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Journal AEU SA

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Education has changed, educator conditions haven’t kept up.

EVERY PART OF EA27 BELONGS TO YOU A truly member-led campaign LEAVING PERMANENCY, NOT TEACHING The demographic moving into TRT is changing YOUR INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS IMPACT CHILDREN'S LEARNING What EA27 means for preschool education

VOL 58 | #4 | OCTOBER 2026

Not your parents’ classroom

Get Information & advice from the Information Unit The AEU Information Unit provides members with advice on questions of pay, leave, and general working conditions. The Information Unit is staffed: Monday to Friday: 10.30am - 5pm For advice and assistance, please phone 08 8172 6300 or email info@aeusa.asn.au

Authorised by Matthew Cherry, Australian Education Union (SA Branch), Kaurna Country, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063.

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CONTENTS

What’s in this issue? 02 WHAT HAPPENS AT THE BARGAINING TABLE? How enterprise bargaining works

03 LOCAL UNION LEADERS MATTER MORE THAN EVER The demographic moving into TRT is changing

04 EVERY PART OF EA27 BELONGS TO YOU A truly member-led campaign

06 YOUR INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS IMPACT CHILDREN'S LEARNING What EA27 means for preschool education

07 GO FOR IT!

Reflections on the Anna Stewart Memorial Project

Every part of EA27 belongs to you

10 TERM 4 PLANNER

Pull-out planner with this term's essentials

12 LISTENING TO LEADER VOICES Leaders' views must be acted on in EA27

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13 HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT BECOMING A SUB-BRANCH SECRETARY OR REP? Our training is here to help

14 ORGANISER UPDATE

What our organising team is up to in term four

16 IT’S REALLY NOT YOUR PARENTS' CLASSROOM ANYMORE The industrial system wasn't set up with most of our workforce in mind

Reminder

17 ABORIGINAL MEMBER UPDATE

What our Aboriginal Member Support Team are up to

18 THE NEXT PHASE OF OUR EA27 CAMPAIGN IS THE MOST IMPORTANT YET What you can do to increase our collective power

19 A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR TAFE EDUCATORS Focusing on health and safety for TAFE educators

IT'S TIME TO UPDATE YOUR DETAILS If you are changing workplaces, increasing your fraction of time or moving up a step, let the AEU Membership team know.

membership@aeusa.asn.au 08 8172 6300

20 SSO, DID YOU KNOW?

Understanding SSO Special Leave

21 PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND UNION TRAINING It's your turn to be the student

The AEU SA Journal is the official publication of the Australian Education Union (SA Branch). Disclaimer: AEU SA has done its best to ensure that all information provided was accurate at the time of printing.

Editor: Seren Bell | Design: Bel Williams Printer: Lane Print | PrintPost approved: PP 100000753 Print: ISSN 1440-2971 | Digital: ISSN 2207-9092

Australian Education Union (SA Branch) acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.

AEU SA Journal is free to AEU members Non-members subscription rate: $33 per annum

Kaurna Country, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 08 8172 6300 Journal@aeusa.asn.au aeusa.asn.au

F R O M T H E B R A N C H S E C R E TA R Y

M AT T H E W C H E R R Y, B R A N C H S E C R E TA R Y

What happens at the bargaining table? When members hear about enterprise bargaining, it is usually through the milestones. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

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+ Bargaining begins when members come together to identify the issues impacting them right now + The work of the bargaining team to translate this into a strong enterprise agreement + But that team only has power when members across the state are organised and ready to act collectively We met with the Government. An offer was made. We rejected a proposal. Members endorsed the agreement. These moments matter, but they only tell part of the story. Bargaining begins when members identify the issues that matter most and determine what we collectively want to change in a new enterprise agreement. Then, our claims have to be negotiated with the employer, often through many meetings, proposals, and counterproposals. So much relies on a relatively small number of words. An employer might agree, for example, that educators face too much administrative burden. That’s important. But agreement on the idea isn’t the same as agreement on the clause. What does the wording actually require? Who does it apply to? Is the obligation clear? Can it be enforced? Does a change in one part of the agreement create an unintended consequence somewhere else? These are technical questions, but that level of detail is important. An assurance about what an employer intends to do is not the same as having that protection written into an enforceable agreement. That’s also why bargaining can sometimes appear to move slowly. Draft clauses need to be written, tested, and rewritten. Proposals need to be considered against the rest of the agreement. Sometimes, industrial and legal advice needs to be sought to make sure the words on the page actually deliver.

The job of the bargaining team is not simply to reach an understanding with the employer – it's to make sure that the agreement provides the protections and entitlements we’re seeking. While this technical work is important, the strength of bargaining doesn’t come from the people sitting around the table. Our bargaining position is strongest when members are informed, organised, and prepared to act collectively. It is built when members identify the issues that matter in our workplaces, when we talk with our colleagues, when our sub-branches organise, and when we stand together behind a common set of claims.

"There’s a lot of work that happens at the bargaining table, but our capacity to win at that table is built across the entire state" That’s why member participation matters throughout bargaining. An enterprise agreement isn’t something negotiated for members and handed back to them – it's our agreement. It determines our salaries, our workload, and our conditions. And it shapes our working lives. When educators are properly supported, students receive more attention and better learning conditions, families experience stronger connections with schools and preschools, and communities benefit from stable, thriving public education systems that can meet local needs now and into the future. The future of public education won’t be handed to us. It will be built by every public educator acting together.

FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

Leaving permanency, not teaching We hear a lot about teachers leaving the profession, but recently we're also hearing about more teachers leaving their permanent positions to work as TRTs. Historically, TRT work at the end of a career has been a common retirement story for teachers. A teacher reaches the end of their permanent career but isn't ready to leave the classroom altogether, so picks up some relief teaching.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW + The demographic leaving permanent teaching for TRT is changing + More teachers over 40 are leaving permanency for TRT + As enterprise bargaining commences, we need to consider what this says about the sustainability of teaching

But recent workforce data from the Department for Education suggests this story is changing.

The age profile is shifting, too. Between 2022 and 2023, 60% of those leaving the Department for TRT work were over 60. By 2026, that figure had dropped to less than 40%.

"Meanwhile, the number of permanent employees in their 40s moving into TRT roles has doubled since 2022."

When a teacher gives up a permanent position and turns up the next week as a TRT, they haven’t rejected teaching. They’ve made a decision about the conditions under which they’re prepared to do it. TRT work has challenges of its own, but it can mean teaching without carrying all the work of a permanent teacher. Reporting, meetings, parent communication, administration, documentation, and other work that follows teachers home looks very different for TRTs, and that difference may be exactly what's drawing people across. We're not yet sure why the teachers moving from permanent roles into TRT decided to do so. But as we move into our next round of enterprise bargaining, we're looking more closely at what their choices might be telling us.

Taken together, these numbers point to a different kind of departure, one that isn't about winding down a career, but about changing how it's carried out. Which raises an important question: why would a teacher who probably isn't close to retirement give up the security of permanency, but not give up teaching?

Enterprise bargaining is an opportunity to negotiate pay and conditions that make teaching a sustainable career, something that matters if we want to grow our permanent workforce and attract and retain teachers. The National Teacher Workforce Action Plan tells us that reducing unnecessary workload and allowing teachers to focus on teaching are recognised strategies for improving retention.

There are many possible reasons. Flexibility, caring responsibilities, health, workplace culture, or simply wanting greater control over when and where they work. But we can't ignore that workload has a role to play in these choices, too.

If we want experienced teachers to stay in our schools, we need to offer more than permanence. Through bargaining, we can take steps towards a more sustainable teaching profession.

SADIE GENT VICE PRESIDENT

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When a teacher gives up permanency, the Department asks if they're retiring or simply resigning. From 2022 to 2023, 65% of those moving from permanency into TRT work were recorded as retiring, while 31% resigned. By 2025, this had almost evened out: 50% retired and 48% resigned.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW + Members have reported resoundingly: the profession has changed + But while the work of education has changed, conditions haven’t kept up + The EA27 campaign platform is built on member-led solutions to fix that

Every part of EA27 belongs to you

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Over the past few months, I've sat in staffrooms, stood at forums, joined members online after a long day of teaching, and talked with colleagues in the corridor between classes. Different schools and preschools, different roles, different corners of the state, but I keep hearing the same thing, said in a hundred different ways: public education has changed, and our conditions haven't kept up. I want you to know that this isn't just a line we came up with in a meeting room - it's what you told us. It's the reason behind everything the AEU is doing as we prepare to bargain for our next enterprise agreement, and I think it's important you understand exactly how we got here. This campaign wasn't drawn up by a handful of officials on your behalf. It was built, deliberately and carefully, from your survey responses, your motions, and the solutions you helped shape. Every claim we take to the table will be one you had a hand in writing. HOW WE GOT HERE Term one: We asked everyone We began the year by opening an alleducator survey, not just to members but to every public educator in the state, because we wanted to understand what mattered most before we assumed anything. We asked one simple question: what do we need to fight for in the next enterprise agreement? 2,644 public educators took the time to answer.

It gave us the clearest, most honest picture we've had in years of what's actually happening in our schools and preschools.

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FILL TO R S A C U D CE VE Y PUBLI 27 S U R A E E IN TH

Term two: We put it to a vote We wanted our bargaining priorities to carry democratic weight. So, in term two, members at 380 sites moved motions voting on the issues that mattered most. That vote is what shaped our bargaining platform. It was ranked by you, site by site, decision by decision.

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S IT E S M OV E D M O T IO N S T H E IR E VO T IN G A 2 7 P R IO ON R IT IE S

Term three: We worked through it together Naming the problems is only ever half the job. We needed solutions that members could stand behind with confidence. So, we held forums right across the state, in person and online, and gave members the space and time to work through practical answers to the issues that had risen to the top. Those solutions now form the foundation of our Log of Claims, which the AEU will formally present to the employer when bargaining begins in term four. EA27 was built over three terms of listening, voting, and working things through together, and it's why I can say with real confidence that this campaign represents public educators.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

THE PLATFORM: NOT YOUR PARENTS' CLASSROOM

SUSTAINABILITY: A real plan to keep educators in the profession

Public education isn't what it was when many of us started in this profession. Student needs are more complex. Teaching is more tailored than it has ever been. Leaders are doing more with less - trying to plug holes in all areas around the state. Support staff are doing more with less time. The expectations placed on educators, and the responsibilities they carry, have grown. What hasn't kept pace are the conditions we're asked to do that work under.

None of this matters if we can't keep good people in this job. We need a genuine, considered plan that tackles workload, burnout, and insecure work honestly, so experienced educators have real reason to stay, and the people just starting out have reason to believe this is a career worth building.

Education has changed. It's time our conditions caught up with it. That idea sits underneath everything in this campaign. Every pillar, every claim, is our attempt to turn that idea into change we can actually win.

VALUE: Pay that reflects the demands of the work Protecting every child's right to a great education means keeping great educators in our classrooms and preschools. That begins with salaries that genuinely reflect the importance, the skill, and the demands of this work, and that acknowledge the economic pressures educators are living with right now. BALANCE: Practical steps to reduce workload Time that should belong to students, and to your own wellbeing, is increasingly consumed by administration. We need streamlined processes and properly protected time, so that important information can still be collected without paperwork crowding out the reasons most of us came into this profession in the first place. SUPPORT: More support for complex kids Students today have more complex needs than ever before, and they deserve the support required to learn and thrive. Staffing levels and support structures need to reflect that reality, not the reality of a decade or two ago. When schools and preschools are properly resourced, the pressure on educators eases, and everyone, students included, is better off for it.

A strong platform on its own isn't enough. It needs a strong, powerful membership standing behind it to mean anything at the bargaining table. This year, Victorian educators secured substantial improvements to their enterprise agreement offer, and they did it because 80% of all teachers and support staff in that state were AEU members. That density is precisely why they had the leverage to win what they won. Big improvements are never handed over freely. They are fought for, patiently and persistently, by a large and united membership. That means one of the most powerful things any of us can do right now, well before a single bargaining session takes place, is bring a colleague in. Every leader, SSO, teacher, ECW, AEW, TRT, Swimming and Aquatics Instructor working for the Department can join us today. You’re already fighting for every educators’ pay and your conditions - ask your colleagues to stand with you. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT In term four, we take the Log of Claims, shaped by your survey answers, your votes, and the solutions you worked through together, to the employer, and formal bargaining begins. This is where our unity and our numbers will matter most. As we move into this next phase, I'm asking every member for two things: have a conversation with a colleague who hasn't yet joined, and stay engaged as this campaign continues to unfold. Public education has changed. It's time our pay and conditions caught up with it, and I believe we'll win that fight the same way we've done everything so far: together. JENNIE-MARIE GORMAN, PRESIDENT

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OUR FOUR PILLARS

WHY MEMBERSHIP IS THE CAMPAIGN

FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT KENDALL PROUD VICE PRESIDENT

Your industrial conditions impact children's learning High-quality preschool education depends on more than good intentions. It depends on skilled teachers and Early Childhood Workers having the time, staffing, resources, and professional conditions they need to do their work well.

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In public preschools, educators know that children’s learning is deeply shaped by the environment around them. Play-based learning requires responsive relationships, thoughtful curriculum planning, careful observation, and intentional teaching. It requires educators to notice children’s interests, scaffold their thinking, support their wellbeing, and create rich learning environments where every child can participate. None of that happens separately from working conditions. When staffing is stretched, educators have less capacity to engage deeply with children, respond to emerging learning, support inclusion, or sustain the relationships that sit at the heart of early childhood pedagogy. When preschool teachers and directors struggle to access adequate noninstruction time, curriculum planning, or documentation, critical reflection and assessment are pushed into increasingly constrained spaces. When compliance and administrative demands grow, they compete directly with the professional work that supports children’s learning. This is why workload, time, and staffing aren’t peripheral industrial issues. They’re education issues. The same is true of preschool directors and principals. Every preschool needs strong, dedicated educational leadership that can focus on pedagogy, staff development, families, and the broader preschool community. Leaders can’t provide that leadership effectively when excessive administrative demands or insufficient release pull them away from their core role. Quality inclusion also requires more than aspiration. Children who need additional support should be able to access it early, and educators need timely staffing, specialist advice, and resources to ensure genuine participation in the preschool program. Early intervention cannot be effective if support arrives too late, is too difficult to access or leaves existing staff carrying unsustainable additional workload. And none of this can be separated from how the profession is valued. Pay matters because attracting and retaining skilled preschool teachers, ECWs, and leaders matters.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW + What children in preschool need to grow and thrive is directly impacted by educator conditions + When preschool educators don’t have sufficient time, support, and balance, children miss out As we look towards EA27, members' four priorities are closely connected: pay that values the profession; a dedicated preschool leader for every preschool; resources that support genuine, timely early intervention; and more time for children, with less time lost to unnecessary compliance.

"Ultimately, the principle is simple: when we improve educators’ working conditions, we improve the conditions in which children learn, belong, participate, and thrive." WHAT DO THE EA27 PRIORITIES LOOK LIKE IN YOUR PRESCHOOL? Early intervention and inclusion: Can children access the staffing, specialist support and resources they need, when they need them? More time for children, less unnecessary compliance: What work is taking you away from curriculum, planning, reflection, and meaningful time with children? Dedicated preschool leadership: In schoolbased preschools, is leadership being absorbed by a full-time teacher without dedicated time or additional pay, or by an already overworked school principal? In standalone preschools, is effective leadership being constrained by directors being counted in ratio requirements? Pay: Does your pay reflect the skill, responsibility and complexity of your work?

Q +A W I T H T H E A N N A S T E WA R T M E M O R I A L P R O J E C T PA R T I C I PA N T S

Go for it! 2026 Anna Stewart Memorial Project participants Bonnie, Tara and Suzanne discuss their empowering experience. All Anna Stewar t

1. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO APPLY FOR THE PROJECT? TA R A  I applied for the Anna Stewart Memorial Project because I wanted to deepen my industrial literacy, strengthen my organising capability, and contribute more meaningfully to collective action in the public sector. I’ve always been committed to fairness, equity, and worker voice, but I wanted to expand my understanding of how unions build power, influence policy, and support members through complex industrial issues.

participants

S U Z A N N E  When I first heard about the Anna Stewart Memorial Program, I’d been the Women’s Contact Officer at my school for a year. I decided I should step up and apply to take part, seeing the program is designed to encourage and support women in unions. I didn’t feel very confident that I’d get in and I was very surprised when I did!

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B O N N I E  I’m new to the role of Women’s Contact Officer within my sub-branch, so I’ve been proactively seeking opportunities to learn, become more involved, and strengthen my understanding of the AEU and the broader union movement. When the email about this project arrived in my inbox, it immediately caught my attention. I was particularly interested in the opportunity to connect with women from different industries, hear about their experiences, and broaden my understanding of unionism beyond education. I saw it as a valuable opportunity to build connections, learn from others, and develop my confidence and knowledge within the union movement.

Memorial Project

I also saw the project as an opportunity to step outside my day to day leadership roles and immerse myself in the broader movement to understand how campaigns are built, how decisions are made, and how women’s leadership is strengthened across the union movement. My lived experience as a survivor of domestic and family violence also shaped my decision to contribute to safer, more accountable workplaces and systems through a justice focused lens.

2. BEFORE STARTING THE PROJECT, WHAT IDEAS DID YOU HAVE ABOUT UNIONISM? B O N N I E  Before starting the project, I saw unionism as standing up for what we believe is right and advocating for others. To me, it meant people coming together to support a shared cause, having a collective voice, and holding others accountable to help create safe, fair, and supportive workplaces. I also saw unionism as playing an important role in ensuring people feel safe, supported, and empowered in their workplace. This is particularly important to me when thinking about women and early career teachers, who may not always feel confident or comfortable speaking up for themselves. I believe unions can provide the support, collective strength and confidence people need to have their voices heard.

TA R A  Before starting the project, I understood unionism as fundamentally about collective strength, industrial fairness, and protecting workers from systemic harm. I had a strong grounding in enterprise bargaining, consultation obligations, and the role of unions in advocating for safe, equitable workplaces.

However, I mostly saw unionism through the lens of my own sector in vocational education and I wanted a deeper understanding of how union power operates across government, community services, and the broader public sector. I also wanted to better understand the strategic, political, and organising dimensions of unionism on how campaigns are built, how member density shapes influence, and how unions shift public narratives.

S U Z A N N E  In the lead up to the start of the project I was pretty nervous that I didn’t know enough about how unions worked or the details of the enterprise bargaining agreement but - in the end - it didn’t matter. I learnt so much through the program, and I was able to contribute from my own experiences.

Q +A W I T H T H E A N N A S T E WA R T M E M O R I A L P R O J E C T PA R T I C I PA N T S

3. WHAT SURPRISED YOU DURING YOUR TIME PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT? B O N N I E  Sadly, what surprised me most was hearing about some of the conditions women are still experiencing in workplaces in 2026. Learning about the treatment of women and the discrimination they continue to face across different workplaces and industries was a real lightbulb moment for me. It made me reflect on how fortunate I am to feel supported and valued within my own workplace, while also recognising that this experience is not shared by everyone. More importantly, it reinforced that we cannot become complacent about the standards, conditions, and rights we currently have. These have been fought for over many years, and we need to continue advocating for them, not only to make further progress, but to ensure we don’t go backwards and lose what those before us worked so hard to achieve.

TA R A  I was surprised by the scale and complexity of union work behind the scenes. I expected to learn about industrial instruments and advocacy, but I didn’t expect to see how much strategic planning, political engagement, research, member mapping, and coordination goes into every campaign.

S U Z A N N E  I was surprised to find that a lot of the program was focused on sharing our experiences and working together as a group to build knowledge and understanding of unions. It was a very powerful way of learning which brought us all together.

I was also struck by how relational union work is. Conversations, trust building, listening, and understanding member experiences are at the heart of effective organising. Another surprise was the breadth of issues unions engage with such as gender based violence, workplace safety, insecure work, public sector reform, disability rights, First Nations justice, and broader social equity. Unionism is not just about wages and conditions, it is about building a fairer society. 4. WHAT ARE YOUR THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE PROJECT?

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BONNIE 

1. The power of speaking up. Speaking up and voicing concerns is an incredibly powerful tool, and something we should be able to do without reservation. When we are willing to speak up, we not only advocate for change, but we can also empower others to find the confidence to use their own voice. 2. The women who came before us. Learning about the history of the union movement and the incredibly powerful and courageous women who came before us, including Anne Stewart herself, had a significant impact on me. Hearing the stories of women who went against the grain, challenged expectations and stood up for women and equality was truly inspiring. 3. The standards we are willing to accept. I have always believed in the saying, ‘The standard you walk past is the standard you accept,’ and this project has reinforced that belief even further. As women and as workers, we need to continue holding our workplaces and industries to a higher standard. We deserve to feel valued, respected, and, most importantly, safe at work.

TA R A 

1. Collective action is powerful when it is organised, intentional, and member led. Density, structure, and coordination matter. 2. Industrial literacy is essential for leadership. Understanding legislation, enterprise agreements, consultation obligations and governance frameworks strengthens your ability to advocate for members and challenge unsafe or unfair decisions. 3. Women’s leadership is critical to union strength. The project reinforced the importance of feminist organising, gender equity, and creating pathways for women to lead industrial, political and advocacy work.

SUZANNE 

1. The main take away I got from the program was that union members need to work together and support each other. We’ve got each other's backs. 2. The work we do in the unions today builds on the past years of dedicated and often courageous union worker history. 3. What we do today, even if it’s small steps forward, will be of help to future generations. This gave me a real sense of hope and purpose.

Each of these takeaways strengthened my commitment to union organising and collective advocacy.

Ultimately, every worker deserves to be able to go to work, be treated with dignity and respect, and return home to their loved ones safe and supported. AEU Presiden

t Jennie -Marie

and Tara

Q +A W I T H T H E A N N A S T E WA R T M E M O R I A L P R O J E C T PA R T I C I PA N T S

5. WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR MEMBERS BASED ON WHAT YOU’VE LEARNT SO FAR? B O N N I E  My biggest recommendation would be to get involved and recognise that being part of a union means being part of change. Challenges, inequalities and poor conditions will not improve unless there are people willing to stand up, speak out and say that the current standard is not good enough.

Meaningful and lasting change comes from people working together and being willing to be part of the solution. It is easy to hope that someone else will advocate for change, but our collective strength comes from each of us choosing to participate and have a voice. If we want safer, fairer, and more supportive workplaces, we all have a role to play in creating them. For me, being part of the solution means being an active part of the union, supporting one another and using our collective voice to continue pushing for the standards that all workers deserve.

TA R A  Know your industrial rights: understanding your agreement, consultation obligations and workplace policies empowers you to challenge unsafe or unfair decisions.

Engage early: raise issues before they escalate as unions are most effective when members speak up early and collectively. Build relationships: strong workplaces are built on trust, communication, and solidarity.

S U Z A N N E  ASMP took me out of my high school bubble and gave me the opportunity to meet other women from a range of different unions across South Australia. We shared stories and found we had a lot in common. We also formed friendships along the way. I recommend you sign up for the project, even if you’re new to being in the Union. You’ll gain so much from it.

Participate in campaigns: every action, surveys, meetings, rallies, conversations strengthen collective power. Support emerging leaders: encourage colleagues, especially women and First Nations members, to take on representative roles.

B O N N I E  Please do. I could not recommend this project highly enough. It has been one of the most meaningful, thought-provoking and eye-opening experiences, both personally and in developing my understanding of unionism.

One of the most valuable parts of the experience has been the connections I have made with the other participants. The bonds we have formed are incredibly strong because, despite coming from different workplaces and industries, we are connected by shared values around equality, fairness, and creating better conditions for others.

TA R A  Do it. The Anna Stewart Memorial Project is one of the most powerful professional and personal development experiences available to union members. It will deepen your industrial knowledge, strengthen your confidence, expand your political literacy, and connect you with incredible women across the movement.

S U Z A N N E  : My ASMP experience was very empowering. I encourage women in the AEU to join the program, if you haven’t already. Pencil the ASMP application into your calendars for next year so that you don’t forget to sign up. Entries usually open around February or March.

AEU SA Journal | 9

6. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR MEMBERS THINKING ABOUT TAKING PART IN THE PROJECT?

My advice is to go in with curiosity. Ask questions, observe, and immerse yourself in the work. Be prepared to reflect. The project challenges you to think differently about power, equity, and collective action. Bring your lived experience. Your perspective strengthens the movement. Stay connected afterwards. The The project has challenged my relationships you build will support thinking, broadened my perspective, your ongoing union activism and inspired me to become and leadership. even more involved in the union movement. I would encourage The project will change how you anyone considering taking part to see your workplace, your union, and put themselves forward, be open your role in shaping fairer systems. to the experience and embrace the opportunity to learn from the incredible people around them. I am incredibly grateful to have been part of it and could not recommend the experience more highly.

AEU participants at Parliament Hou

Term 4 Planner Week

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AEU MERIT SELECTION TRAINING AND RETRAINING

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 LOCAL AREA NETWORKS Register for your closest event at aeusa.asn.au/lan

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Authorised by Matthew Cherry, Australian Education Union (SA Branch), Kaurna Country, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063.

Disclaimer: AEU SA has

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aeusa@aeusa.asn.au

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AFFIRMING CLASSROOMS AND PRACTICES

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L E A D E R S U P D AT E

Listening to leader voices

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With the EA27 campaign well underway, it is vital that leaders' views are heard, understood, and acted on. The challenge is to reach an agreement that meets the needs of all educators, including leaders, who play a crucial role in building the positive, productive school cultures that make schools better places to work and learn. I spend a significant amount of time in schools and preschools, listening to leaders from across the state and understanding the competing forces they contend with daily. Much of what they face is visible to staff and the school community, but much of it isn't. Listening to leaders in recent months, and reading their submissions, I've come away with real confidence in their integrity and the selfless way they go about their work. In the past, our leaders have sometimes felt undervalued in enterprise bargaining. We want to make sure that doesn't happen this time.

unpredictability of outcomes for students. They push for better pay and conditions for B level leaders and a real career path for SSOs, ahead of anything for themselves. Many also want more flexible leadership resourcing for primary schools, so leadership density better reflects what's actually asked of primary educators, along with stronger support for schools with an onsite preschool, and some consideration for those running OSHC. This whole-picture perspective is exactly why leaders need to be heard on their own terms in this campaign. Like all public educators, they're always thinking about the greater good of public education, about what it takes to keep our preschools and schools thriving. That's what makes their insights so valuable, and it's exactly why this agreement needs to give leaders what they need to keep doing this important work.

Tellingly, the issue leaders raise most often isn't their own conditions, but their colleagues'. They talk about the complexity of IESP processes, the time they take, and the

GARRY COSTELLO, LEADERS SUPPORT OFFICER

Future Teachers Conference 12 January

Do you know a talented future teacher?

T R A I N I N G U P D AT E

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW + Sub-Branch Secretaries and Reps play a vital role in supporting and empowering members at their site + AEU training is here to ensure that work is fully supported + If you’re considering stepping up to a union leader role during enterprise bargaining, add these trainings to your 2027 diary.

In the lead-up to enterprise bargaining, there's a lot of interest and involvement from members at sites across the state. The Sub-Branch Secretary or Rep plays a lead role in helping members access information, get involved in decision-making, and stay connected to each other. The good news: you're not alone as a local union leader. Getting involved in AEU training is a great way for Sub-Branch Secretaries to understand the role, keep learning about rights and responsibilities, and bring members together around a shared commitment.

SAM LISLE-MENZEL U N I O N E D U C AT I O N D I R E C T O R

SBS 101: On-demand training Considering becoming a Sub-Branch Secretary or already in the role? Our Sub-Branch Secretary 101 course is available on demand, giving you a taste of the role and how to tackle its key components. New Union Representatives Once you've completed Sub-Branch Secretary 101 online, the next step is our in-person New Union Representatives course. It’s hands-on, practical, and realistic about what's achievable at your site. This two-day course connects you with fellow new Sub-Branch Secretaries and covers the topics that matter to you, including union values, rights, teamwork, and building culture. TRT replacement vouchers and travel support make it possible for members to attend. Union Leaders Conference A key part of learning any role is hearing from people already doing it. Held each year in term two, this conference helps local union leaders stay connected and build community around shared values - with the occasional bonding session over local challenges.

SE CR ETARY A SU B- BR AN CH BE TO Y AD RE I'M N OT IN VO LV ED. L WAN T TO BE IL ST I T BU P, OR RE The more AEU members involved at each site, the better! Here are a few other ways to represent members at your site - each backed by its own training: + Women's Contact Officers: A two-day course on the role and how to do it. An introductory on-demand Women's Contact Officer course is also available. + AEU Panel Representatives: Any member can train to be an AEU panel representative (covering leadership panels, ongoing teaching positions, and TAFE promotion positions over a 12-month period). Register for AEU SA Merit Selection Training, or the specialised TAFE Merit Training session. Accreditation must be renewed every 5 years. + PAC Representatives: AEU SA PAC training is currently paused as we enter negotiations for a new enterprise agreement, since the PAC is guided by its outcome. Stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, see Enterprise Agreement clause 3.5 (PAC) and speak with your local AEU SA organiser about current processes.

UP CO M IN G RE GI ST ER FO R EV EN TS TR AI NI NG AN D

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Have you thought about becoming a Sub-Branch Secretary or Rep? Our training is here to help.

WHAT UNION TRAINING IS AVAILABLE FOR ME?

F RRO O GM A NTIH S E RP R U EPSDIAT D EEN T

Organiser update

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A quick check-in with our team of passionate and hard-working Organisers.

OSCAR JOLLY Organiser, New Educator Specialist oscar.jolly@aeusa.asn.au

LEANNE SHANE Organiser, Inclusive Education Specialist leanne.shane@aeusa.asn.au

LISA SIGALLA Organiser, Support Staff Specialist lisa.sigalla@aeusa.asn.au

Term three was our busiest yet, and for good reason. As we get close to bargaining, members and reps have been building their membership and engagement - including though strong representation at forums to be heard and counted come bargaining. Our New Educator Conference, as well as a number of other conferences, have seen members take that extra step to build their union and professional capacity. Cheers to continuing this work 'til the end of the year and beyond.

Term three focused on visiting schools to engage members in EA27 consultation - supporting subbranches to identify and prioritise key claims, while continuing to advocate and gather member stories and feedback to inform inclusive education priorities. Term four will focus on the EA27 petition and gaining educator signatures, strengthening collective advocacy, and ensuring members’ voices are heard as we begin bargaining.

Term three has been a whirlwind. Congratulations to each of the sites that submitted an EA27 priorities motion. I know organising a major vote like this is challenging, but now we know exactly what members need from this round of bargaining. As the Organiser with a support staff focus, I was happy to see that staffing and classroom support made it into the top three priorities. This reflects how valuable support staff are to every site, and that we must fight for more SSOs across the board!

O R G A N I S E R U P D AT E

CURTIS WOLRIGE Organiser, Aboriginal Education Specialist curtis.wolrige@aeusa.asn.au

VANESSA WOOD Organiser, TAFE Focus vanessa.wood@aeusa.asn.au

Term three saw growing momentum across regional and remote SA, highlighted by a successful inaugural Country Members Conference. Stronger connections, increased participation, and greater regional and remote member engagement throughout the EA27 campaign have ensured country voices are being heard and are helping shape our collective priorities.

I’ve just stepped into the role of Organiser, and over the past few weeks, I’ve been visiting sites and meeting members. In term four, my focus will be engagement with EA27, visiting regional sites, connecting with members across metropolitan areas, and fostering active engagement with Aboriginal members as we enter formal enterprise bargaining.

In term three, it was brilliant to meet so many more TAFE educators across the state. We celebrated National TAFE Day and the student winner of our Heart of TAFE photography competition. In term four, I’ll be focused on supporting members at all TAFE SA campuses - Metro and Regional - to be active in decision making and union business. This will include galvanising Health and Safety, formalising workplace delegate structures, and ensuring all campuses are set up for a strong 2027.

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ROWAN SIMS Organiser, Country Education Specialist rowan.sims@aeusa.asn.au

W O M E N ' S U P D AT E

JAKI HEIM WOMEN'S OFFICER

It’s really not your parents' classroom anymore

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By now, you’ve probably heard plenty about EA27, the enterprise bargaining campaign for schools and preschools.

Member voice is a huge part of enterprise bargaining. Forums, surveys, motions, and conversations with members help us work out what’s most important. But members can only raise issues they know about, and most people, understandably, don’t spend much time thinking about how the industrial system developed or why some conditions look the way they do. Australia’s industrial system was created around a very different workforce. It was based on what was known as the ‘breadwinner’ model, where men were expected to earn the family wage and women’s work was often seen as temporary, supplementary, and worth less. Even the language in awards reflected this, with workers commonly referred to as ‘he’ and ‘him’. Workers have spent generations fighting to improve that system, winning better pay, safer workplaces, leave, rest, and protection from exploitation. But because women made up a much smaller proportion of the paid workforce for so long, many industrial conditions were not developed with their experiences or needs in mind. While women’s participation in the workforce has changed enormously, some parts of the industrial system have been slower to change with it. Things like caring responsibilities, pregnancy, and reproductive health can still interact with workplace conditions in ways that disproportionately affect women. Trying to address those gaps isn’t about taking anything away from anyone else. Often, improving conditions that particularly affect one group ends up making workplaces fairer for everyone. Family and domestic violence leave

is one example. It came from recognising a particular workplace issue, but the entitlement is available to any worker who needs it. EA27 gives us an opportunity to look at our awards and enterprise agreement and ask whether they work for the workforce we actually have today. That is why we want to keep hearing from members. Through forums, surveys, conversations with Organisers, our Information Unit, Branch Council, and training we can identify where the system is creating barriers and what changes members think should be pursued. The aim is simple: industrial conditions that give everyone a fair opportunity to participate in their workplace.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW + Australia’s industrial system was set up with male workers in mind + We need to look at our entitlements and ask if they suit us today + Member voice is key to securing the wins educators actually need

A B O R I G I N A L M E M B E R U P D AT E

Aboriginal Member Update DANNY ELLIS, ABORIGINAL MEMBERS OFFICER + MEMBER ASSIST OFFICER

Meet your aboriginal member support team

Enterprise bargaining: your voice, your campaign Thank you to everyone who attended our Aboriginal Members Conference. It was a fantastic opportunity for you to have a real voice in shaping the EA27 campaign platform, and the feedback you shared will directly guide our team at the bargaining table. So far, members are telling us that the top issues are cost of living, workload, and student complexity, along with the need for more Aboriginal teachers and support staff. Members are also raising the cultural and colonial load carried by Aboriginal staff, and concerns around hours of employment. These themes will continue to shape our approach as bargaining progresses.

KENDALL PROUD Vice President

DANNY ELLIS Aboriginal Member/ Member Assist Officer CURTIS WOLRIGE Organiser: Aboriginal Educator Specialist

Your Aboriginal Member Support Team is focused on making sure Aboriginal members are engaged and powerful throughout enterprise bargaining. Whether you have an individual issue, want to help a colleague join the union, or want to talk through bigger systemic challenges, get in touch - the team is here for you.

Get to know our new Organiser, Curtis Wolrige I’m incredibly excited to have joined the AEU (SA Branch) team as an Organiser with a focus on Aboriginal education. Before stepping into this role, I worked as a secondary teacher and school leader, teaching across Humanities, Aboriginal Language, Culture and Identity, and Society and Culture. Throughout my time in schools, I was deeply committed to supporting Aboriginal students, staff and communities, strengthening culturally responsive practice, and advocating for public education. I’ve also had the privilege of serving on the AEU’s Aboriginal

Education Consultative Committee, which gave me valuable insight into the collective work already happening across our union. I’m looking forward to meeting members and sub-branches across the state, listening to their experiences and supporting them to build strong, active workplaces. I’m particularly excited to work alongside Danny and Kendall as part of the Aboriginal Member Support Team and contribute to meaningful change for Aboriginal members and communities.

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A strong campaign needs strong numbers behind it, and there's a lot you can do to help build that strength. Encourage your non-member colleagues to join the AEU because if we want a good result in bargaining, we need to grow our power and our voice. Taking part in campaign activities and workplace conversations is another powerful way to stay involved, build collective strength and ensure Aboriginal voices continue to shape the campaign. As things progress, keep an eye out for email updates, and help spread the word to colleagues who might otherwise miss them.

Did you know the AEU has a dedicated Aboriginal Member Support Team working year-round to support and collaborate with passionate and knowledgeable Aboriginal members? The team is made up of three AEU staff members who work to support, advocate for, and stand alongside Aboriginal members:

L E A D O R G A N I S E R U P D AT E

The next phase of our EA27 campaign is the most important yet

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Throughout 2026, AEU members have been building the EA27 campaign. Across South Australia, members have met in workplaces, discussed what needs to change, voted on priorities, and participated in forums. Together, we’ve developed a clear picture of what public educators need from our next enterprise agreement: better balance, proper recognition of our work, greater support, and careers that are sustainable. Our claims haven’t been dreamed up in an office. They’ve come from the experiences of teachers, leaders, preschool educators, and support staff working in public education every day. But identifying what needs to change is only the beginning. Good claims don’t win themselves. Governments make concessions when workers are united and prepared to act. Our bargaining strength won't be determined only by what happens at the negotiating table. In fact, nothing said at that table matters as much as what public educators are prepared to do to secure it. Right now, our most important task is completing the EA27 petition. We intend to deliver the petition directly to Minister for Education, Training, and Skills - Lucy Hood. When we do, it needs to carry thousands of signatures from public educators across South Australia. Put simply - we can’t claim to represent a united profession and then hand the Minister an underwhelming petition. If the number of signatures does not match the strength of our claims, the

EP SIGN TH

ETITION

H ER E

+ Across the state, members have been building a log of claims that reflects the state of public education today + But strong claims won’t win themselves - the government needs to see the power of every public educator standing behind them + The first step in showing this strength is getting every public educator to sign our petition

government will notice. It will weaken our message and make it easier for decision makers to believe they can ignore us. Signing the petition yourself is important, but it’s not enough. Every member needs to ask their colleagues to sign. We can’t assume people have already seen it. We also can’t rely on an email, poster or social media post reaching them. Speak with them directly. Explain why their signature matters and ask them to add their name. If you are a Sub-Branch Secretary or Rep, work out who has signed and who hasn’t. Take the petition to a union meeting. Visit staff areas. Speak with people one-to-one. Make sure teachers, leaders, SSOs, ECWs, preschool staff, part-time employees, and people who don’t usually attend union meetings are included. Delivering the petition will be the next major step in EA27, but it won't be the end. Bargaining and further campaigning will follow. The government will continue assessing whether members are engaged, united, and prepared to stand behind our claims. Our immediate job is simple: sign the petition, ask your colleagues to sign, and keep going until everyone in your workplace has been asked. The bigger the petition, the stronger our message, the better our chance of winning the agreement public education needs.

M AT T C O F F E Y LE AD: ORGANISING AND GROW TH

TA F E U P D AT E

A bright future for TAFE educators Term three has been a significant one for TAFE members, marked by renewed advocacy, proud celebration, and recognition of the talent within our TAFE community. The AEU has sharpened its focus on health and safety at TAFE SA this term, prioritising direct conversations with members across worksites. AEU representatives have been out talking with educators, listening to their stories, and working to build a genuine understanding of the issues affecting them day to day. These conversations have made clear that health and safety at TAFE isn't a box-ticking exercise; it's about the real, lived experience of educators trying to do their jobs safely.

NATIONAL TAFE DAY On 9 September, AEU staff headed out to TAFE sites across South Australia to celebrate National

National TAFE Day is an important reminder of just how vital TAFE educators are - not only to their students, but to South Australia's workforce, our economic future, and the state's continued growth. TAFE educators are shaping the tradespeople, carers, technicians, and professionals who will drive our state forward, and this day is a chance to say thank you. Adding to the National TAFE Day celebrations, the state winners of the Heart of TAFE Photography Competition were announced and presented with their awards. The two winning students took the opportunity to name and thank the incredible TAFE educators who supported them throughout the process of preparing and submitting their entries, a lovely reminder of the mentorship and encouragement TAFE staff provide beyond the classroom. We're incredibly proud of the calibre of South Australia's entries this year, and we wish our state winner the very best of luck as they go on to represent SA in the national competition.

State Winner Congratulations to our SA Winner Heidi Clark and runner up Rebecca Spinozzi Rebecca Spinozzi, Photography at TAFE

State Runner Up

Heide Clark, More Than an Ant

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Off the back of this work, the AEU is pursuing permanent and sustainable protections designed to make TAFE worksites genuinely safe for both educators and students. This isn't about short-term fixes; it's about embedding lasting change so that safety is built into the culture and structure of our TAFE campuses, not treated as an afterthought. The union will continue to advocate strongly on this front, and members are encouraged to keep sharing their experiences to help shape what these protections look like.

TAFE Day alongside educators. It was a fantastic day of connection, appreciation, and recognition for the incredible work TAFE educators do every single day.

S S O, D I D YO U K N OW?

WHAT COUNTS AS SPECIAL LEAVE? The full list is in Commissioner's Determination 3.1 and the Department for Education's Special Leave Policy. Common examples include:

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SSO Special Leave Did you know that SSOs are entitled to (pro rata) up to 15 days of Special Leave per calendar year? Special leave is time off for personal matters that you genuinely can't sort out outside work hours.

Bereavement

Cultural leave

Moving house

Urgent personal emergencies

Domestic or relationship violence

Community responsibilities.

LISA SIGALLA, ORGANISER: S U P P O R T S TA F F S P E C I A L I S T

Brain Breaks UPPER BACK STRETCH

GOOD TO KNOW: Generally, short-term leave for urgent situations will be granted with pay. +

If you're a permanent SSO, or a temporary SSO who works term-time only and gets the 16% term-time loading, you can take up to 15 days paid special leave per year for personal needs (less if you work part-time, worked out proportionally)

Longer-term special leave with or without pay applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis

To apply, use the Employee Information Kiosk

Who approves it: Your principal or preschool director can approve up to five days paid leave themselves. They'll weigh up your situation, what other leave options you might have, and what's happening at your workplace at the time. Casual SSOs (on the 25% casual loading) might also be eligible for Special Leave, but only in genuinely extraordinary circumstances. Granting Special Leave to casual SSOs is decided by the Department, who might request evidence that the situation is actually urgent.

If you've had a rough day and you're feeling ready to collapse, but it's only lunchtime - try this controlled upper back stretch to give your body a stretch and your mind a rest. 1. Sitting at your desk, push your seat back far enough that you can comfortably learn forward and rest your elbows on the desk 2. Looking upward, arch your back, pushing your stomach toward your thighs, stretching your upper back and between your shoulders 3. If you find your chest is bumping the desk or your stretch isn't deep enough, move your chair back a little further

PULL SHOULDERS DOWN!

10 SEC x2

TRAINING AND EVENTS

Professional learning & union training

Key

Access a wide range of values-based professional learning to develop your practical skills and grow as an educator.

Online/ Virtual

In Person

Check out the AEU SA website regularly for more dates and courses at aeusa.asn.au/upcoming

The sessions are in real time and allow you to work with other professionals to gain insight and grow as an educator.

A LL TRAINING IS FREE FOR MEMBERS UNLES S OTHERWISE NOTED

Merit Selection Training and Retraining + Tues 20 Oct, 4pm - 6pm + For: All members AEU SA Policy requires AEU members to complete Merit Selection retraining every five years to be eligible to be an AEU Representative on Merit Selection panels. Neuroaffirming classrooms and practices + Thur 22 Oct, 4:30pm - 5:30pm + For: All members Neuroaffirming classrooms and practices create inclusive and strength-based environments for all students. They move away from 'fixing' to affirming neurodiversity and creating an environment where all students can feel safe. Dyscalculia: its impact and effective classroom supports + Thur 22 Oct, 6pm - 7pm + For: All members Dyscalculia is a learning difficulty that affects how a student understands and works with numbers. They might find it hard to do mental maths, follow steps in calculations, or use maths in everyday situations. This session will look at practical ways to spot signs of dyscalculia and support students, helping them feel more confident in maths. Elected Health and Safety Representative Conference + Fri 23 Oct, 9:15am - 3:30pm + For: Elected HSR members A dedicated conference for trained AEU Health and Safety Representatives to continue building comprehensive responses, strategies, policies, and solidarity around safety in our schools and preschools. AEU SA Learning Portal: on-demand member learning + Year-round + For: All members On demand member learning. If you're looking for training at a time that suits you, the new AEU SA Learning Portal has plenty to offer. Explore on-demand short courses with practical outcomes. more confident in maths.

Future Teachers Conference + Tues 12 Jan, 9:15am - 3:30pm + For: Members just starting out in the teaching profession Join us at the Future Teachers Conference - a dynamic gathering designed for those preparing to enter the education profession in 2027. You'll hear from experienced teachers, principals, guest speakers, and union leaders on topics like classroom readiness, professional rights, and building your voice as a teacher. Participate in hands-on workshops, network with peers, navigate the various platforms and processes, and gain actionable strategies to thrive from day one. If you're in your final year of study and getting ready to enter the classroom, this conference will arm you with knowledge, inspiration, and connections to launch your career confidently.

Elected Health & Safety Representative Conference Friday 23 October | 9:15 am - 3:30 pm

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