AEU Journal June 2019

Vol 51 I No.2

Official publication of the Australian Education Union (SA Branch)

June 2019

AEUJOURNAL SA

ALL OUT JULY 1!

Stop work rally Stand up for public education and your rights.

INSIDE: u Classroom

complexity: Government in denial.

u Excess

workloads: Enough is enough!

RU NICE NOT N I NG BOA H ERAD D

THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN SA SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Correna Haythorpe

Professor Martin Westwell

Federal President, Australian Education Union

Chief Executive, SACE Board of South Australia

Angelo Gavrielatos

Project Director, Education International

Shona Reid

Executive Director, Reconciliation SA

Professor Patricia McLaughlin

Peter Mader

Chief Investigator, STEM In situ

President, SASPA

Angela Falkenberg, President, SAPPA

Ray Marino

President, SAASLA

...and more

d Earlybir ly for ts app discoun bers! mem

WEDNESDAY 10 JULY 2019 9.15am – 3.30pm

SSOFUTURE & ECW OF CONFERENCE THE EDUCATION 2019 IN SA SPEAKERS INCLUDE: THURSDAY FRIDAY 18 JULY 19 JULY Correna Haythorpe

Federal President, Australian Education Union

Professor Martin Westwell

Chief Executive, SACE Board of South Australia

10.30am – 4.00pm Shona Reid

Angelo Gavrielatos

Project Director, Education International

Angela Falkenberg, President, SAPPA

Ray Marino

9.15am – 3.00pm

President, SAASLA

...and more

TOGETHER WEDNESDAY WE 10 JULY 2019ACHIEVE Professor Patricia McLaughlin Chief Investigator, STEM In situ

Executive Director, Reconciliation SA

Peter Mader

President, SASPA

d Earlybir ly for ts app discoun bers! mem

9.15am – 3.30pm

CONFERENCE DINNER

THURSDAY 18 JULY 6.00pm – venue TBD

A day of big ideas, inspiration and challenge.

If the corporate world sees the future of education as data and profit, how do education professionals see it?

A day of big ideas, inspiration and challenge.

Bringing SSO andsees ECW the members If the corporate world futuretogether to education find common grow their skills and share of asground, data and profit, the experience of being AEU members together. how do education professionals see it?

Authorised by Leah York, AEU Branch Secretary, Australian Education Union | SA Branch, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 © 2019

Australian Education Union | SA Branch

8: www.aeusa.asn.au>events&courses

For further info or to register

or email Sam Lisle-Menzel on: slislemenzel@aeusa.asn.au

Authorised by Leah York, AEU Branch Secretary, Australian Education Union | SA Branch, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 © 2019

Australian Education Education Union Union || SA SA Branch Branch Australian

8 8

For further info or to register : www.aeusa.asn.au>events&courses For further info or to register : www.aeusa.asn.au>events&courses or email Sam Lisle-Menzel on: slislemenzel@aeusa.asn.au or email Sam Lisle-Menzel on: slislemenzel@aeusa.asn.au Authorised by Leah York, AEU Branch Secretary, Australian Education Union | SA Branch, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 © 2019

Special offer for members!

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journal@aeusa.asn.au

FPRESIDENT’S E ATU R E S VIEW

#2

AEU UNION JOURNAL TRAINING

ALL OUT JULY 1!

Australian Education Union | SA Branch 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 Telephone: 8172 6300

‘World-class’ talk is cheap

Stop work rally

page 5 Government spin exposed by failure to invest.

Facsimile:

8172 6390

Email:

journal@aeusa.asn.au

Editor: Victoria Goodyear Graphic Designer: Jo Frost AEU Journal is published once per term by the South Australian Branch of the Australian Education Union.

Subscriptions: Free for AEU members.

Non-members may subscribe for $33 per year.

Stand up for public education and your rights.

Print Post approved PP 100000753 Print: ISSN 1440-2971 Digital: ISSN 2207-9092 Printing: Lane Print INSIDE: u Classroom

complexity: Government in denial.

Cover: AEU SA. St0p Work Rally, 29 November 2018.

u Excess

workloads: Enough is enough!

Why we have to act

The super gap

pages 8 – 9 Despite 12 months of talks, the State Government is still not addressing the issues facing public schools.

page 13 50 years after equal pay – still much to win.

Let’s give them the best chance to win the race

8172 6300 journal@aeusa.asn.au

too ion to value us ent for Educat g and the Departm hardest workin not become the ors. Our do cat we edu ure as e ens and Australia. que workplac in nt uni me ors a e cat iron hav d edu We learning env but lowest pai e of ditions form the fession becaus teaching con education pro k of support.

Many leave the for your child. rloaded and lac the ove and ng ion bei , cat better lic edu job insecurity are enticed by nate about pub ts’ lives. ng graduates We are passio in our studen Already teachi nce we make ere . diff e tes itiv sta g pos ir learnin offers in other lic n and know the ion about pub d your childre in our the conversat We understan of complexity Let’s continue the AEU (SA e high levels touch through of in y tion Sta needs. We hav . por ion g pro educat eusa.asn.au h an increasin te at: www.a classrooms wit d attention.

Branch) websi ding specialise dia students nee and social me ool all. h your Presch n does not fit re by talking wit One lesson pla Or find out mo chers, Early system needs th Australian Principals, Tea Sou ool the Sch rkers, at rs, Wo wh We cto .

Dire We know s every day nal Education rkers, Aborigi in the classroom t Staff Childhood Wo respected. cialist Suppor because we are cers and Spe ce heard and voi Offi s nal vice sio Ser fes School want our pro The of the week. at’s at risk. day wh ry ut eve abo ue e. It’s val tem We add extra actions we tak education sys r support in the demands of the r child and We need you extraordinary cation for you edu re futu the dwill. important for rely on our goo state. value the future of our their families ultimately, the students and Government We know our the Marshall nt wa t jus We work we do.

Start the conversation about public education

st. can be the be Together we

Leah York, Authorised by

, Branch Secretary

ation Australian Educ

ch, Union | SA Bran

163 Greenhill

SA Road, Parkside

The importance of community support

A

Advertise in the AEU Journal. Reach over 13,500 members across South Australia.

flyer has been developed as a conversation starter for AEU members to use when having discussions with the community. The flyer was developed to provide understanding about some of the complex issues that are concerning members

and why community support is vital in the actions we take.

The flyer does not provide the full story. It presents an opportunity for members to begin the conversation, provide examples and expand upon what is happening at their site. We

CO MM U N ITY F LYE R

know that one-on-one conversations are the most effective way of creating understanding. We need to share classroom experiences to gain broader support from the community and bring about change.

We have a unique workplace. Our working conditions impact on the learning environment for our students. Members do not want to compromise the learning outcomes of their students, nor to buckle under unreasonable workloads.

A school or preschool community is made up not only of the staff and students, but also parents and caregivers. We need to find ways to include all members of our school communities on the journey to improve conditions in public education in South Australia.

5063 ©2019.

Download the new flyer at:

8: www.aeusa.asn.au 3

CO M PLE X ITY CR I S I S

1 from left: Claire Mincham-Trowbridge – Kangaroo Island Community Ed, Kingscote, Leon Bignell – MP for Mawson and Lara Golding – AEU Vice President.

1 Behind from left: David Coulter – preschool director, Darlington Children’s Centre, Trish Gilbert – teacher, Northfield PS, Wendy Jolley – Student Wellbeing Leader, Woodville PS, Brad Wallis – teacher, Parafield Gardens HS. Front from left: Howard Spreadbury – AEU President, Hon. John Gardner MP – Minister for Education.

Minister still ignoring complexity crisis

1 from left: Anne Beinke – AEU Organiser, Michelle Coulthard – AEW, Flinders View PS, Mandy Dempsey – Leader, Pt Augusta Children’s Centre, Geoff Thomas – PRT, Flinders View PS, Dan van Holst Pellekaan, MP for Stuart, Erin McIntee, Coodinator Pt Augusta SS.

Complex classes push many teachers to breaking point writes Vice President Lara Golding.

I

n classrooms across the state, complexity is an urgent issue. It is outrageous that the Government is not taking any real steps to address this problem that, combined with excessive workloads, is affecting staff wellbeing and student learning.

A recent OECD report found Australian public school teachers are among the most enthusiastic adopters of educational innovations but face higher workloads, fewer resources and more administration duties than global averages.

This is not new. What we know is complexity is increasing in schools. The 2017 Nationally Consistent Collection of Data report found 23% of SA students require an adjustment to their learning.

85% of callers to last year’s AEU hotline had experienced increased complexity over the past decade and all agreed it was impacting student learning.

Complexity in public education has many faces: • the student whom trauma has left unable to cope with the sound of an 4

electric pencil sharpener • the child functioning below or above their year level, but who is not entitled to any funding • the child whose behaviours are so extreme that they do attract funding, but no additional staff can be found • the perfectionist student who is anxious to succeed • the child who sleeps in class because it is safe.

Teachers want to be able to provide individualised learning to all students, but this takes time and resources. We hear rhetoric about a world-class system, but this is not matched by world-class working conditions or support for all children in our care.

Frustration Since enterprise bargaining talks began 12 months ago, we have been stressing that complexity is impacting our ability to deliver a high-quality curriculum and that we need measures to address workload. We have called for smaller classes, particularly where

1 from left: Meredith Farmer – AEU Organiser,

Adelle Matthews – teacher, Blackwood PS, Juliet Power – parent, Westbourne Pk, Carolyn Power – MP for Elder, Kelly Peterson – teacher, Clovelly Park PS, Jenna Rix – teacher, Warradale PS.

students with additional needs are enrolled. Our proposals were rejected.

Frustrated with government stonewalling, we asked you to provide Minister Gardner an education on the complexity of your classes. 900 members got involved, spelling out for him the challenges we face daily.

Summarising from your letters, the average class of 28 students contains: • five students who require an individual education plan, • five students with learning difficulties continued over page 3

RU N N I NG H E AD

PRESIDENT’S VIEW

“We hear lots of empty rhetoric about a worldclass system.”

‘World-class’ talk just empty rhetoric

that are not officially diagnosed, • six students for whom English is not their first language, • eight students who require behavioural, social or emotional support, and, • three students with a disability.

Many secondary school teachers reported being responsible for over 140 students and many primary teachers reported class sizes of 30 or more.

Members asked the Minister for help via reductions in class size, consideration for class composition, support for multi-year level classes and more specialist support for students. Members met with Minister Gardner to share their experiences and hand over the huge pile of correspondence (pictured top left). We are still awaiting a response.

Not good enough The Government’s current offer includes a woefully inadequate $12 million per year to address complexity.

Under its terms, the Department will determine where money will be allocated, and some schools may not receive any at all. For those that do, there are no guarantees it will provide any support or workload relief for classroom teachers.

The proposed inadequate funding would be used for: • strengthening case management, • school level engagement of specialist support personnel, • supporting educators to identify and deliver support and intervention strategies, • embedding One Plan processes, • enabling teachers to work together to develop strategies to address complexity.

Except for the last point, these are the Government’s responsibility and must be centrally funded.

Classroom teachers and leaders need real workload reductions, not empty promises pretending to be new funding.

n

AEU President Howard Spreadbury says the government doesn’t back its hype with investment.

There continues to be a great deal of commentary on what constitutes a world-class public education system.

DfE officers adopt the rhetoric when addressing sites. Educators are told we should all be striving to achieve outcomes that are world-class in nature.

The question becomes, is it aspirational or is it already characterized through current practice? And what does it really mean to be world-class? What is the benchmark and where exactly in the world is it set?

Many leaders I speak with express concern that the message from the employer is that, while everyone is doing great things to achieve high standard learning outcomes, they need to work even harder to attain ‘world-class’ status.

A great public education system is defined predominantly by its workforce – the people at all levels committed to providing positive experiences and learning outcomes for all students.

However, a high performing workforce requires ongoing support and investment to ensure high standards are maintained.

Quality public education needs a government commitment to proper funding, not the current shortfall.

Despite all the research on the benefits of high levels of funding, education is still viewed by many as a cost rather than an investment.

The current federal government’s rhetoric of ‘record education funding’ is belied by last year’s cuts in the order of $14 billion over the next decade. We now have the benchmark Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) – the measure of how much funding a school needs to meet the educational needs of its students – based on

the??????????? recommendations n of the original 2011 Gonski Review.

Bias By 2023, the federal government’s commitment to public schools will be at 20% of the SRS, whilst they meet at least 80% of the SRS for private schools. In South Australia, this means 90% of public schools will be below the SRS. This is not good enough.

To complete a bleak picture, universal access to 15 hours preschool education per week continues to be funded on an annual basis with no long term guarantees.

TAFE funding continues to be wound back, ensuring VET provision is captured in an ever-expanding competitive market that has failed.

At state level, enterprise bargaining to deliver additional resources and improve the salaries and working conditions of our members has been protracted. We are dealing with a government over-focused on infrastructure. Successive state budgets have identified investment in capital works, including three new schools, and a massive injection of funds into the transition of year 7 to secondary schools.

Through enterprise bargaining, the AEU has sought investment in additional teachers to build the human capacity of our system and address class size and complexity. The announcement of an additional 1,375 teachers over four years will not achieve this but rather will be absorbed in the year 7 relocation and in meeting anticipated two per cent enrolment growth.

Meanwhile, many teachers, leaders and support staff continue to work in overcrowded classes with wide ranging demands related to student complexity.

Whilst we all believe in a world-class public education system, it is time the government demonstrated true respect for our profession and all of us who work hard to achieve optimum learning outcomes for our students.

As unionists, we have the collective capacity to shift governments in their understanding of what we know and believe to be world-class public education and what it takes to maintain and grow our system. n

In unity, Howard Spreadbury 5

WO RK LOAD The department takes our goodwill for granted, banking on guilt driving us to implement educational fads and political whims lest we be seen as ‘dead wood’.

For any departmental initiative there is a bit of cash tagged for T&D release time – if it’s conducted in working hours. If you are lucky there’s a day release to review existing programmes and after that you are on your own time to rewrite programmes and develop resources. This is after-hours goodwill.

The Treasurer reckons a 2.35% pay rise is ‘generous’. What about the generosity of unpaid after-hours work worth millions of dollars to the government at the expense of members’ mental and physical health. Check SA WorkCover costs for psychological injury of stressed educators.

Excess workloads – Just say NO! It’s time to take a stand against unfair demands, writes Andrew Gohl.

I

f you are not sacrificing leisure and sleep to draw up individual learning plans, assessing your students’ literacy with at least two standardised tests, uploading these results to ‘the system’ and you attend fewer than four meetings a week, you must be a bad teacher.

This is the Department’s silent narrative and the internal voice driving members to sacrifice personal time in the futile attempt to arrive at the point where one can relax, free from allconsuming thoughts about teaching.

We are a guilt ridden profession, driven by what is best for students at the expense of our mental and physical health. Yet when the Department expects even more from us, we give it unquestioningly.

Despite Professor Phil Riley’s annual survey identifying unsustainable leader workloads, the government’s best offer is a 0.1 for administration plus a piffling 6

“Without our goodwill and after hours work, the system would fall over.” reduction in small school principal teaching time. The latest $12m offer for ‘complexity’ equates to 0.5 of an SSO or 0.25 of a teacher for every school in the state – except not every school will benefit.

Early years class sizes aside, the staffing formula dictating teacher-student ratios hasn’t changed in 20 years.

However, pedagogy and students’ learning and emotional needs certainly have.

Developing individual learning plans takes hours of work and in-class student support for effective implementation. This is not possible with a staffing formula from a bygone era for a bygone pedagogy.

The only way to address complexity and workload is to take control ourselves.

The AEU’s focus on Teaching and Learning prompts members to consider those tasks removing us from teaching.

It’s just a start. When a new initiative is tabled, ask the questions: Is this a priority? If it is a priority, is it fully funded? If it is a priority, what is no longer a priority?

If it’s not a priority and/or is not fully funded, the Department’s expectation is you do it in your time. Our response should be “No.” The 2016 Agreement contains clauses allowing class size, complexity and workload to be addressed. With increased awareness of these clauses, supported by union training with a strong sub-branch, members can regain control.

Only collective action will make a difference in the short term. In the long run we need change to the way we think about our work; a cultural change that recognises teaching and learning are joint responsibilities of government, department, parents and educators.

The days of relying on educators to make up the difference for lack of funding and planning at the expense of our well-being are over. n Andrew Gohl is Coordinator of the Organiser’s Group.

B RA NCH S ECR E TA RY ’S R E PO RT

The future of our union: strategic review update Staying strong into the future requires modernising our structure, writes Branch Secretary Leah York.

appointments by Branch Council following a review process and recommendation, as outlined in the union’s rules, remain in place.

I am confident however that the intent of some of the related recommendations can be realised. In particular, we should enhance our operations through the use of performance reviews and personal development plans closely linked to the union’s strategic and annual plans.

Your Secretary We are an effective union whose strength is underpinned by a democratic decision making structure. We use our collective strength to win for public education.

As reported previously, an external review has identified the need to build on the effective campaigning and organising we have undertaken in the past and transform to a new union.

Last year, our Branch Executive endorsed a plan for transforming to a new union that builds power to win.

Accordingly, Branch Council, on recommendation from Executive, has endorsed the following strategic framework – see infogram at right.

This framework provides the foundation for our strategic plan 2020–22, which will be presented for endorsement at August Branch Council.

Professional leadership The transformation will involve refocusing on professional leadership in education. Principal Officers have committed to extensive member engagement through our committee structure. An important consideration will be how we utilise contemporary research in our work.

The review also noted we have a large number of focus areas. Although all are deserving of support, our union is too small to address all of them adequately. We need to rebalance and prioritise.

AEU office organisation The AEU office is operating under an interim structure in 2019, giving effect to some of the review recommendations.

The Information Unit is moving towards a fully functioning Member Services Centre. This will provide a streamlined process for members seeking help with grievances, industrial issues and legal matters.

As Branch Secretary, I’m accountable to all members to ensure the union is working in the most efficient and effective way possible. n

A strength of this model is it allows Campaign Organisers to concentrate on their crucial task of developing workplace activism that champions public education and members’ conditions.

8: lyork@aeusa.asn.au

Appointment of Administrative Officers – Branch Council decision At June Branch Council, a rule change intended to simplify the appointment of Administrative Officers, providing them with greater job security, was not supported by the required two-thirds majority. As a result, three year

If you have any queries or comments please email me at:

25 YEAR MEMBER RECOGNITION As a result of a recent Branch Council decision, members of 25 years standing will be recognised with a specially minted AEU badge.

Australian Education Union | SA Branch Strategic Framework.

5

Educators Building Power to Win

Our Vision

United as educators, we are the powerful union that protects, promotes and enhances an inclusive public education for all South Australians.

Our core strategy

Leveraging our industrial and professional strength to win.

Activate

Goals to deliver our strategy

Build

Win

• Our membership • Member density and • Campaigns that participation enhance quality • Our workplace public education union leaders and • Effective and and members’ activists democratic union working conditions structures and • Our industrial power processes • Outcomes that • Our professional align with member voice and autonomy. • Member skills, priorities and knowledge and expectations. confidence • Our public profile.

7

R E S PON S E TO L A M E GOVE R N M E NT OF F E R

We’re not gonna take it!

Over 12 months of enterprise bargaining the AEU has tried to make the Marshall Government understand the issues facing public education and members’ work.

T

hey have refused to respond seriously to matters that go to the heart of providing every child with a quality

education.

They have not shown respect for the wellbeing of educators whose commitment and goodwill keep the system going.

What if that goodwill is withdrawn? What if our labour is withdrawn? This is the outlook for this government if they continue to dismiss our legitimate concerns.

A sensible settlement to enterprise bargaining is possible but only with real funding to address the issues putting strain on the workforce and short-changing students.

they will only backdate 1% of any agreed increase from this date; not the full amount. This is a cheap trick and an insult that will leave us out of pocket.

Salary

Secure employment

The current 2.35% per year offer is inadequate. SA public employee awards were increased by 3.5% earlier this year.

The government has offered nothing to address rampant contract work throughout the system. 80% of early childhood workers are on contract.

Government stalling has denied us a pay rise we should have received last October. Now they are saying

Workload, class size and complexity

d r a C port

Re

-

ment n r e v ian Go on l a r t s i uth Au for Educat o S e For th partment E e GRAD and D 019 2 Year: ECT

ding n u f y l r Prope education public tors a c u d ing e t c e p Res

SUBJ

ugh, o n e ood Not g o better d must ENTS

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The proposed $12 million will do little to address out of control workloads and increasing complexity. Worse, there is no detail on how this will be allocated and the AEU will have no input into the process to ensure that resources reach classrooms.

Proposals to water down class size guidelines for early years in the PAC Handbook will lead to larger classes and is rejected outright.

Country incentives The existing allowance scheme, which sees payments pulled after five years is unfair and impairs retention in country schools.

ICT grants These are not guaranteed beyond 2019 – a $14 million cut across the board. continued over page 3

Respect RU N N I NG H E AD

AEU Stop Work Rallies ALL OUT ON MONDAY!

Monday 1 July 2019 10:30am for 11:00am start!

WEAR RED! and bring your flags, banners, posters, placards, whistles, colleagues, family and friends!

Weakening PAC

Removal of rights

Proposals to remove the AEU rep and rewrite the PAC Handbook are designed to eliminate the AEU in decision making at the local level.

We reject them.

The employer is attempting a power grab that will strip rights in multiple ways:

Removal of The Commitment This separate agreement between the AEU and the government guarantees your entitlements. They want to move this guarantee from the next enterprise agreement.

during the transition to Year 7 in high school and in anything the employer deems ‘special circumstances’ • Limits to consultation with the AEU over major change

• Longstanding recruitment and selection protections at risk

We don’t agree with any of these.E

• Established procedures for settling disputes dumped. n

Let’s give them the best chance to win the race.

Our teaching conditions form the learning environment for your child.

Please help us. We need your support for our actions.

Please join us on Monday 1 July as we stand up for the future education of your child and ultimately, the future of our state.

• Open Access College Authorised by Leah York, Branch Secretary, Australian Education Union | SA Branch, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063

• Preschool

• METRO: meet on Parliament House steps • MT GAMBIER: meet at Railway Lands west side of Bay Road • WHYALLA: meet at the Education Office 115 Nicolson Ave • PT LINCOLN: meet at Pt. Lincoln RSL for facebook live.

• Part-time teachers to be vulnerable to sudden changes to rosters, leave arrangements and allowances without agreement

This is doable, but not without explicit written assurances of the entitlements of staff in: • Behaviour Units

METRO & REGIONAL

Together we can be the best.

There has been strong media interest In Adelaide metro and country areas.

Check your local papers and listen to radio for our Ads.

• Special Units.

8: journal@aeusa.asn.au

Share your photos by emailing them to us at:

8: www.aeusa.asn.au

Join the campaign at:

9

N AT ION A L TAF E DAY 2019

1Hundreds show their support for TAFE at the city campus on National TAFE Day 2019.

Staff and students shine at NTD 2019 This year’s National TAFE Day, celebrated at the city campus on June 13, was our biggest yet.

N

ational TAFE Day recognises and celebrates the quality education provided by TAFE staff and the valuable qualifications achieved

TAFE

by students.

Program areas on display in the Atrium of the campus included Floristry, Hairdressing and Beauty, Barbers, Community and Children’s Services, Health, Fashion, Painting, Sculpture and Jewellery Making. The whole thing was recorded by film and media students.

The annual event showcases the diversity of career options on offer and raises awareness of the importance of TAFE as the public provider of vocational education in Australia.

The AEU is proud to support the day, which we use to focus attention on the need for reinvestment in the sector.

AEU Branch Secretary Leah York told the crowd that TAFE delivers the best option for many students.

10

1Arts and Design: Jewellery

“TAFE provides quality education and training pathways for students who may otherwise be left out of the educational equation,” she said.

“TAFE provides options for students who enjoy learning more practical skills, it reconnects disengaged youth and offers life-changing education for mature age students.”

Turning her attention to the misguided neglect of the sector, she added, “Successive state and federal governments have slashed funding to TAFE and seriously eroded the sector. This must be reversed. We need to support TAFE SA and ensure it receives reinvestment now and into the future.”

1Women’s Studies

The AEU is currently consulting with members about what proposals we want to put to the employer during TAFE enterprise bargaining negotiations.

For feedback on matters of interest to you, email us on:

8: eb18@aeusa.asn.au

1Hair and Beauty

YOU R R IG HTS

Industrial round up AEU industrial officers are always advancing members’ interests with the Department and in the Employment Tribunal.

Year 7 to secondary trial

Recreation leave loading

In 2020 the Department will run a trial of year 7 in three high schools: Mitcham Girls, John Pirie and Wirreanda.

SA Unions, on behalf of all public sector unions, recently won an application as part of the State Wage Case to have the cap on leave loading payments increased from $882.10 to $912.97. The Marshall Government is appealing this decision.

We have negotiated:

1Arts and Design: Visual Arts

• an agreed procedure for recruiting and selecting staff that protects current placement rights, provides an optional right of return for primary teachers and includes a conversion to permanency process for contract teachers • Industrial entitlements for year 7 teachers in secondary including NIT (5 hours 40 minutes), face to face teaching time (20 hours) and class sizes commensurate with year 8 (29) • a commitment to professional learning • an assessment of workload.

1Arts and Design: Floristry

We believe these will address concerns for the trial period. Further discussion will occur in regards to SSOs, AEWs, leaders and teachers of special classes.

Yes we hear you.

We have received many queries regarding combined schools, area schools and 7-12 schools that already have year 7 students in middle or secondary programs. We have raised the matter with the Department and sought similar resourcing to that provided to the trial schools.

1Arts and Design: Fashion

Country incentives Previously we have reported on the AEU’s win in the SA Employment Tribunal (SAET), regarding the country incentives zone allowance.

This decision determined that country teachers could relocate between other eligible country schools, no matter the distance, and receive country incentives.

1Hair and Beauty

Members who believe they have been underpaid the allowance should call the Information Unit: 8172 6300.

The loading is currently paid for teaching staff based on 17.5% of four weeks recreation leave for each academic year. The amount payable should not exceed the maximum prescribed in the Public Sector Recreation Leave Loading Award. This was $882.10.

Currently all teaching classifications have reached the cap, so the extra $30.87 would be paid to all teachers.

The current recreation leave loading amounts paid per classification can be found on AEU pay sheets

Locality allowance The AEU has lodged Applications in the SAET to increase the locality allowances for: • Motor vehicle – abnormal depreciation • Compensation for increased cost of living arising from country service and aspects of isolation.

The employer has consented to our application. The allowances are varied by the March to March CPI, which this year was 1.3%. When granted, this increase will occur from 1 July 2019.

Claims for locality allowances can now be made online. All eligible members are encouraged to ensure their claims are lodged. This will ensure you are paid the correct amount, rather than the often lower nominal payment.

Your pay rates Pay sheets containing rates and allowances for all classifications are posted on the AEU website:

8: www.aeusa.asn.au>

your rights>salary rates

11

U N ION TRAI N I NG A N D PROF E S S ION A L DEVE LOPM E NT PRO G RA M 2019

Professional Development

2019 SSO and ECW Conference – “Together we achieve” CONFERENCE DAY 1: Thursday 18 July

CONFERENCE DINNER: Thursday 18 July Sage Hotel Ballroom

The Future of Education in South Australia Wednesday 10 July

CONFERENCE DAY 2: Friday 19 July

9.15am – 3.30pm

OPEN TO: AEU Members and potential members.

2.00pm – 4.00pm

Wednesday 7 August

4.30pm – 6.30pm

Thursday 22 August

4.30pm – 6.30pm

COST: Free. Conference Dinner: $20.00 (plus drinks).

Working as a TRT Series (2 workshops)

Thursday 8 August

9.15am – 3.30pm

Friday 9 August

9.15am – 3.30pm

AIM: To develop the knowledge and skills of union representatives both in terms of industrial and practical information, consultation methods and processes.

DETAILS: This introduction to applying for DfE Leadership positions includes real advice from real chairpersons and what they are looking for in applications for positions.

OPEN TO: AEU Reps who have not attended an AEU 2 day union education course. (Strongly recommended for newly elected workplace reps/SBS). COST: Free.

OPEN TO: AEU Members and Potential Members.

COST: AEU SA members: $22 per session.

Potential Members: $66 per session.

APY Lands Member Representative Conference

Application Writing for Teaching Positions

4.30pm - 6.30pm

4.30pm – 6.30pm

New Workplace Representatives (2 day course)

10.30am – 12.30pm 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Thursday 1 August

Tuesday 26 November

Union Training

Application Process for Leadership Positions

10.30am – 12.30pm

4.30pm – 6.30pm

OPEN TO: AEU TRT members. COST: $11 per session.

OPEN TO: AEU Members who were Merit Selection Panel trained in 2014. COST: Free.

Friday 12 July

Tuesday 17 September

AIM: These sessions focus on issues faced by TRTs in the workplace and in their professional career.

Workshop 3: Work Health and Safety for TRTs Workshop 4: Mindfulness for TRTs.

AIM: If you were trained in 2014 you need to attend a retraining session before the end of January 2020 otherwise your training will be removed from the AEU system as it will no longer be valid.

The AEU Policy is to only accredit training attended on our system and therefore we cannot recognise “sitting on a panel” as being equivalent to attending a training or retraining session.

Thursday 11 July Thursday 11 July

09.15am – 3.30pm

OPEN TO: Financial AEU SA SSO and ECW members only.

COST: AEU SA member Early Bird price (before Tuesday 2 July): $44.00 (Including GST).

AEU SA members: $77.00 (including GST).

Potential members: $385.00 (Including GST).

Thursday 11 July

6.00pm

AIM: A two day event that brings together Schools Service Officers and Early Childhood Workers to tackle topics together, grow their skills and share the experience of being AEU members together.

AIM: A day of big ideas, inspiration and challenge. If the corporate world sees the future of education as data and profit, how do education professionals see it?

Merit Selection Retraining

11.00am – 4.00pm

DAY 1: Saturday 27 July

10.00am – 4.00pm

DAY 2: Sunday 28 July

8.00am – 12.00pm

AIM: A 2-hour practical workshop to assist in applying for DfE local selection teaching positions.

AIM: This two day event will be held in conjunction with AEU NT representatives. This conference is to be held in Alice Springs.

Matters covered will include:

COST: AEU SA members: $22 per session.

• Representing your colleagues

• Union values

OPEN TO: AEU SA Members.

• Building strong culture in the sub-branch

Application Writing for Ancillary Positions Wednesday 17 July

• PAC processes

10.00am – 1.00pm

• Enterprise Agreement update.

OPEN TO: Elected workplace representatives e.g. elected Sub-branch Secretaries or elected PAC Representatives.

AIM: A half day practical workshop to assist in applying for ancillary positions in the Department for Education.

OPEN TO: AEU SA Members. COST: AEU SA members: $11.00.

COST: Free for those who qualify.

8: www.aeusa.asn.au>events & courses

Info on any events and courses or to register go to:

8: training@aeusa.asn.au

or email Sam Lisle-Menzel at: 12

8: tchampion@aeusa.asn.au

WO M E N’S FOCU S

Women’s pay still not all that super

homeless people in Australia is women over 55.

Women’s Officer Tish Champion on making super fairer.

Many of us will need to work long after our male colleagues because we have less superannuation and savings.

J

We can only claim true equality when women have equal pay, equal choice and equal security in retirement.

uly 1966 saw first of five “equal pay for equal work” increases for female teachers in SA. Women’s salaries then rose slowly every July until 1970, when they were finally brought into line with male teachers.

Salary discrimination in education was not solely gender based. In 1962 salaries at the top of the scale in primary schools were £1,750 for men and £1,490 for women. In secondary schools the top salaries were £1,890 for men and £1,610 for women.

Of course it was in the 1960s that women got together in their unions to say no to being paid less for doing the same work. July 20 will mark the 50th anniversary of the landmark 1969 equal

“We will have true equality when there are as many incompetent women running the country as incompetent men.” pay case mounted by Australian unions.

Prior to this, employers were legally allowed to pay women 25% less than men for the same work.

Sadly, half a century on there is still a gender pay gap in the vicinity of 15%.

Women are still retiring with less and are more likely to endure poverty in retirement. The fastest growing group of

Union women must continue the fight for true equality. We bear the burden and the joy of carrying and nurturing children and for too long we have paid a hefty price for this.

Our recent Women’s Conference resolved that the AEU initiate a crossunions campaign for changes to superannuation law in SA. Alongside fellow unions, we will insist politicians and employers support women in retirement through increased super contributions.

However, we must also proactively secure our own future by ensuring super is a priority. An extra weekly contribution of just $30 for someone now aged 40 could increase your retirement savings by $45,000.

We can’t wait for men to fix this – we must stand up and take control of our own destiny. n

Analysis of census data by the Equality Rights Alliance shows between 2011 and 2016 the number of homeless people in Australia rose from 102,000 to 116,000, a rise of nearly 14%. During this same period the number of homeless women over 55 increased 31%. Even more alarmingly, the number of homeless women aged 65+ jumped 51%.

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COU NCI L DAT E S FO R 2019

ANNA STEWART MEMORIAL PROJECT 2019

Branch Council Meetings Saturday, 24 August Saturday, 16 November

TAFE Divisional Council Meetings Friday, 23 August Friday, 15 November

UNION SUBS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE A tax statement confirming membership subscriptions received by the Union from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 will be forwarded to all members.

Members who have advised their email address will have the tax statement emailed to them.

The statement is a summary of subscriptions received by the Union for the financial year and is not a request for payment.

The statement includes your personal and employment details.

Please check these details and advise AEU Membership if there are any changes or additional information.

You can reply to the emailed tax statement or update through our website:

www.aeusa.asn.au/YourMembership email: membership@aeusa.asn.au or phone: 8172 6300 to advise us of any changes or additional information.

DON’T RISK BECOMING UNFINANCIAL! If your AEU subscription is not up-todate and you become unfinancial you will not be able to vote in sub-branch meetings, vote in AEU elections or access the services of the AEU. If you are unsure of your financial status or need to update your subscription payment please contact AEU membership on: phone: 8172 6300 or email:

membership@aeusa.asn.au HOLIDAY HOUSE – ROBE

Holiday house for rent at Longbeach, Robe. Accommodates 8. Member discounts apply.

Phone Brett on: 0439 566 523 for further information/photos.

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1 ASMP 2019 participants from left: Katie Ward (CPSU) with baby Oscar, Donna Ziino (CEPU), Louise Millard (RTBU), front: Miriam Wallman (PSA), back: Carole Fustes (ASU), Kate McAuley (AEU). Holly Hedges (CFMEU), Susan Close MP (Deputy leader of the SA Labor Party), Zelda Harmer (United Voice), back: Emma Lowe (ACTU), Sinead Macdonald (AMWU), Hana Abu Nahla (APHEDA), Lynette Elies (CFMEU).

Apologies: Kate Obee (PSA), Del Pardoe (RTBU), Rachel Van-dyk (NUW), Belinda Gordon (CEPU).

Women on the frontline A brave woman from Gaza gave Kate McAuley a reality check on this year’s Anna Stewart Memorial Project.

I

was privileged to take part in this year’s Anna Stewart Memorial Project (ASMP) alongside inspiring women fighting for better working conditions and a better world.

The program helped me better understand the union movement and its importance in the lives of Australian workers. Rights we enjoy such as paid maternity leave, an eight hour day and 40 hour week all started with our unions.

I got to spend some time in the AEU office, assist in the setup of a media event in Victoria Square, attend the annual May Day Dinner and have lunch at Parliament House with Deputy Opposition Leader Susan Close and some of her fellow female MPs.

1 SA Unions Secretary Angus Story with Kate.

The highlight though was meeting a wonderful Palestinian lady, Hana, who lives in the Gaza Strip and works for APHEDA-Union Aid Abroad. On the first day of the program we did an activity in which we discussed the main issues facing our unions. I was thinking workload, job security, class complexity etc.

tation, clean drinking water, access to electricity and girls as young as 13 being forced to marry. Immediately I was stopped in my tracks and began to reflect; sometimes we get caught up in our own world and lose sight of the bigger picture.

The wonderful thing about being part of a union such as ours is that we have a voice. We get the opportunity to advocate for others and stand up for what is fair and just.

My ASMP experience has changed my perspective, opened my eyes to a much broader view of the world and really driven me to become more active in the AEU and the wider union movement.

When Hana spoke she explained that the main issues for her people are sani-

Kate McAuley Lyndoch Primary School

Gaza Strip

INTERNATIONAL

Teacher salaries – what the international data tells us

“One finding from PISA is that highperforming systems tend to prioritise higher salaries for teachers, especially in high-income countries (such as Australia).” This relationship is statistically n significant.

(OECD PISA 2012 Results Vol. 4 p.42)

Teachers’ salaries and mathematics performance

AN INVITATION TO RETIRED OR RETIRING TEACHERS & SSOs

AEU INFORMATION UNIT Mondays: 8.15am – 5.00pm Tuesday to Friday: 10.30am – 5.00pm

)8172 6300 • Qualified AEU Officers standing by to answer your enquiry • All AEU Officials are required to do regular shifts in the information unit • A quality service for AEU members only.

Have you retired or are about to retire? Are you seeking opportunities to maintain or increase your level of fitness and want to learn more about your city and surrounding hills and bushland?

Are you seeking companionship with other retired teachers and their partners as well as other walkers from a range of backgrounds – not just teaching?

Our walks are organised at several levels.

Rovers walk from 14–16 kms, Walkers from 8–10 kms, Ramblers from 6–7 kms and Amblers up to 5 kms.

The Retired Teachers Walking Group is affiliated with Walking SA – the peak walking body in SA. We walk in conservation parks, national parks and forestry reserves within the Adelaide Hills and Mount Lofty Ranges, Fleurieu Peninsula, suburban beaches and along the six creeks of the Adelaide Plains, the River Torrens Linear Park and other suburban, historic and country trails. It’s a great way to get to know your city and surroundings – as well as maintaining fitness! A camp is also organised each year in country areas within South Australia or Victoria.

If you are interested in finding out more about our walking group, you are invited to contact: our Convener, David Fallon Mob: 0417 001 766 email: dave.fallon@bigpond.com our Walking SA Rep, John Eaton Mob: 0419 176 713 email: joneaton@bigpond.net.au We hope you will join us for the 2019 walking season!

15

We’ve made a promise.

To be there for the educators, the inspirers and the nurturers.

To care for you when you’re sick (and when you’re not). Because when you’re at your best, you can bring out the best in others too.

Andrew, School principal & THF member

We’re for teachers – that’s our promise.

To find out more about what we can do for you, head to teachershealth.com.au/promise

Eligibility criteria and conditions apply. Teachers Federation Health Ltd ABN 86 097 030 414 trading as Teachers Health. A Registered Private Health Insurer. THF-AEU/SA-07/19