conne Vol. 3 No. 2
In this edition
July 2011
The newsletter for School Officers
RECOGNISE, RECLASSIFY AND REWARD CAMPAIGN MEMBERS SUPPORT SIGN UP STAND UP DAY The Recognise, Reclassify and Reward Campaign is well underway with IEUA-QNT Chapters overwhelmingly supporting school officers in the ‘Sign Up Stand Up’ day held recently across Queensland non-government schools. Members demonstrated collective support of their officer colleagues by taking part in various Chapter activities, celebrating the diverse and important role school officers play in our schools. Many Chapters organised special morning teas and ‘Sign Up Stand Up’ stickers were worn in solidarity supporting the campaign.
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Sign Up Stand Up Day Celebrations
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School Officer Member Training
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Recognising Prior Experience For School Officers
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The Chapter at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Maryborough (below) celebrated with a morning tea for all staff.
their school officer colleagues do and called on employers to Recognise the work school officers do, Reclassify where appropriate and ensure that the Reward is just. Members also encouraged non-member school officers to join our union, so they too could be assisted in gaining just wages for their work. Throughout the campaign school officers have also undertaken training sessions across the state to further develop and update their position descriptions. Members will continue to receive reclassification training in the near term, to ensure remuneration is just and appropriate. School officers have a right to an accurate position description which recognises their skills, professionalism and contribution to quality education in our schools. Position descriptions need to be updated to provide greater clarity around the duties and responsibilities for school officers and most importantly recognise and reward the diverse range of skills and knowledge that school officers bring to their positions. For too long many school officers have suffered inaccurate classification of their position due to the inadequacies of their position descriptions and have thence suffered from a lack of recognition in the classification level of their valuable skills and contribution to the education of students.
Workplace Health and Safety Committeeshow you can get involved
St Mary’s Chapter Representative Denis Kettle said he spoke to the staff about collective strength.
Member Profile
One of the main purposes of the campaign is to achieve fair recognition and reward through updated position descriptions.
“We are all responsible for improving conditions and it was important to celebrate this day to make all staff aware of the campaign, especially those school officer members who are not members. I have new members now filling in forms and unfinancial members re-signing.”
Chapters considered a motion to ensure just wages are delivered which recognises the skills, professionalism and contribution to quality education in our schools and the increasing complexity and intensity of school officers’ work. Chapter members affirmed their appreciation for the work
This whole union campaign can ensure school officers achieve a just and fair recognition and reward for their contribution to schools. To find out more information please visit our website at www.qieu.asn.au
IEUA-QNT members from Marymount College celebrating Sign Up Stand Up Day.
Xions conneXions conneXions conneXions conneXions conneXions conneXions conne SCHOOL OFFICER CAMPAIGN TRAINING MEMBERS GAIN VALUABLE INSIGHTS IEUA-QNT school officer members from Our Lady of the Angels Primary School, Wavell Heights gained valuable insight into the preparation needed to write an updated position description in a recent follow up training session held by IEUA-QNT organiser Susan O’Leary. This session also looked at how specific provisions in the current Catholic Collective Agreement pertains to school officers, such as the specialised care allowance and the range of other duties school officers do regularly that would be done by teachers. School officer Juanita Quetcher said gaining an insight on the reclassification process was important to her gaining recognition for the important role she plays at her school. “Getting an updated position description is vital because we are expected to do so much more,” she said. Colleague Margaret Blumke agrees that school officers need to be recognised for the work they do on a daily basis.
Susan Parmenter, Juanita Quetcher, Mandy Crossan and Margaret Blumke from Our Lady of the Angels, Wavell Heights
“Tasks carried out are just so varied for school officers presently and we need to be recognised appropriately,” she said.
position descriptions together to their principal.
Susan said that the collective strength of Susan, Juanita, Mandy and Margaret meant that they would be able to present their updated
“The real bonus of a session like this is to see school officer colleagues working collaboratively to develop necessary position descriptions in support of each other,” Susan said.
APPLYING FOR PRIOR RECOGNITION - HOW YOUR UNION CAN HELP? School Officers are a skilled, professional and diverse body of employees who contribute enormously to the running of our schools. Often they bring with them skills and experiences from other career paths that assist and enable employers to improve their level of service to school community.
A new employee who successfully makes application within six (6) months of commencement of service will be paid at the adjusted rate from the date of commencement.
These skills and past experiences are actively sought by employers as they recognise the benefits to their organisation.
Supporting documentary evidence of previous relevant service should include a statement of service; or a Statutory Declaration may be submitted in lieu of a statement of service in instances where you are unable to obtain the necessary documentation from a previous employer.
Recognising this was occurring, your union sought recognition of these skills and abilities that school officers bought with them to a job but were not previously recognised.
Your union can assist you with further information and in compiling your application so please contact us on 1800 177 937 for further information or assistance.
As a result we were able to secure within some sectors that previous employment may be recognised for the purposes of incremental advancement within your classification level.
Below: IEUA-QNT MSOs Karen Lawrie and Leanne Coade
It is important that if you have worked in other schools or even in roles outside of a school setting, yet you believe the skills you bought with you assist in your current role, then contact your union for further advice and assistance in formalising your request to have these skills recognised. Depending upon which school you work in will determine what is recognised and our Member Services Officers (MSOs) can provide you with more detailed information. There are timeframes around these applications that will affect when you are paid if your application is successful. A continuing employee, who successfully makes application, will be paid at the adjusted rate from the date of receipt of notification from the employee.
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conneXions conneXions conneXions conneXions conneXions conneXions conneXions Workplace Health and Safety - school officers encourged to get involved Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S) is something all educational professionals need to be aware of and concerned about if proper processes are not in place. The important and diverse work school officers do in schools can expose them to higher risks associated with workplace health and safety and with this in mind school officers need to be aware of their working rights. Issues that may arise around WH&S that school officers may encounter on a daily basis could include: • • • • • • • •
the safety and maintenance of equipment for example in manual arts, home economics, film and television, visual arts and science subjects classrooms; the administration of first aid; the handling of hazardous substances; the supervision of students; behavior management of students; workplace stress which includes bullying and harassment and work intensification issues; boarding house requirements; and the use and maintenance of large mechanical equipment.
IEUA-QNT member and school officer at Lourdes Hill College, Brisbane Ian Hughes (below right) said school officers are often at the frontline in terms of their skill and expertise. “School officers are found in various roles, where specialised equipment is not only required for the students, but also needed for the school officer to complete their day-to-day tasks,” Ian said. “Each school officer working in their roles has specific hazards which they must deal with. Not only are they responsible for their own safety, but also the safety of the staff, students and the equipment with which they work.” The impending harmonisation of WH&S legislation will have a profound impact on school and employees. Rather than improve workplace safety for all, the proposed new National Model Act may undermine standards, potentially putting employees at risk. This change to legislation is very pertinent for school officers because of the daily work they do. The proposed laws state that employers only have to consult if it was ‘reasonably practicable,’ and only then with workers who were ‘directly affected’.
prove that they have met the provisions of the new act, rather than the current, which is on the employer.” Ian says having a WH&S Committee with school officers acting as WH&S Representatives is important for all workplaces. “WH&S Committees are a resource which can be used for all school officers, not only as a port of call if something isn’t right, but also as a resource which can answer questions and advise on correct practice,” he said. Ian is an active member of his school’s WH&S Committee and is also a WH&S Representative representing the library and Information Services staff. “As a member of the committee and also being a school officer, I am able to appreciate some of the issues faced by other school officers looking for support,” he said. “I can call on my school officer experiences to present the school officer side of issues as opposed to the teaching side of issues.”
“WH&S Committees are a resource which can be used for all school officers, not only as a port of call if something isn’t right, but also as a resource which can answer questions and advise on correct practice.” Ian encourages school officers to get active in their WH&S Committee and put their hands up to be WH&S Representatives. “School officer members of a WH&S Committee can present more specialised information or more specific circumstances of WH&S practice for their fellow school officers because they work in the same environment.”
“Each school officer working in their roles has specific hazards which they must deal with. Not only are they responsible for their own safety, but also the safety of the staff, students and the equipment with which they work.” Ian said this loose interpretation would reduce the employer liability and extends workers WH&S obligations. “Changes to the WH&S legislation will put emphasis on employees to
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Member Snapshot
available for a Teacher Aide at Our Lady of The Angels Enoggera (OLA).
Bev Ragonesi Mt Alvernia College Brisbane I work at Mt Alvernia College as a Teacher Aide Learning Enhancement/ Vocational Education (Voc Ed.). Two thirds of my time is Learning Enhancement and the other third Voc. Ed. I presently provide support in classes for year 8, 9, 10 & 11’s. The students I support vary from verified and identified students to any student seeking or requiring extra assistance. My duties as Voc. Ed. Aide include providing administrative support for Vocational Education Coordinator. As part of this role, I am expected to attend work places, liaise with parents, employers, and Worklinks (Community Partnership Organisation). I also am expected to have regular contact with Voc. Ed. students in a mentoring capacity. I have been a School Officer for 19 years. I started when my son repeated year one, and I was a volunteer in his class with extension activities with the four older students. A part-time position became
JOIN YOUR UNION TODAY Help build strength in order to enhance the working rights and conditions of all School Officers and EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS in schools. To join IEUA-QNT, download a membership form from www.qieu.asn.au or call our membership department on FREECALL1800 177 937. Page 4
I started in as a Teacher Aide in 1993 at OLA then I moved to St James Spring Hill for three years of classroom support I started in January 2000 at Mt Alvernia College. I am currently in my second year as a Pre-service teacher completing Bachelor of Education (Primary) on line through Open Universities Australia (OUA) hoping to specialise in Middle Schooling. It was my dream as a little girl and in my time of education I was made to realise that I was not very academic. Not until I had completed an Advanced Diploma in Education through Central Queensland University (CQU) Distance Education, that I developed a new awareness of my academic potential. School officers are unique. The word school officer is broad as it encompasses those working in so many different areas within the school. For example, science laboratories, libraries, administration and side by side with teachers. There are many and varied issues given the different fields of employment and to ensure a voice is recognised or heard Chapter involvement is essential. It not only brings greater awareness to the teaching staff of the roles of school officers, but allows teachers the opportunity to support the many and varied roles of school officers in the school environment. Making sure you are classified correctly is an important issue. In the past my experience I have seen many school officers on levels well below the correct classification and the IEUA-QNT School Officer Campaign will hopefully at least make school officers more aware of their roles and exact classification. To a colleague I would suggest getting support from our union. I’m always busy as most people are, but it is union support that has motivated and prompted me to examine my existing status. Susan O’Leary our organiser has been wonderful and she’s always there for support if you need her. My colleagues and I have done some union training in regards to writing an updated position description. We took the information we had already compiled regarding our role to Susan. She then took us through the process of how to compile the role description in greater detail. There was literature with different clauses and appropriate phrases to initiate sentences and a basic scaffold to the process. I have been an active union member since the day I started in education in 1993. At that point it was about ensuring insurance cover. Since, I have seen advancements for school officers supported and instigated by our union. Portable long service and restructuring of our levels some years ago are just a couple of the positives that have been beneficial and important from my point of view.
ISSN: 1449-8294 conneXions was prepared by Belinda Hogan-Collis and Richard Pascoe Editor: Mr Terry Burke, Branch Secretary IEUA-QNT PO BOX 418, FORTITUDE VALLEY QLD 4006 PHONE: 1800 177 937 FAX: (07) 3839 7021 Email: enquiries@qieu.asn.au Website:www.qieu.asn.au ABN: 74 662 601 045