning disclosure pursuant to Schedule 1, Rule 4 of the Rules of the Independent Education Union of Australia and Section 148C of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009. The relevant information is contained on the Union’s website – www.ieuvictas.org.au

The website address is www.victeachersgames.com.au

After 15 AFL rounds, many supporters have little to keep them interested.  The leader board looks fairly settled with only the sides finishing in the top 4 having any realistic premiership aspirations. Outside the 8 only Adelaide and Essendon have slim chances of experiencing September action. The Western Bulldogs and Melbourne supporters have been given a glimmer of hope for the  future while other sides like Carlton coached by Mick ‘Not My Faulthouse’,  look like they are years away from finals action.   However there is still plenty of interest and movement in the IEU footy tipping. Mick Guinane (St Richard’s Kilsyth) and Glenn Bennie (The Knox School) are locked together on 95 points. They are closely followed by Kym Levett (Catholic College Bendigo) on 94.

FOOTY TIPPING 2014

The winner of the competition will receive a $3000 travel voucher. We currently have over 900 active tippers. It is important that you all continue to put in your tips to be eligible for the weekly prize of $100 and the random prize of a $1500 travel voucher available for all those who put their tips in each week.

Visit www.ieuvictas.org.au for more details.

THE POINT July 2014 July 2014 THE POINT

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Victorian unions have joined together to campaign against the unfair Federal Budget. Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, Brian Boyd says, ‘It’s a horror budget with planned cuts to hospital funding and education; prescriptions to increase and a GP visit tax of $7 to be imposed. As well there is to be more tax on petrol, and the pension age is to gradually go up.’

superannuants. A large BUST THE BUDGET protest of 30,000 union members was held on 12 June – we didn’t ask members to attend on a school day – but it is just the start of the campaign. (Photos on the IEU Facebook page www.facebook.com/ieuvictas)

The lies behind this budget are not just the many direct promises the government has broken – the biggest deception is the attempt to sell the budget by creating the myth of a budget crisis when none exists. Australia is one of

that were promised and agreed with State Governments – funding to hospitals and schools is effectively being cut by 1 per cent a year as increases will now be limited to CPI. Australia’s health services and our world class education system will be slowly weakened every year. More detail emerges about forcing young unemployed people off the already meagre Newstart allowance for 6 months – but still requiring them to apply for 40 jobs a month during this time – or that freeze will be extended. Agencies that provide independent advocacy and advice such as the Refugee Council of Australia and Climate Council are having all funding withdrawn. ABC funding has been cut. The list of cuts and broken promises is huge.

RESPECTING SUPPORT STAFF

Tasmanian Catholic Campaign

Resolution Passed Unanimously in Launceston, Hobart and Burnie:This meeting of IEU members, having heard the report from the bargaining team:

1. Condemns the TCEO in the strongest terms for putting a final offer which is neither fair nor justifiable

2. Calls on the TCEO to review its position on the three outstanding matters and to agree to:• A minimum 40 +2 weeks of wages for support staff• Including pastoral care and homeroom time in secondary

teachers’ instructional load• Redundancy / severance pay of 2 weeks per year of service

+ 4 weeks where the employee is 45 years of age or over

3. Fully supports the IEU bargaining team and the steps that it has taken in its pursuit of an Agreement that is fair and respects the work of support staff and teachers

4. Endorses the IEU arranging further industrial action in term 3 should this be necessary to achieve a fair offer.

Support staff wagesOne of the key claims the TCEO

is refusing to budge on is our attempt to stop employers from cutting support staff wages by reducing the number of weeks they work from year to year. Currently many members, often the lowest paid in the school, work as little as 34 or 35 weeks of the year, and the rest is unpaid. Worse, the employer can change this number from one year to the next so their pay can be cut without notice. We want a minimum of 40 weeks (the number to be fixed on appointment) and capacity to bank additional hours worked to make up an extra 2 weeks per year.

Classroom timeIn addition to support staff

wages, the IEU has been engaged in a complex but important battle over teachers’ instructional loads. During negotiations the TCEO agreed in-principle to include ‘homeroom and pastoral care time’ as part of secondary teachers’ instructional load from 2015. Suddenly, in April this year, they back-slid, saying it was too expensive.

The IEU is very clear on this matter – pastoral care and homeroom time should always be counted as instructional load. If a teacher is in front of the class, their duty of care doesn’t stop just because they’re not delivering a lesson at the time.

RedundancyThe current Tasmanian

Catholic Agreement has no severance pay rates. We want the security of knowing people will get at least 2 weeks per year of service (capped at 30 week’s pay) plus an extra 4 weeks if over 45yo. This is nothing more than securing what the TCEO have actually paid in recent times (Guilford Young College a few years ago, and some IT staff last year). There is no suggestion that any school is considering redundancies, so this claim may cost nothing at all. If there are any redundancies, what we are claiming is no more than they have actually paid in the past, so it’s impossible to say that our claim is unreasonable.

Budget 2014 – Who are the winners and who are the losers?

-$15,000,000,000-$10,000,000,000-$5,000,000,000

$5,000,000,000$10,000,000,000

$15,000,000,000

$20,000,000,000

$25,000,000,000

Low & middle income earners:Welfare changes

Foreign Aid cut

Medical co-payments & Fuel exciseStudents

People >$180K:Deficit levy

Young unemployed

Defence companies

Small & medium companies tax cut

Big C02 emitters:Carbon price abolition

Top 12% of taxpayers:Rise in super tax concessions

Winners

Losers

THE STICKING POINTS

Roz Richardson, a teacher assistant at St Thomas More’s Catholic Primary School, shared her thoughts on the campaign at the Launceston rally to a standing ovation.

‘I have been a teacher assistant in the Catholic Education system for sixteen years. In all those years I have never had real job security.

At the end of each and every one of those years I have never known what my hours will be next year, or how many weeks employment I will be offered.

My qualifications have never been recognised or rewarded. My skills and years of experience have never been recognised in my pay scale. So when my employer says I am a valued employee, I know exactly why I am valuable.

I am valuable because of: ■ my dedication to my job ■ my loyalty to my school ■ my belief that what I do is

important ■ my care for the children

I work with ■ my certainty that I am making

a difference in their education.All of these things mean that I keep coming back every year – to

low pay, uncertain hours, insecure conditions. How could my employer not value me?

My job is among the first things that can be cut back when savings need to be made.

I can be stood down at short notice if the budget is tight at the end of the year. I am obviously expendable.

Well – their view of teacher assistants is out-of-date. We have an important role in schools. We are now highly skilled employees working alongside and supporting teachers to facilitate the delivery of educational programs to children within the classroom setting.

We are skilled in working with students with special needs or particular impairment – be it physical, mental or social – helping them to reach their learning potential.

We support students with specific individual programs or to assist with behaviour

management.Each child is on their own

individual continuum and it requires skilled professionals to work together to provide the best possible educational outcome for all children. Teacher assistants need to be highly skilled across a broad and diverse range of educational programs.

TAs voluntarily attend professional learning sessions (often unpaid) to learn and gain further insight and to develop skills in a particular area.

TAs are required to have a good understanding of educational theory, of how children learn, and of children’s behaviour.

Their close contact with students and detailed knowledge of individual children’s learning needs and styles provides invaluable information for the school in developing learning programs tailored to the needs of the individual.

TAs are therefore working directly with the children who are the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in the educational system.

I am here today because I have fought for many years for recognition of teacher assistants and the role they have in educating children.

It is disappointing that it has come to this.

That we are denied the dignity and security of a job that we can rely on from year to year.

And why?Because TCEO say they can’t

afford to give us that security.We are their ‘heavy lifters’ who

must carry the budget pain.I say no – we must continue

this fight until we receive a just outcome and a secure job – only then will we know that our employer really values us.

Thank you.’

Thank you to all those IEU members who spoke so brilliantly at our rallies:Barry Nas, Paul Mannion and Roz Richardson (Launceston); Ty Capaci, Kate Lakos, John Waldock, Jeremy Oliver and Adam Croser (Hobart); and Kate O’Rourke, Adrian Zolati, Julie Bentley and Mark Garnsey (Burnie).

only 10 economies in the world with AAA ratings from all three ratings agencies and we have one of the lowest deficits in the OECD.

As more detail of the budget is analysed – more negatives are found. Not only has the government reneged on $80 billion for education and health

The IEU is encouraging members to join protests, write to your politicians

and join the social media campaign against the budget. The impact of this budget is huge – it is a massive redirection of resources away from schools, universities, health, welfare and the environment towards tax cuts for corporations, more freeways, increased defence spending, the mining industry, an unfair paid parental leave scheme and the growing subsidies for wealthy

Further rallies are planned as unions continue banding together with community groups to help ‘bust the budget’. To find out about future events, or to get involved in the broader campaign, sign up for updates from Victorian Trades Hall Council at www.weareunion.org.au

Launceston rally

Hobart rally

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The IEU is representing teachers across Victoria’s six Seventh Day Adventist

Schools. The Agreement will be a Multi-Enterprise Agreement with a claim having being presented. The key issues will be ensuring that wages and conditions are comparable with State and Catholic school standards. Clarity around what is included in face-to-face teaching and attendance time requirements will also be important. The employee bargaining representatives have made a great start in presenting the claim.

Bargaining has also commenced at Ruyton Girls’ School and Shelford Girls’ Grammar School. Both these schools have Agreements that have become out of date. At Ruyton, bargaining notices have been sent to staff and the first bargaining meeting was held at the end of term 2. At Shelford, after consulting with staff in the senior and junior school and early learning centre, a claim has been presented and meetings have been scheduled to progress negotiations. The employee claim includes seeking to cover all staff under the Agreement, in particular to include assistants in the early learning centre and to ensure all staff enjoy the same core conditions, such as long service leave entitlements,

A lot of new bargaining has got underway since our last edition.

BARGAINING ROUNDUP JULY 2014

Progress Towards New Agreements

Bargaining, Density and Outcomes in Independent 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 ■ King David School ■ Life Education ■ Melbourne Montessori School ■ Overnewton College ■ St Catherine’s School ■ St Margaret’s School ■ St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox

College ■ Westbourne Grammar School

– just approved by Fair Work! ■ Yarra Valley Grammar

School

Bargaining continues at:

The IEU is a growing union, not just in overall numbers but perhaps more

importantly in workplace and work area density. Density refers to the percentage of members when compared to the overall staff numbers at a workplace or within a work area. Independent schools with collective Agreements

have greater membership density than schools without Agreements. Teacher membership density doubles, while more dramatically the density for education support (all non-teaching roles) is four times as great in schools with Agreements.

This density or collective power has given these employees greater

ability to gain improved outcomes through bargaining. For example, shared core conditions for all staff in relation to personal leave, parental leave, long service and workplace consultations are common outcomes.

The number of schools with Agreements has almost doubled in the past five years, with 111 Agreements finalised in 2013 and around half of all Agreements covering all staff in a particular workplace. The collective bargaining process aims to protect and enhance wages and conditions. Outcomes from bargaining over the past year have included salary outcomes

well above award minimums and with the majority maintaining a premium above government rates. Other achievements consistently achieved are improved clarity and definition of face-to-face and other workload limits such as allocation of extras, preparation time (including for aides in student support roles), clarification of meeting requirements and co-curricular duties; camp allowance for all staff participating, protection of fee discount arrangements, consultation provision especially in relation to variation of work arrangements, and transparent and consistent performance and conduct

management arrangements which clarify the right for staff to be represented by their union.

Building density and increasing active participation at workplace level and more broadly within the independent sector is important to continuing to build the strength of our union. While the achievements already gained in bargaining are important and worth noting, there is still enormous capacity for membership growth. It remains a challenge for us to increase membership in each work group and each workplace to build the strength of our union so that we can be even ‘stronger together’.

‘Stronger together’. While the phrase encapsulates a central union concept around the power of the collective, for members in independent schools evidence supports that strong membership numbers result in better outcomes, especially in relation to bargaining for wages and conditions.

personal leave and accident make-up pay. Employees are also seeking to maintain wages above state rates and to match paid parental leave of 14 weeks.

The first bargaining meeting has also been held at the Tintern Schools. The claim for this Agreement was developed following very well attended meetings with staff to ascertain what was important and strongly felt. Staff emphasised the need to negotiate for salaries that will bring the school back to a position where wages are comparable with similar independent schools. Presentation of the claim was a very collaborative effort from all the bargaining representatives and included seeking improvements to paid parental leave, including provision for a consultative committee in the Agreement and clarification of hours of work for teachers and measures to improve workload concerns. Bargaining meetings have been scheduled through to the end of the year. Everyone at the table is motivated to work hard to achieve an effective outcome for all staff, assisted by the added incentive of a glass of champagne on offer at the conclusion of negotiations – in line with Tintern tradition!

The parties at Preshil have now reached the drafting stage for the next Agreement. The

final outstanding issue was in relation to when the 2014 pay increase would become effective. It was great news for all staff when it was agreed that the increase negotiated for 2014 would be passed on effective from 1 February 2014. Congratulations to all the bargaining team in achieving the best possible outcome for everyone at Preshil.

Teachers have presented their claim at The Friends School Hobart and the employer has responded to the claim. The school has made a wage offer which is being considered. However, the concern is that it will not deliver

an appropriate increase over the life of the Agreement. Employee representatives will be consulting with staff early in Term 3 to gain feedback in order to provide a full response to the employer’s position.

At Launceston Christian School, many issues have been resolved and the bargaining representatives are working on drafting issues and some outstanding matters at the next meeting for the general staff Agreement.

Bargaining for general staff at Presbyterian Ladies’ College has commenced and staff have actively participated in the development of their claim.

People join unions for lots of reasons. For some people joining a union when you join the workforce is simply what you do.

They know (or maybe their parents knew) that rarely is any benefit freely given. It is a struggle to get things in

the first place and a struggle to keep them. They know what unions have achieved globally and know that every term and condition of their employment has been shaped and formed by the commitment of their colleagues and by union members who have gone before them.

But it’s not the same for everyone. In addition to the big picture that recognizes what can and has been achieved by the collective action of people working together, there are some pretty compelling individual reasons to become a member of the union...Here are just a few:

■ Been injured at work? Navigating your way through a WorkCover claim can be enough to make you sicker than you probably need to be. The IEU helps hundreds of members through this process from claim to resolution each year. Members get the benefit of expert advice, a free referral to Union Assist for conciliation when a claim is rejected and an ultimate referral to Maurice Blackburn for advice regarding the likely success of legal action should the matter not be resolved

■ Ever had a complaint made against you?Each year we support many members in the difficult circumstance where a complaint has been made against them, either by a student, a parent or a colleague. Sometimes you simply can’t rely on your employer to follow a reasonable process to resolve these issues fairly. The IEU works to ensure that

appropriate processes are put in place to respond to such complaints and to ensure that its members receive natural justice

■ Will your performance ever be questioned? Most people don’t enter the profession thinking that they might end up on a performance review process but the reality is that plenty of people do, some for valid reasons and others not so. This is not the sort of process that you want go through on your own, or just with the support of a well-meaning friend. IEU organisers provide vital representation to help shape and form performance management processes with a view to getting the best possible outcome for members

■ Does your employer give you the correct entitlements and follow the right industrial procedures? Every week the IEU takes lots of calls from members who think they may have been underpaid, overloaded, classified incorrectly, denied leave, treated unfairly or simply hard done by. Members get advice and whatever representation is needed to sort out any problems if they arise. Non-members don’t

■ What would you do if you were unfairly sacked? Even though you might think you have the best relationship with your employer, sometimes relationships fall apart and end in tears. A change in leadership, a difficult student, a powerful parent on the school board who has a set against you, or something in your private life, could all impact on the permanency of your employment. Members don’t have to tackle this situation on their own and can access the advice and support of the IEU and its industrial officers to represent them in proceedings that may ultimately end up in the Fair Work Commission

■ Is your registration as a teacher secure? Teachers are now more exposed publicly and held to high levels of accountability. The IEU regularly assists and represents members in dealings with the Victorian Institute of Teaching. Sometimes these matters are simple administrative issues, but others are protracted investigations leading to formal hearings that may have an effect on the status of a teacher’s registration and capacity to remain employed. Should you find yourself in this situation, this is not something you want to do on your own and barristers are very expensive

■ When is enough enough? You might not think so now but there may be a time when you simply have to say that it’s over. It may be your choice, or your employer might simply want to trade you in for a new model because you are looking just a little bit too tired. Each year the IEU assists many members to change jobs and move on to greener pastures by providing advice, and in some cases, negotiating separation arrangements that provide an alternative to termination

■ What are some of the other benefits? Professional indemnity insurance, access to Teachers Health Fund, Member Advantage discount scheme, Union Shopper discount scheme, free legal referral for personal matters, access to member professional development, and professional communications and publications.

The most common reason cited for not joining a union is that people have never been asked. So tomorrow when you get to school and you are chatting to your friends who are yet to join, ask them whether they are big picture joiners or more interested in the individual benefits and protection provided by union membership… Either way, you can tell them that there is something for everyone in the IEU.

Fixed-term Contracts Rare at St Monica’s

Since 1991, Principal Brian Hanley has guided the College through

continuous enrolment growth and has overseen considerable development of the facilities and programs. The College is well known for its wellbeing, educational support, and sports programs in particular.

The College has for some time had a preference to offer both teaching and ancillary staff ongoing positions rather than fixed term employment, well above its industrial obligations under the Agreement. This has resulted in a situation where very few staff are currently on fixed or short term contracts.

Mr Hanley argues that offering ongoing positions helps create a stronger commitment to the College and its ideals amongst employees, and that a more contented and secure staff results in a greater willingness to take risks and develop professionally.

He sees it as a matter of equity that teaching staff and school officers are treated with the same respect for their employment needs and aspirations.

The College does have some staff on fixed term contracts, but these are largely isolated to one-term replacement roles, sports programs and camp assistants. Currently there are only two teachers on fixed term contracts.

Education Support is a major focus at the College and all of the fourteen school officers in this faculty are ongoing employees. Mr Hanley says that because St Monica’s is a large school, he is confident that there will always be a need for educational support, and that funding will always be forthcoming. This allows him to offer all of these staff permanency.

On top of being made permanent, education support staff are also offered training. Recently nine of them earned their Certificate IV in Educational Support which the College paid for and provided time off to complete.

Mr Hanley says that he and the Faculty Leader in Education Support are confident in the team they have assembled over many years. He sees consistency as being very

Why Join? The IEU has Something for Everyone

important and says that having a stable team means that students benefit too.

With a total staff just over 300, there is an annual coming and going of personnel on parental leave. Again, Mr Hanley takes the risk that the comings and goings will balance out, and, therefore, the vast majority of staff employed to replace a person on parental leave are offered ongoing employment. To date, there has never been an

excess situation. He believes that offering permanency often results in more interest in teaching at the College from potential applicants.

While Mr Hanley acknowledges that each school has different circumstances and challenges, he says that keeping fixed term contracts to an absolute minimum results in a gain for students and a gain for staff who feel more secure and enthusiastic about their work.

IEU Rep at the school,

Kevin Tibaldi, strongly supports Mr Hanley’s views on fixed term employment.

‘Ongoing employment promotes feelings of belonging and ownership amongst staff,’ he has said.

‘Energy, thought and time that would have been put into looking for future employment is instead put into striving for better educational outcomes for students.’

Kevin Tibaldi, rep with Brian Hanley, principal

St Monica’s College Epping was established as a girls only school fifty years ago and today is one of the State’s largest schools with a roll call of just on 1900 boys and girls and just over 300 staff. It is a regional College with a low SES ranking.

THE POINT July 2014 July 2014 THE POINT

8 9

In Union terms, the Victorian Catholic Agreement is ‘bedded down’ and pay rises have flowed

to all staff in 2013 and now in 2014. Since the State and Catholic Agreements have both been signed off, there have also been numerous independent schools joining the bargaining table and a number of Agreements certified or to be certified in the coming months. Even with the State and Catholic Agreements as models to follow, independent school employer bodies have still played hard ball with employees’ wages and conditions. Individual school bargaining is resource heavy, but will be worthwhile in the long run.

Our colleagues in Tasmanian Catholic schools are also in a similar fight to Victoria last year, with little joy negotiating with the employers there. Like us last year, after a multitude of aimless meetings wasting our officers’ time, they are in the process of having to participate in industrial action to make their employers

listen to reason and to bargain fairly and ‘in good faith’. More information on this is on pages 1 and 5.

On the school front, certainly in most primary schools, and I suspect in many secondary schools too, mid-year reports have been distributed to families or are about to be, generally with Parent/Teacher interviews to follow. As I was reading and signing our school’s reports last week, I again reflected on the completed reporting process for semester one and how the ‘report card’ does little justice in reflecting the work of school personnel in developing Victoria’s young people. Parents can never know or rarely appreciate the power of work hours contributing to ‘the report’. The formulaic response as far as grading and associated comments that we are forced to give in Curriculum and the other mandated areas we assess does not help, and ‘Well Below,’ ‘Below’, At Standard’, ‘Above’ and ‘Well

Above’ reflects only a small part of the value we as educators ‘add’ to our students.

Apart from the planning and preparation time for ‘normal’ teaching hours – implemented in teaching styles and methodologies and continuous assessment records which reflect contemporary and personalised approaches, there’s the additional leadership training and meetings co-ordinating across learning areas, the professional learning team meetings, parent education and training meetings, the personalised learning journals, intervention and extension programming, drama, art, multi-cultural and healthy life-style festivals and school camps just to name a few – most planned and implemented after school hours!

Yet education authorities still say we we ‘need’ to work harder?

I commend all and suggest at least an ‘Above Average’ score card for every IEU member in our schools.

UNION PRESIDENT MARK WILLIAMS

HALF TIME REPORTAs most school personnel now take time to take a breath from the activities of first semester, it is opportune to reflect upon what has happened in this time.

Library Lab and ICT – changes to staff classificationsThe new Victorian Catholic Education Multi-Enterprise Agreement includes a number of changes that Lab, Library and ICT staff should be aware of.

As with all new things it can take time for everyone concerned,

including the school leadership, to fully understand the changes. The IEU believes that the implications of the changes to the classification structure for Education Support Staff are not yet well understood in schools. Level 2 – the entry levelOne of the important improvements in the new classification structure is that those employed as Curriculum Resource Services (eg. Lab/Lib/ICT) cannot be employed at Level 1. This means that level 2 is the entry or beginning level for this group. Any staff employed in curriculum resource services under the old structure as an SO 2 should have been automatically translated last year to Level 2 of the new structure (This new level combined the old SO level 3 and 4), and back-paid from April 2013.

If members in this category have not been automatically translated to new level 2, contact your IEU Organiser to discuss.Level 3 – experience, breadth or depth of expertise, solving diverse problemsLevel 4 – complexity, managing /coordinatingLevel 5 – leading and managing a significant functional unit with a diverse set of functions and substantial resources in a large school

What level do you work at?It is very important that

curriculum resources staff and leadership teams understand the competency-based classification structure. The new structure is made up of two parts:

General Work Descriptors – competency; judgement, independence and problem solving; direction; supervision; and qualifications

Typical duties – which are examples of the type of work that is ‘typically’ done at the level.

The list of typical (example) duties for Curriculum Resource Services staff (Lab, Lib, ICT) is reasonably extensive and gives a good indication of the type of duties a staff member would be doing at a particular level.

Ensure you are aware of the new levels that apply. These can be found on the IEU website under Pay & Conditions.

Background to the New ES Classification structure

The previous classifications have been restructured to five levels. If you are an ongoing employee from 2013 you will have been translated to the relevant subdivision on the corresponding level in the new structure as follows:

SO levels 1 and 2 became ES level 1SO levels 3 and 4 became ES level 2SO levels 5 and 6 became ES level 3SO level 7 became ES level 4New level introduced as ES level 5.

If you are a new employee, you should have been employed under the new structure at the level that describes your job.

Other Improvements in the new structure

In addition to the level descriptors, a number of other significant improvements for all ES staff are derived from the new structure. It is important that IEU members check the new structure which is available on the IEU website.

Progression for staff on Level 3 subdivision 8 to subdivision 9

From 1 May, previous top of old level 5 School Officers who have been at the new Level 3 subdivision 8 are able to continue to progress though the barrier to subdivision 9 and onwards. Staff at this level should have been given a Request for Progression Form by their employer and submitted it prior to 1 May this year.

If members have been denied progression this year, they should contact their IEU Organiser to discuss this.

Level 3 – new employees and those reclassified to this level

Staff newly employed at level 3 and those who have applied successfully for reclassification for level 3 must start at level 3 subdivision 9 (not at a lower subdivision).

Reclassification Staff at all levels of the

classification structure are entitled to put in a reclassification application if they believe they are incorrectly classified.

The IEU has developed a Guide to Reclassification which was emailed to all members earlier in Term 1 and is available from your IEU Organiser.

Over the last few years there seems to be an insidious creep into what is counted and not counted as scheduled class time for Victorian Catholic primary teachers. The controversial grey area has centred on the start of the school day.

With the 2013 VCEMEA providing for a reduction in the maximum scheduled class time (SCT) for a teacher in Catholic primary schools from 23 hours to 22.5 hours per week, how this change is implemented is a major one in relation to the potential impact on the workload of teachers. This being the case, IEU members should access the capacity of the Consultative Committee process to have input into how this change is implemented within their school. To determine the SCT for your school, you need to work out the following:

Length of the school teaching day

Increasingly teachers are being directed to be in classrooms well before the first bell, in some cases taking rolls and

having class prayers, but the clock was not officially starting for them until the first ‘lesson’ of the day. The old Agreement was not overly helpful in this respect as it stated that ‘the time that teachers are expected to arrive and to supervise classrooms prior to the commencement and on completion of formal duties’ is not part of scheduled class time.

A significant dispute at Marymede College last year brought this issue into sharp relief as in a P-12 setting secondary teachers were having home room duties counted and primary teachers doing identical duties in the same school were not. The outcome of the dispute was

that primary teachers did have that time counted as part of SCT. During the negotiations for the new Agreement the Union and employer representatives settled on a change to the definition of scheduled class time for primary teachers. The relevant new provision is this:

‘Scheduled class time includes in primary schools, all scheduled classes allocated to the teacher from the time that students are required to be in attendance’. (Cl 56.3)What is not included is ‘the time that teachers are in classrooms other than the times that students are required to be in attendance’.

Whilst not perfect, the words in the new Agreement are meant to reflect the parties’ agreement that if teachers are expected to be there, and students are expected to be there, the time must be counted in the same way it is in secondary schools.

There were extensive discussions during negotiations about the difference between teachers deciding to unlock the door early and be in their classroom talking to students as opposed to a direction that they sit in their classrooms. The second part of the new provisions clearly does not refer to any direction or compulsion.

Reps in primary schools are asked to check carefully the current practice in their school, and if they have concerns that the school is not counting SCT appropriately to contact their organiser.

There would be no issue with a school using either of these ideas in alternate terms to allow for the peaks and troughs of the school year. If this was to be the case, the recording and management of how the extra release time was being used is vital to the process, as no teacher should lose out on this benefit in 2015.

The Consultative Committee should make a contribution as to the arrangements which the school is going to look to put in place. With the decision probably needing to be made by end of Term 3 at the very latest, we would suggest that members need to engage in the consultative process ASAP and then seek to have an input into the decision-making process.

Members need to engage in this process and should aim to ‘drive’ the change, respecting that the Principal has the ultimate decision-making power, but there is the opportunity for members to contribute to and influence the process.

If you require some ideas as to how to pursue this suggestion or have some further thoughts on how you think this change could be introduced in your school, please contact your Organiser.

Reduction in Scheduled Class Time in 2015 for Primary Teachers

When does SCT start for primary teachers?

EXAMPLE YOUR SCHOOL

Time of day No. of teaching hours Time of day No. of teaching hours

Start of teaching day 8.50am

Morning break* 11.00am 2hrs 10 mins

Resumption after break 11.40am

Start of lunch* 1.10pm 1hr 30 mins

Resumption after lunch 2.00pm

End of school day 3.20pm 1hr 20 mins

Daily Teaching 5 hrs Daily Teaching

Weekly Teaching 25 hrs Weekly Teaching

2014 2015 2014 2015

SCT hours 23 22.5 SCT hours 23 22.5

Release time 2 hrs 2.5 hrs Release time

*When teachers commence their break away from their classNote: Graduate teachers have SCT of 21 hours in 2015 (21.5 hours in 2014)

The simple response, where schools are currently at 23 hours of SCT, is that teachers have a direct reduction of 30 minutes less each week.

This may be the preferred option of the teachers in a school; however there may be alternative means of managing this change which provide for even better outcomes in terms of improving the management of teachers’ workloads.A couple of possibilities which may appeal and are open to members that they may not have considered are as follows:

Associated decisionsAssociated with this issue

which the members, through the Consultative Committee process, could potentially examine is how the additional release time will be used in their classes eg.. another ‘specialist’ subject or more emphasis on the existing ‘specialist’ program or will it mean that the ‘core’ curriculum will be shared with a teacher providing release for the classroom teacher.

Another impact of the change is the potential extra hours for part-time members which may become available to them, depending on how a school provides the release time. Looking at a school with 20 FTE teachers, there will be another 10 hours of work per week which equates to approximately 0.41FTE part-time position (10hours /24.5 hours) in its own right or more hours for existing part-timers. For larger schools, the opportunities are obviously greater again for part-timers to either increase their hours or schools to employ more staff.

These stories get trotted out without any insightful analysis and with few positive elements included and overall paint a quite

depressing picture.Contrasting with that it was a pleasant change

to hear of creative and targetted initiatives undertaken by the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania. This is THE university in Tasmania and is in the top 2% of universities in the world. The Faculty of Education is in the top 200 internationally and is particularly committed to engaging with the community. Of course there is no specific funding to do this, but nevertheless UTas aims to transfer learning to the community and thereby have a positive influence on community literacy levels.

The Faculty initiatives will include Thought leadership – gatherings where people come together to debate and discuss key issues. There will also be an increasing focus on research, and current projects include ‘education and sustainability’ and ‘teachers modelling gratitude’.

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTIt’s inevitable that, two or three times a year, there is a mini media frenzy highlighting Tasmania’s poor overall results on various measurements of literacy.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY(TASMANIA) ANGELA BRIANT

1 Accumulation by Term: The additional release time is accrued to equate to a complete day out of the classroom during a term. Given 30 minutes per week reduction across a 10 week term would equate to 5 hours, which is equivalent to the length of the teaching day in most schools, this means that a teacher could have one day per term out of the classroom for their own preparation or planning.

2 Combined over fortnight: By combining the 30 minutes per week over a fortnight, this would provide for one hour of release which would give them a ‘longer’ period of release which may assist with either the group planning or better personal planning time. (Note: It may also assist with part-timers’ hours being organised more easily.)

Through these interactions the Faculty of Education hopes that the community, especially in remote and disadvantaged areas of Tasmania, increasingly accepts that education makes a difference to individuals and the community, and opens doors that afford children many more opportunities in life.

At a practical level the core work of the Faculty is to work with teachers who work with parents. At the undergraduate level when many students may be the first person in their family to have continued on to higher education this broadening of individual aspirations will develop both the individual and the community. The upgrading of the professional skills of experienced teachers will also be a renewed focus for the Faculty. It was quite inspiring to hear voiced so clearly the Faculty’s aspirations to excellence, their affirmation of the importance of encouraging individual aspirations and their commitment to trying to strengthen communities.

July 2014 THE POINT

11THE POINT July 2014

10

On the back of a well-attended rep forum and dinner the previous evening, numbers were up in all Councils, with Independent Council recording its highest ever level of attendance for a single event.

Acting General Secretary Loretta Cotter presented an overview of how the Union

is tracking in 2014 and provided a detailed summary of the results of the recently conducted State of the Union Survey (SOTUS). This SOTUS conducted 4 years after the first survey has generated a lot of valuable information and feedback from a broad cross-section of the IEU membership, and will help shape and form the policy and direction of the union over the next few years.

This year’s survey is the first one open to IEU members in Tasmania, many of whom took advantage of the opportunity to provide valuable and positive feedback about how the amalgamation of the two branches is proceeding. Loretta’s presentation was well received and highlighted both the challenges facing the union as well as the areas where we are achieving on behalf of the membership.

Independent CouncilIndependent Council focussed

discussion on the SOTUS results of particular relevance to issues in independent schools.

The survey showed that there has been solid growth in IEU membership in schools where enterprise bargaining has taken place and that the IEU has continued to expand coverage and achieve better outcomes for members. On the down side, the survey also showed that some categories of staff are poorly recruited and that IEU density in some schools is not strong.

In addition, as part of a detailed report on bargaining in the sector from IEU Industrial Officer Kristen Wischer, delegates discussed the federal government’s planned paid parental leave scheme and the implications of that for bargaining in schools.

Delegates also explored the role of the consultative committee in their schools.

Catholic CouncilsThe Catholic Primary

and Secondary Councils spent much of the session discussing recent disputes in the Victorian Catholic sector as well as implementation issues associated with the new Agreement. Much of the discussion centred on the ‘Managing Employment Concerns’ clause which has been of interest due to a rash of disputes about directions not to attend work and warnings issued to members.

There was also discussion in relation to recent advice from the CECV regarding attendance and payment requirements for part- time teachers’ attendance at parent teacher interviews, which is always a hot topic for part-timers.

In addition reps were given an update on the ‘Join in June’ campaign and details of upcoming seminars and PD for education support staff who may be seeking a reclassification under the new Agreement.

Union’s May Council Meeting Representing You

Labor’s James Merlino

The aim of the Forum and Rep Dinner is to bring people together to look beyond the day-to-day job of being

a rep in a school. It is a chance for reps to talk to one another about some of these wider issues as well as to share ideas and strategies for activating their sub-branches. The purpose of this year’s forum was to look more broadly at the different ways members can become actively involved in a variety of community campaigns.

The 2014 Forum kicked off with an introduction from Assistant Secretary David Brear in which he highlighted some of the ways in which the IEU advocates on behalf of members working in our sector, including at State and Federal Government level. The IEU lobbies organisations such as the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) and the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) on behalf of people working in non-government education to ensure that our members’ voices are heard and that the independent education sector is represented. At a national level the Federal Branch of the IEU has, for example, been part of the debate on the recent federal budget and its effects on the education sector particularly students with disabilities. The IEU also works with the Australian Council of Trades Unions (ACTU) and Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) on campaigns to improve people’s working conditions and promote a positive message about the wider union movement.

Wil Stracke, Field Campaign Coordinator with the VTHC, was our first guest speaker and gave a presentation on their current ‘We Are Union’ campaign. She outlined some of the more interesting ways they have tried to get people involved in their campaign, and how the VTHC is trying to broaden public perceptions of union members and the work that unions are doing. The campaign is targeting key marginal seats in the up-coming Victorian elections with a focus on undecided voters.

Our keynote speaker was the Victorian Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Education, James Merlino.

James spoke about key opposition education matters in relation to education in Victoria with a particular focus on the lead up to the state election. A number of issues including disability funding and recent cuts to the TAFE sector were discussed. In addition Mr Merlino spoke at some length about the ways in which his party is using social media including Facebook and Twitter not only to get their message out but also to engage people in a more strategic way.

There was time at the end for a few questions and some general discussion of the key issues raised by our speakers. The level of engagement and questions indicated there was plenty for our reps to think about and take back to their schools.

The day concluded with the Rep Dinner where about 50 reps, some who had been with us for the Forum, others who had come to Melbourne from country Victoria for IEU Council the next day, gathered for dinner.

Our guest speaker at dinner was ACTU President Ged Kearney who gave an entertaining account of her own early start as a ‘unionist’ growing up in a large family. She went on to talk about the importance of unions and collectivism to building a fairer and more caring society.

Ged was warmly received and was a fantastic connection to the rest of the day and a great start to an evening of union solidarity.

Rep Forum and DinnerOn Friday 16 May a group of about 30 Reps gathered together for our Rep Forum on ‘Political and Social Campaigning’.

Council also saw the launch of the Join in June membership initiative where members are encouraged to have a conversation with non-member colleagues about joining our union. Our recent member survey gave us detailed information about why and how staff in schools join the IEU, and it told us that our best recruiters are our members. Staff are far more likely to join their union if it’s suggested to them by a colleague.

The campaign has proved a great success, with well over 200 new members joining in the month of June.

Congratulations to all members and Reps who got involved and asked a colleague to join. Of course, the effort to make us bigger and stronger does not finish with the end of the month: remember – a bigger union is a stronger union, and can offer better service, better value, better outcomes and better support, so please help us to keep growing for the benefit of all!

Left to right Christine Anketell, Kardinia, Margot Ryan, CRC, Lina Kadziela, Trinity Lutheran

Acting General Secretary Loretta Cotter

Recruitment Campaign launched

ACTU President Ged Kearney

THE POINT July 2014 July 2014 THE POINT

12 13

MEETING POINT PROJECT

Social Inclusion: A vital measure of a healthy school and communityResearch confirms the importance and positive benefits of being a fully accepted member of a community both for families, individuals and young people.

Conversely research also confirms the long-term negative impact on well- being, educational achievement and mental health of individuals and families when people are excluded either by omission, deliberate intent or ignorance. Meeting Point aims to raise awareness, particularly in school communities around the notion of inclusion. Meeting Point is a joint initiative of several educational and community organisations including the IEU, Catholic Education Office Melbourne, Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services, Kildare Ministries, and primary and secondary principals.

In addition, the Meeting Point Project has working contacts with a range of other agencies like Catholic Social Services, Hanover Services, Jesuit Social services, the three country Catholic Education systems and a wide range of schools.

Over the past 10 years Meeting Point has engaged with school staffs, community and education agencies in developing a deeper

understanding of the nature of inclusion and where there remains work to be achieved.

The most recent event was a roundtable gathering in late 2013 which provided impetus for this current project.

Schools have a vital place in ensuring young people are fully included in all aspects of their development. In fulfilling this important role schools need to be supported with ideas, initiatives and tools to assist the way in which this goal can be achieved. One such tool was developed in 2010. It is called the Social Inclusion Checklist and can be found on the Meeting Point website www.meetingpoint.org.au The website also contains a range of resources that schools are free to use. This checklist is particularly designed to assist schools to examine, review and change their practices in relation to supporting low income families.

Economic disadvantage is one important determinate of inclusion. An examination of school fees and charges can highlight many areas where children may be unintentionally excluded due to their families’ incapacity to afford some of such activities as school camps. The checklist has proven valuable as a conversation starter with parent and staff groups as well as an instrument to

be used at the time of a school review. It sits alongside the traditional measures of curriculum and financial progress, and thus embeds an awareness of school practice and performance in the area of inclusion. This checklist has also been widely circulated through the agency of the Federal Government.

However, economic considerations are not the only factors or determinates to the inclusion and potential exclusion of young people: Issues such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, cultural sensitivity and disability, among others, all play a part in how young people experience life.

A specific goal of the Meeting Point group in 2014 is to develop a second tool that will provide school communities with a way to examine current practice and implement improvements in areas beyond the economic circumstances of students and their families. Meeting Point welcomes any comment or suggestions which can be placed on the website or you can contact by email at pmoran@ieuvictas.org.au

The IEU is proud to support the work of Meeting Point and will continue to report on the progress of this new tool.

The IEU Principals’ Council consists of principal sub-branch representatives coming from the four dioceses within Victoria.

Principals’ Council On The RoadThe Council members value

the opportunity to discuss what is on the agenda at both

the local diocesan level and within the broader educational context. Each year one of the four Council meetings is held in a different diocese to promote greater understanding of those who make up this representative group.

This year the Council was held in Sandhurst with principal reps travelling to Echuca on the Thursday night to enjoy the company of colleagues over an evening meal. The Council meeting was held the following day at St Joseph’s School Rochester where principal, Peter Teggelove,

acted as host taking those present on a tour of his school, showcasing the excellent facilities on offer.

In 2013 the Principals’ Council reviewed their priorities and reset some new recommendations for 2014 and 2015. One of the key needs identified was: Managing self and workload balance – a wellbeing focus.

To assist in the development of this topic the Council invited Dr Philip Riley to give a presentation at the Rochester meeting. Philip had previously presented to Council the findings of his longitudinal study into principal health and well-being. This time he focussed

on the psychologically healthy workplace and on self care.Some key points from Philip’s presentation were the need to:

■ have supportive leadership, employee engagement, role clarity, learning development and growth opportunities, appraisal and recognition and work-life balance

■ develop a growth mindset ■ be mindful – a concentrated

form of rest and recovery ■ invest in personal wellbeing

(healthy eating, sleep, exercise, relaxation, humour)

■ accept any support and help offered you.

Whilst the above points are only a ‘snap shot’ of the presentation, a number of reps present have since made contact with Philip to book him to present at their local networks. The Council believes this ongoing connection with Philip’s work is really important in the quest to looking after the health and safety of themselves and their colleagues.

The remainder of the meeting was made up of reports from:

President John ConnorsPrincipals’ Officer David ForbesAPPA Michael BourneACPPA Ellie McGinnessPAI Justin LIoyd

In the Principals’ Officer report an update was provided on the current status of the occupational violence project. The IEU has valued the opportunity to be involved in this forum and we recognise the need for clear guidelines and training in this area. We have continued to provide feedback to the consultancy group and we look forward to the timely release of both these materials.

The issue of occupational violence continues to be a serious issue for schools where extreme behaviours can have serious effects on the occupational health and safety of those involved. The Principals’ Council supports the work of this project and the urgent need to put in place strategies that are preventative, intervening and make arrangement for post-incident responses.

In a tabled APPA report Michael Bourne shared:

■ that APPA had a presentation from Louise Rennie on the principal certification process

■ ACARA is seeking feedback from APPA on the national curriculum

■ APPA supports the principal health and well-being study but is concerned that there may not be funding available

■ The Federal Government is inviting submissions on initial teacher training and APPA will put forward a submission

■ APPA supports the continued funding for each 4year old enrolled in a kindergarten.

Ellie McGinness shared the following points from ACPPA:

■ ACPPA is building a healthy relationship with NCEC

■ The Budget has enormous implications for schools and 2017 will be a critical year

■ ACPPA is developing a working relationship with the Catholic Parents AssociationThe Topics journal will soon be

mailed out and the Editor, Kevin Clancy, would welcome articles.

The Council spent time discussing the value of primary principal Renewal Leave. The general consensus was that these types of opportunities were essential to building the ongoing capacity for leadership. Many principals recount the experience of their study and how the experience of such programs enables them to reflect, learn and come back to their schools with renewed vigour.

The Principals’ Council was unanimous in proclaiming its support for Renewal Leave.

IEU Leadership ProgramWhen the Principals’ Council

undertook a review in 2013 one of the recommendations was to utilise the online resources of the TLN to deliver leadership PD activities for our members. Our Council is pleased to announce that the first of these sessions will be on Tuesday 22 July from 4.00-7pm.

This is a workshop for you to attend with your leadership team. The workshop will provide you with strategies that you can use in your leadership team to build

common purpose and reduce conflict in the team and among the staff. Recognising what we have in common and building a shared purpose will increase focus and reduce conflict.

Available both face-to-face or online, this workshop is designed around group activities that you undertake with your leadership team – so best value will be achieved if your entire team attends the workshop. IEU principal members are encouraged to attend this workshop with members of their leadership team.

Workshop Presenter, Lisa Heap is internationally recognised as a trade unionist, lawyer and human rights educator. She is currently the Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Employment Rights (AIER). Prior to this Lisa was the AEU Federal Women’s officer and a technical adviser to the International Labour Organisation in Geneva. The AIER is an independent organisation that seeks to achieve fair and decent work for all and does this through legislation, research, education and advocacy.

MANUAL HANDLING:

What’s the limit?In your workplace, do you do any of the following: Move furniture, carry computers or other teaching equipment, push a trolley, carry a ladder, restrain a student, use a laptop, carry out repetitive administrative tasks, load the Coke machine, bend over for long periods of time at the same height as student desks, or carry books and resources around the school?

So how do we know which tasks are hazardous? First of all, stop and think about what you are about to do. Think about whether the task is going to involve sustained and repetitive force to accomplish (keyboarding is one such task). Think about whether you will need to adopt a repetitive or sustained awkward posture, such as writing reports on a laptop where you are constantly looking down on an angle to the screen. Think about repetitive or sustained movement, such as circumstances where you must push a heavy trolley to move items from one part of the workplace to another. Think about when you must apply

high force, for example, moving a piano from a higher to a lower level. Think about exposure to sustained vibration, for example, using grinders or other hand-held power tools. Think about handling people, especially when restraining students. Think about all those loads that may be light in weight but just plain unstable, unbalanced or difficult to hold.

When you have concerns about just one of these situations the task you are about to perform must be risk assessed before you commence. This is because the presence of any of these situations in the task makes the task hazardous. It matters not about weight – there are no limits on how much a person can lift, even the lightest of objects have been implicated in manual handling injury if any of the above factors are present and nothing has been done to remove them from the task.

Hazardous manual handling accounts for nearly 50% of all compensation claims in the education sector.

The following is a simple approach to preventing manual handling injuries in your workplace:

Step 1 Identify all tasks associated with manual handling

Step 2 Identify all tasks that have at least one factor of hazardous manual handling associated with it

Step 3 Assess the risk of injury of each of those hazardous manual tasks

Step 4 Ask, can any of the tasks be eliminated? If yes, make sure the task is not carried out by anyone

Step 5 Develop a risk control plan for each of the remaining tasks so that the risk of injury can be reduced as much as possible. To do this, explore ways to change the way the task is done, how the job is designed or the actual layout of the workplace. Consider writing SafeWork procedures for some

tasks and the use of mechanical aids to lower the risk.

At all stages, consultation between leadership, health and safety representatives and the employees carrying out the task is important and required.

For further information, assistance with manual handling risk assessments or advice on this and other health and safety hazards, contact your IEU Organiser. These are just a few of the

many tasks employees in schools perform on a

daily basis that involve pushing, pulling, holding, throwing and carrying. These simple tasks are all examples of what is known as manual handling.

All of these tasks on the surface sound so benign, and yet as a result of performing such tasks countless employees sustain injuries to muscles, ligaments, tendons, disc and other structures in their backs. Wrists, arms, shoulders, neck and legs are commonly injured carrying out what seem to be the most simple of tasks. If the tasks are so simple, then why are employees getting hurt? These injuries often occur because:

■ employees often adopt harmful postures in order to handle loads

■ employees lift loads which are too heavy

■ the objects being lifted or moved are often not designed for ease of handling

■ workplaces are poorly designed ■ the manner in which the task is

designed or carried out is poorly designed, thought out or poorly executed.

Of course, not all manual handling tasks are likely to cause injury: Picking up a pen from the desk is a manual handling task, but it is not likely to cause injury.

Upcoming Course:

IEU Leadership Program Building common purpose with your leadership team Date: Tuesday 22 July 2014 Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM Location: IEU building, 120 Clarendon Street South MelbourneAvailable both face-to-face or online.For more visit: www.ieuvictas.org.au

REDUCING THE SPREAD OF FLU IN THE WORKPLACE

Now that we’ve well and truly entered the cold winter months, you need to take adequate steps to limit the spread of colds and flu in your workplace. Following these 7 simple steps, you and your colleagues can help limit the spread of infection in your workplace:

1 Wash hands regularly throughout the day, especially before and after eating and after going to the bathroom

2 Limit personal contact with other people in the workplace, such as handshaking

3 Keep a reasonable distance from unwell people (Ideally, unwell people won’t be at the workplace but in case they are)

4 Use tissues and avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth

5 Regularly disinfect shared surfaces, eg. photocopiers

6 Obtain a flu vaccination

7 Go home if feeling unwell

July 2014 THE POINT

15

Actually, it’s Surprisingly Easy Being Green

The example shown by Costa of pre-packaged hard-boiled pre-shelled eggs had everyone shaking their

heads. His parting message: If we stop buying unnecessary products, they’ll eventually cease to be produced. The power is in our choices.

There were three separate sessions of workshops with six in each to choose from. Carey Baptist Grammar School Donvale hosted a workshop showcasing what they are doing to embed Education for Sustainability into the curriculum (with a particular focus at Year 4 – Enviro year) as well as the everyday life of their school. At the moment they are transitioning from a 5 Star Sustainable School to the Resource Smart Aussi Vic accreditation. They have 5 Waste systems in operation (run by the children) – Worm Farms, Compost Cannons, Compost Tumbler, Compost Bin and Green Cone Waste Digesters, a pick and eat veggie garden, and are part of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell car program. For this program students make cars from reusable/recyclable materials and harness the power of hydrogen to fuel them. They then race their cars against each other. Each year Carey has a Maths Talent Quest with the projects having a sustainability focus (Veggie

Garden Maths, Trash On Your Back Maths, Mobile Muster, Turn It Off). The school also participated in the pilot program of Trash On Your Back in 2013 and has continued to take part in this waste behaviour change program which gives students a visual idea of how much non-perishable waste they produce over 5 days.

Green Schools was fortunate to have Paul Dullard present a workshop as well. Paul is an Education Officer for Sustainability in the Sandhurst Diocese and has been working with Catholic schools in both regional and metropolitan areas of Victoria for many years. He has been a great friend to the Green Schools Conference over the past 5 years and participants in his workshop came away with strong ideas of how to better integrate sustainability into school life. No wonder Paul was awarded Environmental Educator of the year in 2010.

The afternoon was shaken up by the comedic genius of Rod Quantock. He had the whole conference rolling in the aisles, but coupled that with a serious message that was: It’s time to DO SOMETHING with the information we now know about sustainability. The time for being a spectator is over!

In the last week of term 2, IEU members joined together with AEU members at the Green Schools Conference. They were treated to a brilliant day kicked off by Costa Georgiadis who delivered the keynote and got the participants thinking about themselves as consumers, focussing on how much energy goes into everything they buy.

The Green Schools Conference was sponsored this year by Cool Australia. Attendees at the conference were glowing in their feedback about the Cool Australia website with its user friendly and extensive resources. There was also a lot of buzz and excitement around Cool Australia’s Enviro Week from 24-30 August 2014. Check out the Cool Australia site at www.coolaustralia.org or Enviro Week details at www.enviroweek.org

Any schools wishing to share their school’s sustainability journey in The Point or wanting to participate in presenting a workshop in future Green Schools Conferences, please contact Lou Nicholson lnicholson@ieuvictas.org.au

*For all consultations booked between 1 – 31 July 2014. This information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Therefore you should firstly consider the appropriateness of this information and refer to the Terms and Conditions or the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before acquiring a product. These documents are available by calling Financial Planning on 1300 654 193. Victoria Teachers Limited, ABN 44 087 651 769, AFSL/Australian Credit Licence Number 240 960.

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Strike Action at Life Education!

The first planned strike action involves a day’s stop work – but rather

than stay home educators will come from all over Victoria to do PD at the IEU during the school holidays – PD which is critical to using the new technology in their Life Educations vans.

The past 18 months have been a real trial for members at Life Education. Members are committed to the great program provided by Life Education but they face a raft of attacks on their employment conditions. New management want to move away from employing teachers and reduce teachers’ employment

conditions. They want a wage freeze for one year for all staff and a permanent freeze on the top two pay points for teachers. New ‘educators’ are being employed who are not VIT registered teachers and casuals are being hired to replace ongoing teachers who resign. They’re also pushing for cuts to Long Service Leave,

removing pro-rata school holidays and requiring teachers to come in for 10 days of school holidays. Cuts are proposed to travel allowance, meal allowance and leadership allowances.

The first industrial action proposed by IEU members means they will lose a day’s pay, they will get together to plan

a campaign – but it will not yet affect students or schools. Experienced educators will run the PD needed and we will hold a media conference with surprise guest Harold the Giraffe.

We wish members in Life Education all the best with their campaign.

After 18 months of fruitless bargaining, IEU members at Life Education have unanimously endorsed a campaign of protected industrial action.

Representatives from the IEU and the AEU together with Green Schools presenters

Participants from St Joseph the Worker

July 2014 THE POINT

17

What is this Online Learning?

The Teacher Learning Network (TLN), the IEU’s professional development

provider, is the leader for online professional learning with over 3,500 people attending 100 programs in 2013.

Online learning has the following dimensions:

Live online programsThe program is delivered live

to camera by the facilitator. The online audience is the only audience. With the online software used by TLN, you see and hear on your computer screen a real time video stream of the presenter who is delivering live to camera. You see their presentation notes (typically Powerpoint). Various ‘activities’ can be incorporated to enhance your engagement including a whiteboard facility, breakout rooms and brainstorming tools.

You participate in these sessions from your computer or laptop at home or work by simply clicking on a ‘website link’. As a participant your main form of

Professional Development practice is increasingly dominated by ‘online learning’. What does online learning mean in 2014?

interaction is via an on-screen text service.

A live streamed eventTLN uses the same software to

stream sessions being delivered by a presenter to a live audience. We video the presenter conducting the workshop and stream it to you in real time. You will see and hear on your screen the streamed video of the presenter, and his/her presentation notes and you will also hear the interactions and questions from the live audience. As an online participant you are able to ask questions or make comments through a dedicated online host who will pose them on your behalf to the presenter. The best presenters set up specific activities for the online audience.

On-demand programsThese are online sessions that

you undertake at a time of your choosing. At the TLN we have two types:

Recordings of live sessions. We record ‘live online’ and ‘live streamed events’ and make them

available on the website. In this instance you are an observer of something that has already happened. It is a useful alternative if you cannot get to the event at the scheduled time.

Purposely created online courses that may include videos, readings, quizzes, reflection activities and information from the teacher who created the workshop. TLN uses the Articulate Storyline software to create programs.

Online learning increases accessibility and flexibility for people in regional and remote locations. No travel is required to hear from the best presenters. For people with family commitments eg. young children, you can do the sessions from home and/or at a time that meets your schedule.

At the TLN we have spent years building the capacity of teachers to present interesting, engaging and effective online programs and we now have reliable online software and skilled staff who can maximize your PD experience.

The TLN offers more than 120 programs per year and most are offered online. All courses are referenced against the teaching standards and come with a certificate. IEU support for the TLN means that programs are offered free of charge to staff in TLN member schools. You can see the full list of programs at www.tln.org.au where you can also check to see if your school is a member of the TLN.

Here is a quick sample of upcoming live online courses with TLN:

Coaching for performance development

Tuesday 29 July 4.00pm – 6.00pm

Finding formative assessment evidence

Thursday 31 July 5.00pm – 7.00pm

Behaviour management in the IT classroom

Thursday 14 August 4.00pm – 6.00pm

If you are an IEU member who has never participated in a live online program, email Michael Victory for a link to a free trial program at mvictory@tln.org.au

We’re offering up to six scholarships to NGS Super members working in teaching, school management or support staff positions.

You could be off to embark on a professional development project, course or study tour in Australia or overseas.

To apply, simply outline the course, project or study tour you’d like to do, describing how this will contribute to your personal and professional development. Each scholarship is worth up to $5000. Who said money can’t buy experience like this.

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2014 ACTU NATIONAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE AND ANNA STEWART MEMORIAL DINNERThe 2014 ACTU National Women’s Conference is a 2 day conference aimed primarily at women unionists, but also open to a broader network of individuals and organisations working to improve the lives of women.

The conference will identify the current political and industrial challenges facing women and develop key industrial, organising/campaign priorities and action plans.

When: Thursday 21 August 9.00- 5.00 and Friday 22 August 9.00- 5.00

Where: City Convention Centre, L12 300 Flinders Street, Melbourne 3000

Speakers: The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Deputy Leader of the OppositionGed Kearney, President Australian Council of Trade UnionsSharan Burrow, General Secretary ITUC

A dinner will be held at Zinc restaurant, Federation Square, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Victorian Anna Stewart Memorial Project.

Registration: Conference and Dinner $360, Dinner only $100, Conference only $260

For further information and registration go to: www.vthc.org.au

At Trades Hall, Jennifer O’Donnell-Pirisi, VTHC Women’s Officer, has been a remarkable inspiration to all ASMP women. Therese O’Loughlin, IEU Organiser, works with boundless energy and heartfelt dedication, demonstrating care and concern in all that she undertakes. Tracey and I are immensely thankful to both these women and to all the staff at the IEU office for their time, sharing and mentoring. – Monica Hyams

THANKS FROM TRACEY AND MONICA

A great deal has happened in thirty years and significant changes have occurred in the IEU since Anna

Stewart filled rooms with her commitment to women’s rights and conditions in the workplace. It is true to say that both female employers and female employees still have a distance to travel before Anna Stewart’s vision of workplace equity and opportunity, irrespective of gender, is achieved.

However, in the past thirty years the Anna Stewart Memorial Project (ASMP) has provided women with the privilege of working within unions for a fortnight, shadowing union activists as they move through the day-to-day challenges, events and successes. With this opportunity we have been amazed by everyone’s passion and direction within the IEU.

Designed to encourage more women to be present and active in unions, the fortnight program consists of two days each week at Trades Hall with the remaining days in the union of choice. In some cases women nominated to move outside their comfort zone and experience vastly different sectors. The fourteen participants in the May intake represented diverse workplace settings: finance, education, health, transport and maritime; and this enabled each participant exposure to a rich pool of skills, vision and experiences.

Women form a critical voice and can influence the culture of a workplace. Within unions and at the workplace,

women have the immediate capacity to identify workplace aspects and assist in accommodating changing demands through consultation and inclusion. The ASMP has highlighted the way forward for women who are motivated to support other women and continue to nurture voice, opportunity and change.

30 Years of the Anna Stewart Memorial Project

The next opportunity to participate in the ASMP is Monday 6 October – Friday 17 October 2014. Replacement costs are available to participants. Consider this project as part of your personal and professional growth. Application forms are available on the IEU website. For more information please contact Therese O’Loughlin toloughlin@ieuvictas.org.au

The IEU recently played host to two Anna Stewart participants, Tracey Spiel from Kingswood College (below left), and Monica Hyams from Plenty Valley Montessori (right).

July 2014 THE POINT

19

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Workers in Bangladesh

Members of the IEU in NSW are taking industrial action against a proposed enterprise agreement put forward by the employers’ representatives that seeks to impose significant cuts to their current work conditions, pay and job security. The IEU has been unable to reach agreement over a number of claims put forward by it, while the employers have put forward a document that reduces pay and conditions for support staff (including annual progression and permanency arrangements), the removal of existing promotion positions and related entitlements, a reduction in sick leave, and deregulation of conditions such as face-to-face hours. Members in each Diocese are voting on whether to take stop-work action, with members in Newcastle already walking out and a stoppage planned for Woolongong early next term. Voting continues across the

other regional and rural Dioceses, with the union expecting similar levels of support for industrial action.

Calls have been made in Queensland to allow school principals access to the Centrelink data of parents in order to better protect vulnerable children. An inquest into the death of an eight-year-old has heard that if the last school the girl attended knew the parent was still receiving payments in the area, it may have led to intervention by government agencies. There was no contact by school or welfare agencies with the girl for almost a year as they believed she was moving overseas, and it is claimed that greater sharing of information and contact details would help monitor children in an at-risk situation.

In the United Kingdom, members of the National Union of Teachers are taking strike action with members from other unions in early July in support of their ‘Stand-up for Education’ campaign. Unions are campaigning around cuts to pay and conditions as well as the emphasis on testing, data collection and recording. The General Secretary, Christine Blower, said: ‘The Government is still failing to make progress on our trade dispute over teachers’ pay, pensions and workload. For teachers, performance related pay, working until 68 for a full pension and heavy workload for 60 hours a week, is unsustainable.’

Teachers in the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, are in the seventh month of a hunger strike demanding permanent contracts. The protest started in 2013, but has not resulted in any concessions from the government despite it already agreeing to regularise contracts. Over

50,000 teachers have temporary contracts with low pay, no job security, and no access to pensions. Teachers are striking not only for permanency, but to stop further temporary contracts. They have vowed to continue as long as necessary, as the courts have already ruled that the government must provide temporary teachers with the same conditions as permanent ones, but the government has so far ignored the ruling.

And finally, the Principal of Roosevelt High School in New York, USA, has been forced to apologise after plagiarising his letter to the graduating class, which appeared in the school’s yearbook. The letter was almost verbatim to that written by another principal to his graduates, but the clincher was the final line: Congratulations to the Albany High School Class of 2013! The principal has been made to re-write the letter using his own words, and to resubmit it.

News UpdateFrom around Australia

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Last year The Point reported the terrible tragedy in Bangladesh when the Rana Plaza building collapsed killing more than 1100 people and injuring a further 2500.

The building had been approved for only five of its eight storeys and, despite

being evacuated the day before it collapsed, factory bosses threatened workers with lost pay if they didn’t go back into the building to work, eventually resorting to beating the terrified workers to force them through the doors. Those killed were garment workers, many making fashion for Western countries including Australia. The international campaign for the rights of garment workers in Bangladesh led by the IndustriaALL union was supported by the Textile Clothing Footwear Union of Australia and included seeking a legally binding agreement requiring employers

to provide safe workplaces as well as compensation for the families of those killed or injured at Rana Plaza last year.

We are happy to report that this agreement was achieved in the form of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, covering more than two million workers. The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia wrote to Australian companies producing garments in Bangladesh urging them to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. One year on, compensation has already started to flow and 250 building inspections are carried out every month by the Accord’s specially trained team. There are over 150 signatories to the Accord

from 20 countries including Australia, although shamefully there are still two Australian companies who have refused to sign the Accord; the Just Group, and Best and Less. The Just Group is owned by billionaire Solomon Lew and its brands include Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Portman’s, Jacqui E, Dotti and Peter Alexander. Best and Less operate over 200 stores in Australia.

Australian companies who have signed the Accord include Cotton on Group, Forever New, K-Mart Australia, Pacific Brands, Pretty Girl Fashion Group Pty, Specialty Fashions, Target Australia, and Woolworths Australia

For more information about the campaign including news about

the release of garment workers who had been imprisoned in Cambodia after striking for a decent minimum wage visit www.industriall-union.org

What can you do?As consumers we have

the power to support ethical labour practices through the choices we make when buying clothes and shoes. To find out which brands are accredited by

Ethical Clothing Australia as supplying their workers with their legal entitlements visit ethicalclothingaustralia.org.au

This site also has a list of accredited suppliers of school uniforms – is your school uniform supplier on the list?

For great teaching resources about how we can all help end exploitation in the clothing industry both locally and globally visit www.fairwear.org.au

From around the World

u More special needs funding for students in non-government schools, because all children deserve a quality education, regardless of which school they attend.

u Indexation of non-government school funding, maintaining current arrangements, so that all schools have greater funding certainty.

u Equal Opportunity Act reforms that will prevent the ability of employers to arbitrarily discriminate against workers on the basis of their sexuality or even marital status.

u No performance pay introduced into Victorian Schools, by policy, Agreements or any other means. Performance pay is divisive, ineffective and unacceptable.

u Better TAFE and VCAL funding, including a reversal of recent cuts, and new commitments to the proper resourcing of vocational education and training in the future.

u Safe Schools Coalition actively promoted to non-government schools, so that all schools are supported and actively encouraged to introduce anti-homophobia programs and create a safer environment for GLBTI students.

u Better public sector bargaining, conducted in good faith, occurring in a more expedient fashion and not bound by arbitrary government wage polices.

u More support to investigate and regulate non-government schools, because IEU members should never lose jobs, and no student’s education should be disrupted, just because a school is poorly managed.

u Free and fair elections for VIT Council which guarantee teachers will be appointed to this key body and ensure it is truly representative.

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:

Look out for our campaign launch soon, or email educationmatters@ieuvictas.org.au for more information. EducationMatters