Newsmonth issue 2, 2014

Newspaper of the NSW/ACT Independent Education Union (vol 34 #2) April 2014

Print Post: 225007/0002 – ISSN: 0728-4845

Student teachers snap up memberships p9

Taking a stand on prac p13

Preschool funding struggle p11

RECOGNISE, RESPECT & REWARD

3Rs campaign for teachers in Catholic systemic schools

3 Rs e ecognisds from:

R

deman workload Increasing ance and r perform he ac Te • t en m op tion and devel r accredita • Teache ance en nt ai m

ards nal Stand • Natio l Curriculum na • Natio / TQI (ACT) arning ES • BOST eaching Inspired Le t T gy • Grea technolo ng gi an • Ch reditation • RE acc nal learning sio • Profes al learning plans du • Indivi expectations al • Parent rricular activities cu a • Extr

It’s time for Catholic systemic school employers to Recognise, Respect and Reward their teachers says the IEU 3Rs campaign endorsed at March Council.

Along with increased salaries, the campaign spells out the ways in which workloads are continuing to increase and sets out the conditions improvements that must be made to facilitate the new demands.

IEU General Secretary John Quessy says increasing workload demands are compressing the time that teachers have available for lesson planning, review,

espect

R

essional trong prof • Our s t en itm m com n to ontributio • Our c d future current an of children s generation

enhancing in e ol • Our r s es gr ro p social work/life ight to a • Our r balance safe and ight to a • Our r lace kp or w y health

mentoring and meeting expanding teaching and learning needs.

“Government policy is changing the nature of teaching and the work of teachers and the claim associated with this campaign is part of the Union’s way of addressing it.

“This is about Recognising our teachers as professionals, Respecting the work that they do and Rewarding them appropriately.

In practice, this means increasing salaries and adjusting working conditions to provide teachers with adequate time and resources to focus on their core teaching work.”

Reward

ng:

By providi itions that s and cond ncreasing rie la Sa • ver i e ith w p keep u demands ding eet expan urces to m ning needs • Reso ar le nd teaching a kloads eable wor • Manag ss sizes la c le sib on • Resp s for sional rate • Profes um supervision tic prac

reparation, time for p ck • More g, review/feedba rin to men

What can you do?

Look out for campaign resources coming to your school soon. Over coming weeks organisers will arrange with Reps in Catholic systemic schools to deliver bulk copies of the 3Rs postcard for distribution among their colleagues. Reps are asked to prominently display these magnetised postcards – stick them on your fridges, filing cabinets, pin them to notice boards and display in all prominent places. Reps are also asked to give individual postcards to all IEU member colleagues.

All members can also: • Attend your chapter meetings and vote when required.

• Talk to your colleagues about this campaign and share information.

• Keep this campaign visible in your school.

• Share your stories and photos with the Union via 3R@ieu.asn.au.

• Stay up to date with all Union news via Facebook (like us at www.facebook. com/ieunswact), Newsmonth and the IEU website (www.ieu.asn.au).

Claim for teachers in Catholic systemic schools - Employers' response 'forthcoming' p4

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

No wait for back pay at ‘List D’ schools Initially Catholic employers proposed that List D teachers be forced to wait until completion of the negotiation and agreement making process. This was unreasonable, as this has not applied to teachers in other schools. No one else waited for a pay rise.

Gloria Taylor Deputy Secretary Chapters in ‘List D’ Catholic independent schools have overwhelmingly carried a motion calling for the immediate back dated payment of 2.5% for teachers from the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2014.

The employers have confirmed they will proceed with immediate back payment.

List D claim List D chapters have also endorsed the IEU’s full claim for teachers. The claim incorporates elements of the Catholic systemic claim as well as improvements specific to List D schools. There are currently fewer protections for teachers in List D schools compared with other teachers and there are variations in conditions. For example, a number

of schools remain without sick leave portability and the Union will pursue this condition on their behalf.

Historically List D schools consisted of Catholic independent schools that followed diocesan/government rates of pay. Over the years the number of schools in List D has reduced, as schools entered into different agreements or became systemic. There are now only 12 schools remaining on List D. Most List D schools are low fee paying, but two schools on the list have fees well above the others. The Union believes that it is appropriate such schools achieve pay increases that are commensurate with comparable schools in their area. Members would be aware of the St Gregory’s

College dispute that remains unsettled despite a strong and protracted campaign.

The Union congratulates members on securing the immediate back payment.

This is a small but significant step towards achieving fair outcomes for all List D schools.

Support staff The Catholic Commission for Employment Relations (CCER) will proceed with the immediate back payment of 2.5% from 29 January 2014 for support and operational staff in Catholic independent schools.

Negotiations will commence on 8 May for both the List D Teachers Agreement and the Catholic Independent Schools SAO. The Union will keep members informed of progress.

Pay battle looming in independent schools In our view the expectations on members have risen significantly in recent years and in many schools are well above requirements in other sectors.

Carol Matthews Assistant Secretary Independent school agreements covering teachers and support staff in NSW and the ACT are up for review from 1 October this year.

The agreements have been in place since the beginning of 2011 and have provided for reasonable pay rises over this period.

However the Union understands that some independent schools want the next round of agreements to provide minimal pay rises, well below projected cost of living increases. The Union will strongly oppose any such reduction in salaries and conditions.

Union is entitled as part of the good faith bargaining process to ask for evidence to support any such claims made by employers and will not hesitate to do so.

Some schools may claim that they cannot afford even modest pay rises in line with inflation . . . the Union is entitled to ask for evidence to support any such claims made by employers.”

Of course any talk about a reduction of pay in real terms will not be matched by a corresponding reduction in workload.

Some schools may claim that they cannot afford even modest pay rises in line with inflation. The Union finds it difficult to accept that this is true in many cases. The

Elements of a claim The Union will be consulting with members in independent schools about a Union claim on their behalf.

A claim on behalf of teachers has not yet been finalised but could include the following elements:

• pay rises • payment by the school of any compulsory fees associated with teacher accreditation, progression and child protection checks • guaranteed time off for teachers seeking Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES) accreditation and their mentors/ supervisors • improved processes to support teachers in the accreditation process and possible refusal of accreditation by the school • improved access to short periods of leave, and • anti-bullying provisions.

A claim for support and operational staff would also include a review of provisions applying to boarding house staff and a new agreement for counsellors outside the SAO Agreeement.

The Union will send information to schools shortly.

Want to be more active in the IEU? This year the IEU starts a training program for members seeking to become more active in the Union, at chapter and branch level and through the various forums of the Union.

There will be a residential program during the Easter break (13-15 April) at Leura in the Blue Mountains for 25 participants.

The agenda will cover the role of trade unions in Australia, the place of the IEU in the wider union movement, IEU policy, its structure and representational forums. Member-based campaigning will also feature.

To register or get further information contact your school’s Union organiser or Marilyn Jervis via marilyn@ieu.asn.au.

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newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Time to get it right John Quessy General Secretary Teachers who commenced work in NSW after October 2004 have had to engage with an accreditation process.

This process was managed by the NSW Institute of Teachers (NSWIT) but is now handled by the BoSTES (the merged body of the Institute with the Board of Studies). Soon ALL NSW teachers will be required to participate.

While I remain unconvinced that this merger is in the interests of education in NSW, it does provide possibly the last opportunity for an accreditation process in NSW to be renovated and to win some respect from those it purportedly was established to serve – teachers.

The Institute was poorly perceived by its members and seen largely as a tax, which they had to pay to an organisation they did not see working for them and saw as largely irrelevant in their day-to-day work. They resented too that employers and universities were provided with free services financed by the teacher members.

The Institute was conceived as a mechanism to measure new teachers

against already determined Standards and to introduce a “licence to teach” in NSW. The Act and the process were flawed from the start. Early on, a number of administrative problems with the Act were noted but 10 years on these largely remain uncorrected.

These include extensions to maintenance of accreditation timetables.

The real and fundamental problems however are the ownership of accreditation and the process of accreditation.

It is not the Standards themselves or the teacher members of the Quality Teaching Council who are at fault. The system was designed to ensure that teachers could not own the accreditation or certification of their own profession. This was to be controlled by politicians and employers. In short, unlike other professions teachers were not professional enough to have this responsibility.

The reality is that it was not the Institute nor is it BoSTES that accredits teachers but rather it is a Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA). The NSWIT largely

served as the repository for the details of accredited teachers and the debt collector.

In our sector, in almost every case the TAA and employer are synonymous.

Far from guaranteeing consistent standards, the hundreds of TAAs ensures that consistency is at best problematic.

The TAA ‘authority’ is awarded with little obvious ‘test’ and even less obvious accountability.

There is virtually no capacity for a body such as BoSTES to intervene or to overrule decisions of a TAA. In the extreme, this means the capacity to refuse accreditation (or reaccreditation) remains open to abuse with catastrophic consequences for the victim.

The Union is aware that there has been and continues to be abuses by ignorant and unscrupulous TAAs. While these are a minority of cases, the fact there can be any at all is a disgrace to the profession and denies the system any integrity.

The BoSTES must reject the Pontius Pilate attitude embraced by the NSWIT

and use its powers to make rules to actively address the weaknesses it has inherited. It must be a body for ALL schools and reinforce with TAAs that a Standard is a standard and not a negotiable yardstick.

First and foremost it must give itself the power to oversee ‘problematic’ accreditation and maintenance of accreditation cases. It must also establish a proper appeals mechanism or assume that role itself. It cannot accept payment from teachers and walk away from the responsibility to provide a form of protection to the ‘at risk’ teacher.

It needs to make TAAs accountable for their assessment processes and their judgment against the Standards. It might do this by a regular process of inspections and audits.

The time to move on these issues is now, during the formative months of the new structure. To its credit the BoSTES has shown some interest in addressing a number of these issues but time will tell if there is any real determination to develop an accreditation model that can win the respect and acceptance of the bulk of the teaching profession in NSW. It is the task of the Union to hold the BoSTES to its charter under the Teacher Accreditation Act 2004.

universities their rightful share to administer the practicum, it is clearly unacceptable that classroom teachers remain on a payment schedule which has not increased since the early 1990’s.

wisdom in a professional manner.

Great Teaching, Inspired Learning and the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership are the key drivers in change related to the practicum.

Expectations regarding the critical role of teachers is expanding.

The IEU’s view is that practicum remuneration rates in both South Australian and Tasmania have increased in recent years under the same funding model and it is appropriate they are enhanced in NSW as well.

The IEU sought the following when meeting representative of the NSW Vice Chancellor’s Committee:

across NSW was sought which would be mirrored in all sectors involved with Initial Teacher Education.

“The system was designed to ensure that teachers could not own the accreditation or certification of their own profession.

This was to be controlled by politicians and employers.”

Fair pay for prac supervision Mark Northam Assistant Secretary The IEU’s Fair Pay for Prac Supervision campaign moved forward following a recent meeting with a representative of the New South Wales Vice Chancellors Committee.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the IEU to articulate member concerns and unpack the complex terrain surrounding Initial Teacher Education and its intersection with schools and the accumulated expertise of teachers. The background to the campaign is worth revisiting. Universities receive in excess of $800 per education student per year to fund the practicum from the Federal Government. Whilst not denying

a) The rates of pay per day for teachers undertaking supervision are: i) In secondary schools in one method ii) In secondary schools in two methods and supervision in primary schools b)

The rate of pay for those coordinating practice teaching, per student per day.

$12.45

$21.20

$1.30

The above rates do not in any way reflect what is required in terms of passing on accumulated teacher experience and

The IEU will seek a timetable of ongoing dialogue regarding the campaign with universities in an endeavour to bring clarity for members and certainty of arrangements for all involved. These are critical issues and firm industrial arrangements are required to properly reward and support the work, time and effort that teachers put into the development of the next generation of teachers.

• higher levels of remuneration and for the negotiated figure to be indexed simplification of the claim for payment system • the inclusion of supervision of practicum for accreditation as Professional Development for BoSTES purposes, and • in particular a common agreement

Overwhelming endorsement of IEU claim The IEU congratulates members throughout NSW who have come together to endorse the Union claim for teachers in Catholic systemic schools. For more information see pages 1 and 4.

newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

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www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

A Tale of Two Letters John Quessy

IEU General Secretary

If bargaining to achieve an enterprise agreement for teachers in Catholic

systemic schools is to have integrity it is vital that teachers be told the whole story and not an edited version.

The two letters below both report on the same meeting but tell a vastly different story.

The IEU Council determined a claim in October last year that has been endorsed by more than 600 Union chapters.

Catholic employers have had that claim since late November, yet are unable to

provide a response before 7 April. In the meantime, negotiations have not moved beyond setting dates to meet. Members have every right to be frustrated and dissatisfied.

14 March 2014

12 March, 2014

Mr Anthony Farley Executive Director CCER Polding Centre 133 Liverpool Street SYDNEY NSW 2000

Mr John Quessy General Secretary IEU NSW/ACT GPO Box 116 Sydney NSW 2001 John@ieu.asn.au Dear John Carol Desiree Blackett, Gloria Taylor and Thank you for our meeting today with pendent Inde and esan g for both Catholic Dioc Matthews about enterprise bargainin schools. those discussions.

The following is a brief summary of s Catholic Systemic School Teacher of teachers on 7 ive a response to its claim on behalf I confirmed that the IEU would rece as follows: ters mat e thos to tiations in regard April 2014. We agreed to schedule nego 10 April 2014 - CCER Offices - 10.00am 1 May 2014 - IEU Offices - 10.00am 29 May 2014 - CCER Offices - 10.00am 5 June 2014 - IEU Offices - 10.00am ed matters, ting we would jointly clarify the agre It was agreed that at the 5 June mee that may have ters mat r identification of any othe those matters that are not agreed and emerged during discussions.

Support and Operational Staff Catholic Systemic School Principals, 7 April, while for these staff in our response to you We expect to include a way forward will be in regard e abov ified spec s ting scheduled mee acknowledging that the focus of the issues you and r othe ussions in April will deal with to teachers. I also confirm that our disc s. ision prov nt eme agre rd to enterprise Fair Work Australia have raised in rega Catholic Independent Schools ent schools. nts covering staff in Catholic Independ We also discussed enterprise agreeme these in tion posi our of with a written outline office to I indicated that we would provide you IEU the at 0am 10.0 at 2014 May 8 meet on matters by 5 May and that we would commence negotiations. wage increases te responding to you about interim In the intervening period, we anticipa that we intend irm conf also I ay. e of business this Frid for independent school staff by clos nology and to you in regard to information tech to provide you with a clear response ed above. tion men ters along with the other mat boarding house staff on 5 May 2014 and if ssion discu cts your understanding of today’s matters.

Please let me know if this letter refle e thes on nt eme agre ld assist us in reaching there is anything else you believe wou Yours sincerely Anthony Farley Executive Director

Dear Tony D Schools and olic Systemic Schools, Teachers in List Re: Teachers and Principals in Cath ols Scho ent pend olic Inde Support and Operational Staff in Cath a meeting ch that provided a brief summary of Mar 12 of r lette I write in response to your both for g IEU regarding enterprise bargainin held that day between the CCER and r reflected ols. You asked us to advise if the lette scho ent pend Catholic Diocesan and inde ns. discussio our understanding of the 12 March tiation around of dates, times and venues set for nego ine outl your The Union agrees with the range of agreements. set and our the context in which these dates were We wish to put on record, however, ting. concerns that were outlined at the mee cement of about the unreasonably slow commen We objected throughout the meeting that over you sed advi also to our claims. The IEU called negotiations and the lack of response and claim IEU the rsed endo dy have alrea behalf of 600 Catholic systemic school chapters on d, rate frust is of negotiations. The Union claim on for the immediate commencement Our ess. proc the in ys dela the ements, with our members affected by these agre ediate attention. behalf of members is deserving of imm ting: ific concerns about timing at the mee The Union raised the following spec to discuss our proposing a range of meeting dates On 11 February, the IEU wrote to you advised that and (our final proposed meeting date) claim. The CCER selected 10 March es. This tativ esen repr esan attend, along with Dioc n our representatives of the CCER would upo ch Mar 12 to led hedu resc only ute and meeting was cancelled at the last min future ing sett to d ricte to our claim, we were rest insistence. As there was no response March. meeting dates at the meeting on 12 l and loyer response to the claim until 7 Apri emp the t at any The Union opposed delaying mee to ess ngn willi d esse expr n agai l. We delaying the next meeting until 10 Apri point before those dates. olic to delay negotiations for staff in Cath The Union also opposed a proposal independent schools until May. both in irmation that the CCER will respond On the last point, the Union seeks conf schools in ent pend inde olic Cath in and SAO staff relation to Teachers in List D schools this timeframe.

Yours sincerely JOHN QUESSY General Secretary

ACT: Unified approach to My School reporting Berna Simpson IEU Organiser

The IEU has teamed with the Catholic Education Office, the Association of Independent Schools and Department of Education (DEC) to develop a joint approach to managing unbalanced commentary in the ACT resulting from the My School website.

Since the introduction of the My School website in 2010, elements in the community (particularly the media) have used the website as a tool to rank schools.

At a joint workshop, strategies were developed to minimise the occurrence of unbalanced reporting and draw up a consistent approach.

A DEC statement says all “representatives agreed that working together on a consistent approach and messaging on reporting of school performance was important, given the increasing amount of data in the public 4

newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

domain and propensity for misreporting of the information, including through the production of league tables of schools.

“There was further agreement on strategies to be adopted, and a commitment to continue working together on this issue. As an indication of the importance of the issue, the understanding of participants was that this was the first time there had been agreement by all key school education stakeholders on an approach on an issue of mutual interest.”

Key messages relating to reporting of My School data are: • there is a lot of information available to help understand how individual schools are performing, and what their strengths are. School websites, and the My School website, are valuable sources of information about schools • using raw data, such as NAPLAN or finance information, while adding to information about schools, is a narrow

and incomplete way to assess a school’s performance when taken in isolation • schools are not defined by the results of one test on one day, that focuses on a very specific part of the curriculum, and • there is no substitute for visiting the school, speaking to the principal and teachers, observing students and talking to other parents.

Supporting messages

NAPLAN provides teachers with valuable diagnostic information about individual students in vital literacy and numeracy skills. While this is very important, keep in mind that schools teach many things other than the ‘three Rs’.

Be careful of attaching too much importance to individual numbers, such as NAPLAN scores, alone. They give good information, but are only a small part of the picture.

Individual pieces of data represent a snapshot of a point in time – NAPLAN

represents how a group of students went in one test on one day.

Resist the ‘league table’ idea. You can’t rank schools from 1 to 10,000 based on a single number. There are too many factors to take into account, and they can’t be reflected in a single number or listing.

In addition, a league table only shows where students are now, not how far they have come, so a school’s good work with disadvantaged students may be hidden.

To get the best out of the vast information now available on the internet: • keep a sense of proportion about the importance of an individual number • use data to start a discussion with the school, and • treat data as only part of the picture about what a school has to offer and what it is achieving.

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Union responds to Australian Curriculum review Sandra White IEUA Research Assistant After consultation and input from State/Territory Branches of the IEU, an Independent Education Union submission has been made to the Federal Government’s review of the Australian Curriculum.

The IEUA submission raised concerns around the timing of the review commissioned by Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne.

Since schools are only in the early stages of Australian Curriculum implementation, and only in the first year of use in NSW, the Union submission recommended

that “it would be more useful and more appropriate to gain an understanding of the picture nationally once all jurisdictions have completed the implementation phase”.

The Union recommended a systematic curriculum review process that is consultative, open, transparent, and well communicated.

The submission says “The IEUA supports a curriculum review process where a major feature is inclusive consultation, and where advice is sought at key points from teachers, school administrations and organisations (in particular: unions, parents organisations and professional teacher associations)”.

Also vital for success, is a curriculum

review process that is well resourced to provide opportunities for wide participation, and to develop new resources.

The Union has said that additional resources will be required to ensure that “there is capacity to teach the entirety of the new curriculum and that these resources might need to include the provision of specialist teachers, up-skilling of current school teaching and support staff, changes to initial teacher education programs and enhanced opportunities for professional development and learning”.

The Union submission supported professional concerns that “there is a very real risk of overcrowding in the curriculum,

particularly in primary years, as the writing and inclusion of more subject areas are added to those in the initial phases. This can put at risk the capacity of schools to ensure that sufficient depth of content and skill development is achieved, particularly in literacy and numeracy.

The IEUA submission concluded that further development of the Australian Curriculum should reflect the broad range of needs and interests of society including parents and employers, should reflect the professional knowledge of teachers and should model the cooperative and collaborative approach which characterises the way teachers and students work in Australian schools today.

Present Tense ELICOS news If you would like to come, please send an email to Victoria Walters via victoria@ieu. asn.au.

Kendall Warren Organiser The IEU will be holding its annual seminar for members employed in ELICOS and other private colleges on Monday 7 April.

This seminar will look at a range of issues, including your rights and obligations in the workplace, the new bullying legal framework, superannuation, and the prospects for the industry under an Abbott Government.

The seminar will be held at the IEU’s offices at 485-501 Wattle Street, Ultimo (near the corner of Broadway), will start at 4.30pm, and the whole program should take about two hours. Refreshments will be provided.

• Members may be aware that the Abbott Government recently announced an enquiry by the Productivity Commission into the operation of the Fair Work Act. This was the legislation passed by the Rudd Government which replaced the Howard Government’s WorkChoices laws. The new Government has trod carefully on industrial relations, but it is increasingly clear that there are strong pressures both within the Coalition and from business, for major changes to the Act. The Fair Work Act has several deficiencies in the view of the IEU, but Present Tense suspects that the changes the Government are thinking of will only make things worse.

• ELICOS is particularly vulnerable to a winding back of working conditions, and so members are advised to be aware of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations. The Commission is an economically ‘dry’ organisation, so

members can probably guess what they will come up with – more ‘flexibility’, greater use of individual arrangements and the abolition of job protections. The Abbott Government has stated that any changes to the Act (other than those related to 2013 election promises) will be taken to the next election due in late 2016.

• When one also considers the recently announced Royal Commission into unions, it is becoming apparent that the Abbott Government is putting the building blocks in place for an assault on working conditions, and the only bodies that act to maintain and improve working conditions, trade unions. There has never been a more important time to join your Union, the IEU, and encourage your colleagues to do likewise. You can join over the phone (8202 8900), or on-line (www.ieu.asn.au/join-the-ieu/), and Union fees are tax deductible.

If you would like a visit from an Organiser to further discuss the benefits of IEU membership, send an email to kendall@ ieu.asn.au.

• The IEU has recently seen several enterprise agreements approved by the Fair Work Commission. These include agreements at Navitas English (formerly ACL, salary increases of 7.5% over three years), Embassy English (increases of between 8-12% over three years, depending on step level), SELC (7% over three years, plus an additional 2% for casuals), Australian Pacific College (6.5% over three years) and Kaplan (6% over three years, plus an additional 2% for casuals), while teachers at Navitas English Services (formerly ACE) have voted to approve their agreement (7.5% over three years).

• Employees at colleges without agreements are covered by the modern award, and while the rates in such awards are indexed annually according to the minimum wage case, the award generally provides for salaries and conditions that are inferior to those in an enterprise agreement. If you would like to know how to get an agreement at your workplace, contact kendall@ieu.asn.au.

Council endorses 3Rs campaign

The IEU Executive, Council members and officers travelled from far and wide to feed into and get right up to date on the Union agenda at March Council.

Council members unanimously endorsed a motion condemning Catholic employers for delaying negotiations

around the IEU claim for teachers in systemic schools. The motion also called on all members to support the IEU 3Rs Campaign to secure fair conditions that Recognise, Respect and Reward the work of teachers.

Speakers included researcher John

Edwards talking about bullying research conducted on behalf of the IEU, and NZ Independent Schools Education Association General Secretary Matthew Fitzsimmons, who spoke about problems with the charter schools that continue to pop up in the land of the long white cloud.

Many also donated to Chilout and APHEDA. For more information on the work of these charities or to make a donation, visit www.apheda.org.au and www.chilout.org.

For more on 3Rs, see P4.

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www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

New style Reps training a hit NSW Independent Education Union 2014 Election of Branch Delegates to Council

Election Notice The Electoral Commissioner for New South Wales is the Returning Officer for this election.

NOMINATIONS Nominations are hereby invited for the following positions: Branch

Central Coast Central Metropolitan Central West Cumberland Hunter Valley Ku-Ring-Gai Lansdowne

Number to be elected

5 6 6 6 6 6 6

Branch

Metropolitan East Mid North Coast Monaro North Coast Northern Suburbs North West Northern Beaches

Number to be elected

6 5 6 6 6 5 5

Branch

Penrith/Blue Mountains Riverina South Coast South East Southern Suburbs Principals

Number to be elected

6

6 6 5 6 4

NB: Rule 13(d)(ii) of the Union’s rules states: “A member shall be eligible for election as a delegate of a branch to Council if: (1) The member is a member of that branch; (2) The member is entitled to hold a position in the Union pursuant to Rule 5(j)*; and (3) The member is financial at the date of closing of nominations” Close of nominations is Thursday 1 May 2014. * Rule 5(j) states: “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution relating to eligibility for voting and for candidature for office, the right to participate in all votes and the right to hold any position in the Union is given by this Constitution exclusively to Full Members, Casual Members, Members on Maternity Leave or Leave Without Pay and Life members who qualify for membership as Full Members.”

Nomination Forms are available from: • NSW Electoral Commission’s website at www.elections.nsw.gov.au; • NSW Electoral Commission, Level 25, 201 Kent Street, Sydney, telephone (02) 9290 5924; or • The NSW Independent Education Union, telephone (02) 8202 8900.

QUALIFICATIONS Candidates must be financial members of the Union as at Thursday, 1 May 2014 and must be nominated in writing by at least two financial members of the relevant branch of the Union. No financial member may nominate more candidates than the number to be elected.

LODGEMENT OF NOMINATIONS Completed Nomination Forms must be received by the Returning Officer, NSW Electoral Commission by no later than 12.00 Noon, Thursday 1 May 2014. A candidate may only withdraw his/her nomination in writing so as to be received by the Returning Officer prior to the close of nominations. Any defect in a nomination form must be rectified by the candidate prior to the close of nominations.

Nomination forms can only be lodged with the Returning Officer: • • • •

by hand: NSW Electoral Commission, Level 25, 201 Kent Street, Sydney; or by post: PO Box 693, Grosvenor Place NSW 1220; or by fax: (02) 9290 5939; or by email: ballots@elections.nsw.gov.au

Should more than the required number of nominations be received a draw will be conducted to determine the order of candidates' names on the ballot paper at the NSW Electoral Commission at 9.30am, Friday 2 May 2014.

Candidates or their representatives are invited to witness the draw.

VOTING If a ballot is necessary, voting material will be posted on Monday, 19 May 2014. The ballot will close at 12.00 Noon, Thursday 5 June 2014 and the count will be conducted at 9.00am, Friday 6 June 2014 at the NSW Electoral Commission. The method of voting for this election is First Past the Post using numbers.

Any enquiries should be directed to Diana Kosseifi at the New South Wales Electoral Commission, telephone (02) 9290 5924.

Colin Barry Returning Officer NSW Electoral Commission

This year the IEU is trialling a new style for Reps training, with an introductory session followed by a more advanced course.

The first introductory session was held in February at the IEU’s Wattle St head office with about 20 new Reps in attendance.

Riley Veldekis shares the Rep’s role with two others at Our Lady of Mercy College, Burraneer, where she has taught History and Geography for eight years.

“We decided three heads were better than one,” Riley says.

As the youngest of the trio, Riley sees it as her role to encourage new and younger teachers to join the Union.

“Some of the new teachers think these issues don’t relate to them and they don’t need to join the Union.

“I bring them an awareness of why it is important. I always say to the kids that they might think their voice won’t make a difference but a lot of voices in a room together can make a difference.

“That’s why I decided to get involved.”

John Gaulke, a Maths Teacher at Abbotsleigh Senior School in Sydney is actually an old hand at Union involvement, having been President of the Northern Territory Branch of the IEU seven years ago.

“I’ve walked in many a march carrying a May Day banner,” John says.

He was involved in the recent amalgamation of the NT branch with Queensland.

But he has never been a Rep before: “ I’ve never done the on-the-ground work at school, so I was keen to come to training. I’ve only been a Rep for two days”.

“It’s good to get an overall perspective of what the Union is all about. We heard from IEU General Secretary John Quessy this morning about a range of things the Union is doing.

“My challenge I think is to get people involved and turning up at meetings.”

Drama Teacher at Meriden School Strathfield Sonia Byrnes (pictured) came to training to make sure she understands her rights and was able to speak up for other people.

“I want to know how to help people and engage more people in the key stuff and convince them they should be part of the Union.

“There are many different opinions around about how useful unions are.

“It’s nice coming to training and being among like-minded people and hearing about the different things going on at the IEU that I can go back to school and talk about.”

Check the website www.ieu.asn.au for details and registration.

6

newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Rep Spotlight

Chapter Committee works best for St Paul’s Grammar School, Penrith Tara de Boehmler Journalist

There are many reasons why schools might adopt a Chapter Committee structure but in the case of St Paul’s Grammar School, Penrith there is an additional, rather unique explanation.

“It was the only way my wife would let me take on the role,” says IEU Rep Lindsay Smith (Pictured centre). “She knows my personality and she didn’t want me taking on too much.”

The 2014 Chapter Rep team comprises Rep Lindsay, Chapter Chair Barry Ingold (Pictured right) and Chapter Secretary Joy Cox (Pictured left) who is a support staff member at the school. Barry stepped up with Lindsay to form part of the Chapter Committee last year. He, like Lindsay, is based in the Senior School. Joy, who is part time and based in the Junior School, stepped into the Secretary role just over a month ago, after the departure of Clinton Gribble, who had represented support staff on the Committee last year.

“We’re optimistic and excited to have Joy as part of our team, as she helps us to be more representative and makes us even more accessible. She also has a good sense

of the history and context regarding issues for support, part-time and Junior School staff.

“It will help when running meetings.

We value her perspective, particularly as both Barry and myself may be described as middle-aged men.”

Whilst the 2014 Committee better represents the different groups of staff at St Paul’s – a Prep to Year 12 single campus school in Sydney’s greater west – Lindsay says there is still a vacancy for a Primary School teaching member.

“The committee structure serves us well and we encourage people to participate even if they just want to have a go for a couple of years. We are working towards sustainability and continuity. We don’t want anyone to burn out and nor do we want to find ourselves in a position where we create a vacuum if one of us leaves.

“To have a member from the Primary School step up and take on a formal role will really assist in understanding the issues specific to those members and how this area works.”

Whoever takes on the role will find themselves part of a team that supports each other and values each other’s strengths.

“It’s good to have others on the team to

consult with to see if your understanding of an issue is the same as theirs, for transparency, preparing for meetings, attending some difficult meetings, getting information together and standing in for each other if one is unavailable.”

Lindsay also appreciates having a mix of personalities and perspectives.

“Barry is a former lawyer and is quite unflappable, while I may have a natural tendency to seem more combative.

“Having a team helps temper this. It’s great to have a balance of personalities and approaches as it helps maintain our focus and positive approach regarding the running of the School.

“Good faith between us is what gets us through and the fact that we’re all on the same page.”

Lindsay says the Chapter Committee model is having a positive impact on density, with membership reaching an alltime high at St Paul’s.

“More people on the Rep Committee means we can reach more colleagues.

But the other factor is that the school is restructuring and it helps when colleagues know their Union chapter is across the issue, with a closer understanding of how decisions may impact their area of work.”

“Coming from an independent school, the Union is one of the few strong professional networks we have.

Chapter and Branch meetings provide an opportunity to participate in a practical, democratic conversation about the direction of our education community.”

Speaking from the perspective of a Rep who has found a system that works, Lindsay has a few bits of advice for those who may be starting out as Reps in other schools or for experienced Reps looking for a fresh approach.

In part it involves using the supports that are readily available: IEU Organisers; the Rep section of the IEU website for tips on holding meetings, meeting with school leadership and negotiating; and attending branch meetings.

“Before last year I’d never been to a branch meeting but, from the first one I attended, I picked up lots of tips and ideas regarding my role and the industrial climate.

“Coming from an independent school, the Union is one of the few strong professional networks we have and branch meetings provide an opportunity to participate in a practical, democratic conversation about the direction of our education community.”

Lindsay’s other recommendation is to consider a Chapter Committee model.

“For us, this format was essential. My wife wouldn’t let me do it any other way and I’m in full agreement with her.”

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Stop re-inventing the wheel...do yourself a favour and check out Edekit!! www.edekit.com.au newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

7

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

VET: Refine requirements or a better model Mark Northam Assistant Secretary

The IEU has met with the Australia Skills Quality Authority and outlined member concerns with regulatory expectations attached to teaching in the VET arena.

The continuous upgrading of qualifications is particularly onerous and does not sit comfortably with the workload associated with teaching a standard BoSTES course.

VET in schools appears to have an identity crisis. Teachers are not trainers.

Their qualifications and experience are sufficient to upgrade their skills without cumbersome retaining.

The Registered Training Organisations insist (unrealistically) that ‘retraining’ is a vital ingredient in moving forward.

Teachers develop curriculum on a continual basis and whilst relevant professional development may be part of this process it is not mandatory and it could not lead (as it may in VET) to your capacity to teach a

subject being potentially withheld.

ASQA auditors appear to have a limited understanding of VET in the NSW context.

The notion of an ‘audit’ is accompanied by a frenzy of activity which often falls on an individual to swim the compliance race. The onus should fall on the school or system of schools. If schools or systems of schools do not provide appropriate levels of support they should be held to account.

If the current model of dual accreditation is not meeting the needs of schools and teachers the work of the Union will be to

reconsider the current method of operation.

NSW Teachers rightly have an expectation of consultation and orderly redevelopment of syllabuses. Competency based training (whilst important) should not generate unrealistic workloads.

Employers have a responsibility to support VET in more tangible ways. To not fund the model is to question it’s relevance for schools.

“The ever-changing syllabi, extensive record keeping, workplace assessments and ongoing online assessments are an extra burden placed on VET teachers that needs to be acknowledged.”

Thumbs down for VET assessments Sue Osborne Journalist

An IEU survey of VET Hospitality teachers resulted in an overwhelming thumbs down for the current regime of online assessments.

The survey was sent to 145 teachers in Catholic schools who undertook the mandatory HSC VET Hospitality qualification through an online course at the end of 2013.

The survey resulted in a high response rate with 64 people participating.

Of those 64, 68% said the assignment took an “unreasonable amount of time to complete, but they completed it in the time allotted”.

Twenty per cent said they were unable to complete the assignment in the time allotted.

Fifty eight per cent said they received relief from face-to-face teaching time to do the work, but not enough, and 35% said they received no release time at all.

While 25% of teachers were satisfied with 8

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the support they received from their online trainer, the data shows that support was inconsistent and inequitable, even at times from the same provider.

Thirty two per cent of respondent said they were “very unhappy” with the overall experience.

Some of the individual responses received on the survey included: “I found the experience completely useless. There was nothing in this process that showed me that I was upgrading my qualifications.”

“The time taken to complete this was extensive - considering I had no release time to do this training. It would have been wonderful to actually work with an assessor face-to-face. Technology does not work all of the time!”

“The constant requirement to ‘upgrade’ is overall time consuming and stressful.

I really query the relevance of our recent upgrade. For example I had to complete eight submissions/assignments/quizzes, of which I felt only two really contained any ‘new’ content. It’s frustrating to constantly

feel like we have to justify ourselves professionally, which ultimately takes time away from our students, our classrooms and preparation.”

“The timeframe given wasn’t enough as it was during exam marking and report time.

I had to complete the training during the holidays.”

“This whole process of upgrading is always a joke and an insult to my intelligence. I went to university for four years, have been teaching for 15 years and I still have to prove my competence to teach hospitality. The next time I have to do an upgrade I will refuse and I will not be disappointed if I never have to teach hospitality again!”

While there was some positive feedback on the assignment, the above comments are typical.

The IEU has been lobbying on behalf of VET teachers and has already had meetings with the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BoSTES), the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the Catholic Education Commission and the

Non-Government Schools Advisory Council.

The Union has also included in its general claim for Catholic schools for VET teachers to receive compensation on a time in lieu basis (to be taken in half or full day blocks) for time spent outside normal school hours visiting workplaces to supervise students or for time spent outside normal school hours acquiring mandatory industry experience for accreditation.

The ever-changing syllabi, extensive record keeping, workplace assessments and ongoing online assessments are an extra burden placed on VET teachers that needs to be acknowledged.

The IEU has plans to meet with ASQA this month to raise this workload issue.

It is also notable that no union representative was invited to a recent roundtable conducted by Assistant Minister for Education Sussan Ley to discuss improvement to the quality of vocational education and training in schools. She had invited 40 other representatives from industry, schools, training providers and government.

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Student teachers flock to Union stall

“The IEU would stand up for my rights, fight for me if I was being discriminated against and look after my best interests.

Sue Osborne Journalist

Students keen to join the Union and find out more about their rights swamped the IEU stall at this year’s University of Western Sydney Edfest.

Almost 300 students signed up on the day with many others taking away information packs.

February’s Edfest was the biggest career expo for preservice teachers in Australia, and the IEU had a strong presence at the event, not only through its stall but also two popular presentations.

IEU Organiser Tina Smith spoke about her 30 years experience as an early childhood teacher, and what early childhood teachers would gain from union membership.

IEU Organiser Dave Towson addressed Masters of Teaching students, explaining the awards and agreements that would affect them if they got jobs in nongovernment schools and the many benefits the Union could offer them, including support for their professional development.

Most of the students who joined the IEU had not previously heard of it, but the presentations inspired them to find out more.

Dina Elhafez, who is training to be a secondary school teacher, joined because “a union will support me if something goes wrong”.

“It’s someone I can seek advice from,” she says.

Jane Cole says the IEU would “be there for consultation, protection, to give you an independent perspective. I

would definitely go to them for advice on my contract.”

Irini Kyrkilis has a passion for special education and wants to teach anywhere she can exercise that passion.

“It’s good to get as much information about things as you can, that’s why I joined.”

Mitchell Mount says the IEU would be for him when he was in need.

“If the pay wasn’t right or there was another problem, I expect they would fight for me.”

Ben Nolan admits to “not knowing a lot about the IEU”, but says the Union would “stand up for my rights, fight for me if I was being discriminated against and look after my best interests if anything was unfair or unjust”.

Jane Cooper, who wants to work in primary school, is interested in the forums and PIPs that the Union offers. The free

Starting Strong Forum to be held at the IEU’s Wattle St headquarters of April 5 will provide preservice teachers with information on: • writing your CV • preparing for interviews • getting a job • easing your concerns about NSW Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES), and • understanding your rights and responsibilities as a teacher.

To book a place, send your name, university, IEU member number along with your workshop preference to Kayla via kayla@ieu.asn.au. Bookings are essential.

Aboriginal Education permanency win Sue Osborne Journalist

Even though she has been committed to her job as an Aboriginal Education Teacher for five years, every Spring Caroline Kennedy would have to reapply for her temporary position.

That uncertainty has ended since Aboriginal Education teachers in the Newcastle-Maitland Diocese were granted permanency.

Caroline approached her IEU Rep at Rosary Park Primary School Branxton, who in turn approached IEU Organiser Therese Fitzgibbon, to see if she could achieve permanent status, earlier this year.

“I probably thought in the past it would never happen because it’s an Indigenous position and the funding chops and changes depending on enrolments,” Caroline says.

“I guess I just put it in the ‘too hard basket’.

“For years I have had to put up with the uncertainty at the end of each year, not knowing if I would have a job after Christmas. Caroline says she felt excited when her School Rep took her to see Therese.

“She said ‘it should be done and it could be done’.

Her approach was that we are so important to schools it should happen.”

Caroline says while permanency will allow her to plan better for her family’s future, she feel it also acknowledges the importance of Aboriginal children.

“We do some powerful work. We do a lot of things about culture at the school and I think this decision reflects better on the status and importance of Aboriginal children and workers in schools.

“They’re saying Indigenous culture matters and improving Aboriginal numeracy and literacy is really important.”

“For years I have had to put up with the uncertainty at the end of each year, not knowing if I would have a job after Christmas.”

newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

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www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

New South Wales Independent Education Union Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2013 NOTES 2013 2012

$ $ ACCUMULATED FUND General Fund 14,553,007 14,846,882 Asset Revaluation Reserve 0 0

14,553,007 14,846,882 Represented by: CURRENT ASSETS Cash at Bank 1,906,581 2,509,624 Cash on Hand 1,700 1,700 Account Receivables 43,200 132,752 Interest bearing deposits 12 3,000,000 3,461,464 Prepayments and Instalments 80,662 67,132 Deposits paid 10 0 18,600

Summary of the consolidated financial statements

For year ended 31 December 2013 The financial statements of the NSW Independent Education Union have been audited in accordance with the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 and the following summary is provided for members in accordance with Section 263 (2) of the Act. A copy of the Auditor’s Report, Accounts and Statements will be supplied free of charge to members who request same.

Certificates required to be given under the Act by the Accounting Officer and the Committee of Management have been completed in accordance with the provisions of the Act and contain no qualifications.

Notice to members Subsections (1) and (2) of section 512 of the Industrial Relations Act 1991, preserved as regulations under section 282(3) Industrial Relations Act 1996, provide that: s.512. (1) A member of an organisation, or the Industrial Registrar, may apply to the organisation for specified information prescribed by the regulations in relation to the organisation. [Industrial Relations Regulation 1992, clause 60] (2) An organisation must, on the making of such an application, make the specified information available to the member or the Industrial Registrar in the manner, and within the time, prescribed by the regulations.

NSW Independent Education Union Auditors certificate

We certify that the above summary is a fair and accurate summary of the financial statements of the NSW Independent Education Union for the year ended December 31 2013. Our Auditor’s Report dated 19 March 2014 on the financial statements did not contain particulars of any

deficiency, failure or shortcomings as referred to in Section 514 (5) of the 1991 Act. SUTHERLAND & COMPANY Ground Floor 4 Railway Parade Burwood NSW 2134

……………………………………………………..

D.W. Sutherland AM JP BA FCA FCIS Registered Company Auditor (Nr. 3835) Date: 19 March 2014 10

newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 5,032,143 6,191,272

NON CURRENT ASSETS Unlisted shares at cost 17 17 Land and Building 12,587,212 12,587,212 Building improvements ( at cost ) 3,738,954 2,605,986 Less: Accumulated Depreciation (450,752) (357,646) Motor Vehicles ( at cost ) 550,742 532,607 Less: Accumulated Depreciation (358,052) (288,981) Office Furniture and Fittings ( at cost ) 248,712 199,127 Less: Accumulated Depreciation (121,815) (92,901) Plant and Equipment ( at cost ) 512,641 498,341 Less: Accumulated Depreciation (354,738) (304,790) Intagibles - computer software 622,809 622,809 Less: Accumulated Depreciation (341,707) (185,916)

TOTAL NON CURRENT ASSETS 16,634,023 15,815,866

TOTAL ASSETS 21,666,166 22,007,138

CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts Payable 123,861 291,390 FBT reimbursement 48,559 43,536 Membership subscription in advance 304,235 188,242 Provision for Annual Leave 1,091,151 960,842 Provision for Long Service Leave 1,653,311 1,484,241 Publications Subscriptions and other Advances 256 405 Other taxes Payable/(refundable) 252,787 (5,593) Accrued expenses 11 0 73,194

TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 3,474,160 3,036,256

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES Westpac Loans 12 3,639,000 4,124,000

TOTAL LIABILITIES 7,113,160 7,160,256

NET ASSETS 14,553,007 14,846,882

New South Wales Independent Education Union Income And Expenditure Statement for year ended 31 December 2013

2013 2012

INCOME Membership Subscription 12,418,189 11,762,088 Other Income 958,786 1,161,904

3,376,975 12,923,992

EXPENDITURE Administration Expenses 4,889,722 5,300,141 Donations 2,022 2,400 Capitation and Affiliation Fees 652,298 607,595 Professional Fees and Services 471,249 528,005 Salaries and Allowances 6,832,427 6,399,925 Superannuation and Associated Costs 823,131 763,909

13,670,850 13,601,975

SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR YEAR (293,875) (677,983 ACCUMULATED FUND AT BEGINNING OF YEAR

14,846,882

15,690,049

Movement in reserves

ACCUMULATED FUND AT END OF YEAR

0

(165,185)

14,553,007

14,846,882

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Next step in equal pay case The IEU has made a submission on the “legislative and conceptual framework” of its equal pay claim case for early childhood teachers to the Fair Work Commission.

The IEU is lodging the pay claim on behalf of university qualified early childhood teachers in preschools and child care centres across Australia based on their pay being reduced because more than 95% are women and the work is seen as ‘caring’ work.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for late April, with the case to proceed throughout 2014.

The Union needs IEU members who are willing and able to describe the nature of their work to

assist the Union’s argument that the wages of early childhood teachers are inequitable with the wages paid to teachers.

We would also like to hear from directors and teachers who have worked in multiple settings, such as schools and early childhood services or both preschool and long day care settings.

If you would like to assist the IEU to achieve pay parity for early childhood teachers or for further information about how you can help email ieu@ieu.asn.au. To read the IEU’s submission in full, see www.ieu.asn.au

Long-term benefits outweigh costs of quality preschool education Lisa James IEU Organiser

An Australian Bureau of Statistics report showing low levels of preschool participation coincides with research revealing significant longer-term benefits for those who receive a quality preschool education.

All the research supports the IEU’s Teachers are Teachers campaign to pay early childhood teachers the same as their equally qualified colleagues in primary schools, and it shows governments should be viewing it as the vital investment teachers already know it to be.

A report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2012 shows there were 288,052 children aged four or five-

years-old enrolled in a preschool program in 2013. Of these, 55% were enrolled in a preschool and 42% were enrolled in a long day care centre. Some 39% of children enrolled in preschool attend a government preschool and 60% attend non-government preschools.

For those enrolled for 15 or more hours per week as per the Universal Access guidelines, Western Australia and Tasmania were highest with 97% and Queensland a close 95%. NSW was second lowest with 62%.

Research by the Melbourne Institute (2013) demonstrated that children who attended a quality preschool scored up to 30 points higher on NAPLAN tests in Year 3. In addition, the International Educational Evaluation Association last

year reported that literacy and numeracy tests in over 40 countries demonstrated that children in Year 4 with three or more years of early learning performed better than those who had one year or less.

This is concerning because according to PIRLS (2011) Australia only has a participation rate of 15% for three or more years of early learning, compared with countries with leading reading scores Hong Kong at 68%, Russia 69%, Finland 46%, Singapore 64% and Denmark 81%.

The EPPE (2004) research showed the most important indicator of a high quality preschool program was a degree qualified director and/or teachers as they engage in more sustained shared thinking and more literacy and numeracy activities with children. ECA released a report in

2013 detailing that children attending a preschool program with a degree-qualified teacher scored better on literacy and social learning assessments at age five.

The number of exemptions allowing centres not to meet the National Regulations because they cannot find early childhood teachers is increasing despite a requirement from 1 January for all services to have an ECT at least 20% of the time (if 24 or less places) and at least one ECT six hours per day there if there are 25 places or more.

There is a chronic shortage of qualified ECT in early childhood programs because of the 20% wage discrepancy and working conditions so graduates prefer to work in schools. The IEU is seeking to change this through our equal pay claim.

Prac triple whammy for early childhood teachers Early childhood services accept prac students doing degrees, diplomas and Certificate III qualifications.

It is not unusual for services to have several prac students on board at one time.

But they only receive payment for university students, and then only $21 a day.

As IEU ECS Vice President and Director of Albury Preschool Gabe Connell explains, that $21 sometimes has to be split between two or three people.

“It’s mostly part-time teachers at preschools, so the prac student relates to several different teachers during the week.

The diploma and Certificate III students also mentor students.

“With the last university prac student we had, I gave the payment to the Diploma person to honour the fact she had done most of the work.

“Often two people will fill in the claim form for the money, but by the time you

split it and pay tax on it, it’s hardly worth filling out the paperwork,” Gabe says.

“A lot of the services just keep the money themselves and use it on something else.”

university prac students from next term, and she would also like to see that extended to TAFE students in the early childhood setting, with a campaign for some sort of incentive for taking TAFE students.

“I would like to see that payment more or less doubled to $39, which would provide the staff with a bit more incentive to take on prac students.”

In early childhood settings there are no relief times or free lessons, the day is full to 4pm, so it’s often after hours that the teacher spends time with the prac student.

“Otherwise, during the day the other staff have to pick up the slack and it creates extra pressure on them.”

Gabe supports the IEU’s ban on accepting

“Diploma and Certificate III courses are challenging and thorough and the student asks a lot of questions and needs a lot of support.

“The trainer will come out for an hour and a half and you just have to find time to talk to them.” University students come for three weeks in their first year and do a

10-week stint in their final year, five weeks in early childhood and five weeks in a primary school.

“By then most of them have decided they want to work in a primary school anyway, because the pay is so much better, so they come to us and just do a token effort.

“Not every student comes and wants to help out with the cleaning, the gardening, changing kids. It’s not all nice play-based learning here.

“That causes resentment among the staff supervising them for no extra money.

“I would like to see that payment more or less doubled to $39, which would provide the staff with a bit more incentive to take on a students.

“The whole thing just runs on goodwill at the moment.”

newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

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www.ieu.asn.au overview

PhotograPhy awards 2014 Quality education WHat We do: WHo We aRe IEU members are invited to submit photographs which illustrate the every day activities in the delivery of Quality Education.

BRANCH FINAlIStS First Prize $500 Second Prize $300 third Prize $200 Highly Commended Awards will also be presented in each branch.

Submit your entry online at www.educationforall.com.au or your IEU Branch website Competition Closes 31 July 2014

NAtIoNAl FINAlIStS First Prize $1000 Second Prize $500 third Prize $250 All branch finalists will go into the national competition.

National Finalists will be announced on 4 october 2014 for World teachers' Day 2014

2014

The Independent Education Union is proud to present glen Pearsall.

BEHAVIoUR MAnAgEMEnT & STUdEnT EngAgEMEnT experienced teachers develop a range of strategies for managing student behaviour and creating engaged and motivated classes. Building up a bank of these skills takes time but in this workshop glen Pearsall explores how doing the little things well can make a big difference to your working life. glen will explore practical strategies for getting students to play a more active role in your lessons, for taking responsibility for their work practice and for doing this without adding to your workload. glEn PEARSAll, Educational Consultant and Teacher Coach.

TEACH SURVIVE THRIVE Beginning teachers event – classroom Dynamics

are you in your first 5 years of teaching? this is the PD session for you!

10th June - IEU Sydney office, The Briscoe Building, 485-501 Wattle St, Ultimo.

4:30pm - 6:30pm

or

11th June - Fairfield RSl, 14 Anzac Ave, Fairfield.

4.30pm - 6.30pm 12

newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

Glen is passionate about finding practical solutions to the everyday challenges of classroom teaching.

to register your participation please phone Kayla on 02 8202 8900, email professionaldev@ieu.asn.au or visit the ieU website at www.ieu.asn.au.

CloSIng dATE: 1st June 2014 HURRY – this is a free event for ieU members only. limited spaces available. this event is registered with the nsW Bostes for 2 hours. nsW standards – 4.2.4; 4.2.5; 5.2.5; 6.2.3 australian standards – 4.1.2; 3.3.2; 6.2.2; 7.4.2

Sponsored by

www.ieu.asn.au feature

Adam Lawson

Fiore Stanizzo, Sonya Diaz and Mark Smith

Holy Spirit Bellambi takes stand on prac Tara de Boehmler Journalist

Holy Spirit College, Bellambi, is a popular choice for student teachers seeking practicum opportunities and already they have had to reduce places to cope with the associated workload. But from Term 2 the College will be among those telling universities that they will no longer accept prac students under current arrangements.

PE Teacher and Pastoral Coordinator Adam Lawson says he’s taken seven or eight prac students over his career and has “always been supportive of the program as it allows them to learn off qualified, professional teachers”. But he says the remuneration has not kept pace with the increasing responsibilities.

“I’ve been teaching for 20 years now and over that time I haven’t seen an increase in the remuneration for supervising prac, but certainly 20 years ago we weren’t being contacted on weekends and after hours, or being asked to do as much as we are now.

Accountability has ramped up yet the rate of pay has stayed the same.

“There is a lot of preparation that has to go in to having a prac student for seven weeks and they can come in several times before prac has even started. There are the units of work that need to be completed and final marking procedures that need to be addressed with them. We spend a lot of time setting it up and then checking that they’ve done it correctly. There is a great deal of administration and we find that they coordinate a lot with their supervising teachers via email and often contact us outside of school hours.”

Adam says that while the standard of prac teachers is usually quite high, there are additional challenges when mentoring student teacher whose skills don’t match their year group.

“If there are a lot of issues that you need to address to bring them up to a standard that you are happy with then you really feel a commitment to the profession to spend even more time with them.”

Economics Teacher Sonya Diaz is in her fourth year at Holy Spirit College and first came to the school as a prac teacher in 2010 following a successful career as an accountant.

Sonya rates her prac experience as the most important element of the Graduate Diploma she completed through the University of Wollongong and she has since enjoyed taking prac students herself.

“You can learn all you want in a course but unless you have a go at the front of a class you will have no idea how you perform as a teacher, what you need to work on or how you manage student behaviour. This is why universities ask you to do a prac early in your first year.”

Sonya recalls the valuable support her own supervisors provided.

“They went through the learning plans, gave feedback after every lesson on what I did well and what I needed to work on.

I was able to talk things through with them. My supervisors provided tips and behaviour management strategies and they helped me work out my timing – whether I had prepared too much or too little to fit the class.

“A pay rise for prac supervisors is very much needed,” Sonya says. “Universities are being paid for it anyway and better remuneration will help attract more mentors. It’s about time.”

Senior Teacher Mark Smith says Holy Spirit College teachers have historically been keen to put their hands up to take on prac students but “no one volunteered this year”. He says work intensification is a contributing factor.

“Our employers still expect the same quality and quantity of work from us and there are so many additional duties that we already have to deal with,” he says.

“I’d like to see some reduction in our normal workload when we take a prac student on.”

Mark says the College is a popular choice for student teachers, while experienced teachers also see prac supervision as a “two-way exchange of motivation and knowledge”.

He says that when Coordinators used to walk around asking who wanted prac students, many would say they did. But now “because we have so much else to do people are hesitant”.

“We have a responsibility to develop those coming in to support our profession and we value the role we play, but we have to do this on top of all our other growing duties and this is where the pressure comes from.

“When you see the amount universities are actually funded per day per student – and this has been indexed – you realise this is all just based on our good will.

We’ve been taken advantage of for a long time.”

“We’re so snowed under with this obsession with assessment and data that it makes it difficult to find the time to give these prac students the quality of mentoring that they deserve.

“Enough is enough. This position has been forced upon us.”

HSIE Coordinator Fiore Stanizzo said the school was about to take a prac student in his Senior Business Studies subject when they heard about the IEU campaign. He says the prac relationship is not just about the supervisor and prac student involved, it impacts on the whole school.

“We all help support prac teachers, whether through orientation, getting them in to observe other classes or administration support.”

With up to eight prac students at one time, the school recently moved to limit prac places to one per department.

Fiore says it’s been hard to limit prac numbers, but the bigger issue has been getting payment for those teachers who do agree to take them on.

“The difficulty for me has been making sure my teachers who take on prac students get any reimbursement at all.

With the exception of the University of Wollongong, some universities provide no information about how to claim reimbursement while others just don’t come through with the pay.

“It’s been a big issue for me as a Coordinator and no one has put their hand up this year.

“When you see the amount universities are actually funded per day per student – and this has been indexed – you realise this is all just based on our good will. We’ve been taken advantage of for a long time.”

For more on prac, see page 3.

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www.ieu.asn.au feature

Intentional damage

“No matter how resilient children are, we are setting down some sort of scar.”

Ann-Maree McEwan and Dianne Hiles Teachers should be concerned about the plight of more than 1000 asylum seeker children in Australian detention centres on and off shore, receiving little or no access to education.

ChilOut is a volunteer-based organisation dedicated to getting children out of immigration detention and into the community, where they can access education and health care and a semblance of normal life.

ChilOut Chair Dianne Hiles is appealing to all sectors of the community, but particularly those who work in education, to support their campaign.

ChilOut was formed in 2001 following the screening of a Four Corners program about Shayan Badraie, a six-year-old boy who suffered a complete psychological and physical breakdown after two years in detention.

“We’re unequivocal that children should not be in detention,” Dianne says.

“There’s incontrovertible evidence that indefinite detention damages anyone, but children in particular.

“The situation we have now has been set up to cause damage to children and we’re a society that acquiesces to that.

“We focus on children because they are the real Achilles heel in these policies. No matter how resilient children are, we are setting down some sort of scar.”

On Christmas Island, under the jurisdiction of the West Australian Government, hundreds of children are not able to attend school or early childhood education.

“You can make arguments about who is responsible for offshore centres, but there’s absolutely no excuses on Christmas Island, part of our own country.

Official figures show there are currently 1138 children in locked detention facilities.

424 of those are on Christmas Island and Chilout says 160+ are on Nauru.

The Government has recently recommenced sending unaccompanied children to indefinite detention on Nauru.

This means that guardianship of these children has been passed from Australia’s Immigration Minister to the Nauruan Justice Minister.

Some operational guardianship duties are delegated to Save The Children employed in the detention facility under a Commonwealth of Australia contract.

Last time unaccompanied children were

sent to Nauru (November 2013), they were returned to Australia within days and weeks as the risks to their health and safety were deemed to be too great.

There is no formal Australian curriculum standard education for children detained on Christmas Island or Nauru and they do not leave their detention compounds to attend classes. Space for teaching is incredibly limited (on Nauru tents only), resources are limited and teaching staff at a minimum. Even in mainland centres, access to early childhood education and development is highly questionable.

There are currently around 80 pregnant women detained in Australian mainland centres, on Christmas Island and roughly 15 on Nauru. Women are brought from Nauru and Christmas Island to give birth in Australian public hospitals. Once a baby is 28 days old and receives medical clearance the mother and child are sent back to detention on Christmas Island.

We are yet to see at what age it is deemed ‘appropriate’ to send a baby to detention on Nauru.

The precursors to Manus Island unrest have been identified as lack of information, finally realising/being told that

resettlement would not be in Australia, helplessness, boredom, frustration. All of these elements exist in Nauru, where a total of more than 1,012 people are now detained. The only difference there is that 160+ children are involved.

Dianne says political “flim flammery” and media misinformation have got in the way of the discussion.

“People have very strong views on this regardless of whether they are well informed.

“We are spending an obscene amount of money on the current policy, when ultimately most of these children will end up being settled in Australia.

“We will be faced with damaged people with social problems for the rest of their lives. Why not let them be educated and have productive lives?”

Join the IEU contingent at the Unions NSW Palm Sunday Rally and march from 1pm Sunday 13 April at Hyde Park North and declare peace on refugees.

Teaching resource on asylum seekers and refugees The Edmund Rice Centre (ERC) for Justice and Community Education is involved in a range of human rights projects and initiatives which encourage greater awareness, understanding and action for positive change.

For many years the ERC has been working to raise awareness of, and advocate for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees.

The Asylum Seekers and Refugees Education Resource is ERC’s latest publication, which converts years of their research and experience into curriculum support material that addresses the learning needs of students.

The free 52-page resource offers 35 cross-curricular activities which are practical, engaging and focused on increasing awareness about human rights and advocacy.

The activities are adaptable to all year levels in secondary school and some can also be used with primary classes, students with special needs and could also be used in community group discussions.

Students are encouraged to think about asylum seekers and refugees with compassion, to move their understanding from the head to the heart.

The ERC invites teachers to send images, presentations, exhibitions, speeches and artwork of their students’ work to share on their website.

For feedback and enquiries contact erc@erc.org.au. To download the resource see www.erc.org.au/ Resources_for_Schools/Asylum_ Seekers_and_Refugees

Palm Sunday rally and march Declare peace on refugees Sunday 13th April 1pm, Hyde Park North Speakers include:

• Sally McManus ASU • Phil Glendenning - Refugee Council of Australia Organised by the Sydney Palm Sunday Committee

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Join the IEU contingent

www.ieu.asn.au feature

Class of 75

Peter Murphy

Sue Osborne Journalist

This year the IEU celebrates its 60th anniversary. Newsmonth talked to two IEU members who have been around for the long haul about changes to teaching and the IEU’s influence on the profession.

Peter Murphy and Tony Stevens are both graduates of the Catholic Teachers College Castle Hill class of 1975, and both joined the ITA that year (as the IEU was then called) when a representative came to the College.

IEU General Secretary John Quessy is also a graduate of that class.

It was a significant time because Catholic schools were facing a crisis, with not enough ‘religious’ personnel to fill the demand for teachers. After much soul searching the dioceses had decided to recruit more lay teachers. The College was established to train those new teachers.

Peter went on to have a long career all over NSW, mainly as an English teacher.

“I revered my teachers at school. I thought they were great role models and that was a way you could make a lasting contribution to the generations,” Peter says.

Tony joined the ITA because he was “surprised” to learn there was a difference between the conditions being offered to Catholic and public school teachers.

“Although wages were just about coming to parity by then, the conditions were vastly different. I felt being a Union member would provide me with the opportunity for a professional organisation to seek the improvements that I couldn’t, as an individual,” Tony says.

“This was important to me as I wanted a family down the track. The sick leave was less, long service leave was especially different and there was no super.”

Peter’s first position was at a Christian Bros school at Young, and over the years he taught at Sydney, Wagga Wagga, Singleton and finally at Maitland, where he retired from St Peters College as a senior English teacher in 2012.

Tony Stevens “In the ‘70s there was no super for teachers in Catholic schools, and when they did eventually bring it in it was not portable.

When I left Young after six years I could not take my super with me. I lost it all.

“I think over the years the Union has played a major role in improving wages and conditions and campaigning for things like portable super.

Nowadays it also plays a role in political, economic and social issues.”

Peter was the IEU Rep at St Peter’s for two years and says it was a highly enjoyable experience.

“I’m still a Union member after 41-odd years. It’s as important as ever for people to be in the Union, particularly to access legal advice.

“The biggest change to the profession has been the increase in paperwork,” he says.

“Some of the fun has gone out of teaching.

I know some teachers feel like mice on a wheel. To some extent teachers are so mired down in paperwork it’s getting in the way of effective teaching.”

Service to the community and children in particular has always motivated Peter, and that hasn’t changed since his retirement.

He now spends his summers working as a lifeguard at Maitland’s two pools.

“I’m still giving something back to the community and to children, as I did when I was a teacher,” he says.

Tony had decided he wanted to be a teacher when he was a Year 9 student at St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill.

Training in HSIE and Maths subjects, he knew he wanted to be in education for a long time, and he wanted job security and conditions to enable him to have a “secure future”.

“In those early days, I worked in both Marist and Christian Brothers schools and the religious orders were wonderful. However, living in communities as they did, they did not have the same understanding of family issues and finance matters that affected lay teachers.

“I’m sure we would not have received pay parity and improved conditions without the work of the IEU over the years.”

Tony taught in six schools during his long career. He retired as Principal of St Paul’s High School, Booragul late last year, although he is still on the payroll until the end of this year.

“Enabling us to take long service leave at half pay is another win from the Union,” he says.

Tony says the end of corporal punishment was one of the most significant changes in his 40 years in education.

“With corporal punishment removed, I remember thinking ‘this is going to be difficult, how will we control students now?’ I had been educated in both Catholic and Government schools, where the main form of punishment was the cane. As a teacher, I had used the cane as a form of punishment for 15 years.

“In hindsight we would have benefited from some PD and strategies in handling

“I think over the years the Union has played a major role in improving wages and conditions and campaigning for things like portable super.

Nowadays it also plays a role in political, economic and social issues.”

the students without using corporal punishment.

“The flow on effect has actually seen schools become much less violent places.

You can’t talk to students about being less violent with each other if the staff are using violence to discipline them.

“Fights used to be a regular occurrence, but they are much rarer these days.

“The school atmosphere has changed with the removal of the cane.”

Tony says the other drastic change has been the increase in accountability to governments and the system.

“As government subsidies and support of schools has increased, the expectation to conform to a particular standard or style has also increased.

“In the last six years the influx of government money into schools has been huge. This has been a very positive thing but the amount of time I spent as Principal writing reports, responding to surveys and other administrative paperwork has increased enormously.

“It made it more difficult to get out into the yard or into the classroom with students and develop that personal relationship. However, I did keep my commitment to continue teaching, even though I was a Principal.

“I always put time with students, staff and parents first, so I ended up doing all the paperwork outside school opening hours.

“Luckily by the time I became Principal my four children had all left home. I don’t believe I could have been the type of Principal I was if I still had young children at home.

“When I reflect on my time in teaching I feel blessed. Blessed for the many great memories, the many dedicated teachers and ancillary staff I have worked with, the great support from the CSO or CEO and finally the thousands of wonderful students I met, along the way.”

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IT Wizard Daniel Long Journalist Tablets improve literacy A study by the UK-based National Literary Trust based on a poll of 1000 parents with children aged between three and five years old found that even though children from disadvantaged backgrounds were less likely to have access to expensive electric devices such as iPads, when they did they used them twice as often on a daily basis compared to their more socially advantaged peers.

Poorer children who read stories on their tablets and regular paper books were likely to perform above the expected standard for their age against those who only read books. The takeaway from this study is that technology helps children learn in their earliest years of development.

Researchers concluded that whatever the medium, the impact of parents who read to their children increases the child's enjoyment of reading and the life benefits that go with such behaviours.

Details: http://bit.ly/1fE7v46

Is social media hurting your employment chances?

The latest Graduate Outlook for 2013, prepared

by Graduate Careers Australia, reports a disturbing trend: one-third of graduates are being asked to reveal their social media profiles to employers.

The problem of employers drawing unsavoury conclusions as a result of trawling through one’s social media profiles is cause for concern.

Social media reveals the warts of everyday existence, including the big weekends, the long nights with friends and those hedonistic holidays in the sun. It also acts as a diary into many users’

sense of self and they feel their privacy is protected if they only invite their (friends) to share their most personal information.

So what if you have no choice? Firstly, keep your profile locked down like a concrete bunker. If a recruiter wants access, they'll need to ask and ask very nicely at that.

Next, be sure to reveal only what you feel comfortable sharing. To manage this concern, you can sort your friends on Facebook into the most appropriate groups and then choose what they can and cannot view on your timeline.

Again, it’s an issue of personal rights and given the employer is employing you for a job – and not the quality of your holiday photos – it’s your right to say no.

But the golden rule with all social media is to only post what you would be happy to have broadcast to the world. No one really knows where this data will end up in the longer term and there are too many instances where inappropriate pictures and posts have backfired.

Another golden rule for Facebook-using teachers is to never ‘friend’ a student.

Finally, if you’re really worried about a snooping employer, there is now a cottage industry devoted to clearing (and removing, if desired) your name from the internet.

While we can’t attest to their efficiency, we can understand the growing market for security specialists that can be hired to ensure your name can’t be Googled easily, your Facebook account can be scrubbed clean and your most embarrassing moments can stay private and not become digital mementos for the world to view.

Details: http://bit.ly/1nzKl8X

Labour Bites TV lawyer backs protest Maxine Peake who plays QC Martha Costello in BBC drama Silk is backing a day of action by lawyers protesting against the £215million cut in legal aid.

The actress said: “We can’t allow justice to become a luxury available only to the rich, the vulnerable would be left without legal protection.

“We have to send a message to this Government that we will no longer stand for their ferocious bullying of the poor.”

Crown and magistrates courts could close as lawyers walk out with marches in Hull, Liverpool and Manchester as well as a demonstration outside Justice Secretary Chris Grayling’s offices in London. Lawyers said the cuts will force hundreds of firms to close with people in parts of the country unable to get any legal advice. And it would “inevitably” lead to miscarriages of justice.

London solicitor Nicola Hill said: “Those left won’t have the time to prepare cases properly.”

(Source: Daily Mail) Staffing doesn’t matter?

Australian Education Union NT President Matthew Cranich claims the Northern Territory Government is 16

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planning to take action in the Fair Work Commission against teachers who took part in a strike, to prevent any further industrial action by teachers.

More than 1,500 teachers are believed to have taken part in the full-day stoppage and at least 24 remote areas schools closed across the Territory.

Teachers have been campaigning for an improved pay offer and better conditions since last year.

Education Minister Peter Chandler says additional staff and funds do not guarantee better outcomes. “It is not about resourcing these schools, it is about what curriculum is being taught.”

(Source. ABC) News on job losses held back.

Confidential economic modelling by the Productivity Commission has predicted that the end of local car manufacturing could cost up to 39,000 jobs, mostly in Victoria and South Australia.

This estimate comprises 11,120 direct jobs being lost at the car manufacturers, plus another 28,100 jobs in the car component supply chain. Some industry participants believe the Commission’s modelling is optimistic because it envisages no additional unemployment

The IEU website (www.ieu.asn.au) carries regular updates of local and international news with a trade union flavour. IEU General Secretary John Quessy reproduces below some recent items. after five years, as former car workers get new jobs.

The Commission promised in its January position paper that the modelling would be released in February but the highly sensitive forecasts on job losses are not expected to be released until after the South Australian state election.

The Productivity Commission has conceded that the job losses and reduced economic activity will be concentrated in some regions that already have high rates of unemployment, such as Adelaide’s outer northern suburbs and Geelong. (Source: The Guardian) Keeping the unions at bay Mississippi lawmakers are pushing ahead with a package of bills to restrict some labour union organising and picketing practices, with the Lower House passing a package of five bills.

Opponents question whether some are legal under federal law and whether others would have any practical effect.

All are being supported by the US Chamber of Commerce.

“They’re over there passing laws to keep people beat down when they make a pitiful wage,” said Robert Shaffer,

president of the Mississippi AFL-CIO Union Federation.

When Toyota Motor Corp built its plant in Mississippi, it signed a labour agreement covering union workers. But Shaffer said that then-Governor Haley Barbour tried to prevent the use of union labour.

(Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer) The month in labour history • 13 March 1830 The term ‘rat’ meaning one who betrays fellow workers appears in print for the first time in the New York Daily Sentinel.

• 21 March 1857 Prominent Australian suffragette Alice Henry born in Melbourne.

• 1 March 1912 The Miners Federation of Great Britain begins the first national coalminers strike in support of a minimum wage.

• 6 March 1912 The Brisbane General Strike ends when employers agree not to victimise strikers.

• 31 March 1927 Cesar Chavez, Latino American civil rights activist was born in Arizona.

www.ieu.asn.au overview

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Pam Smith Assistant Secretary

In the words of this year’s IWD address

by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, “Equality for women is progress for all” and this was reflected in the diverse range of IWD activities in which many IEU members engaged on and around 8 March.

The way forward on equity Tara de Boehmler Journalist

“Women depend on a fair arrangement at work so they can give their families a fair go at life,” NSW Shadow Minister for Local Government, Housing and the Status of Women Sophie Cotsis told an IEU International Women’s Day forum in Wattle St.

Sophie told of her own upbringing and the strong work ethic inspired by her mother. Sophie’s mother was taken out of school as a nine-yearold to care for her siblings when their mother died during a famine after the Greek Civil War. She eventually made her way to Australia in search of a better future.

Years later, Sophie and her brother would watch their migrant mother juggling numerous part-time jobs with little grasp of the English language.

“She would be cooking dinner and asking us if we’d done our homework but she couldn’t really read herself.

“From an early age she instilled within us an understanding that we had to work hard to improve our position in society.”

Sophie was often asked to translate and fill out forms, which provided a natural segueway into advocacy. It also gave her an appreciation of the contribution women make and the

need to keep fighting for equality.

Sophie said it was important to let younger women know that all the workplace equity gains made over the years were won through the hard work and organised campaigning

“The story of women in Australia is also a story of wider social change that has been driven largely by the union movement.” of union members, not gifted by benevolent bosses.

“The story of women in Australia is also a story of wider social change that has been driven largely by the union movement. None of the advances just happened overnight. Bosses didn’t just say, ‘Let’s give them long service leave and paid parental leave and bring in anti-harassment legislation’.

“We need to educate young women about this,” she said, adding that the struggle was far from over.

Convenor of the IEU IWD Wattle St event, IEU Organiser Ann-Maree McEwan, said the night was about bringing members together with IEU staff and friends to celebrate and take stock of women’s achievements, while taking stock of how much more there was to do.

“We’ve been powerful, and it’s inspiring to reflect on the significant roles women have played in our own and others’ lives. International Women’s Day gives us a chance to pause and share our stories.

“Working within such a femaledominated industry, it’s certainly worth getting together to acknowledge this day.”

Ann-Maree also praised the Shadow Minister for her attention to concerns raised by members and IEU staff at the event, about inequitable pay for early childhood teachers, an increasingly unworkable funding model for early childhood services, the erosion of WHS protections, and reduced further education opportunities for struggling families.

This year’s International Women’s Day event raised money for Chilout – for children out of detention centres.

To contribute to Chilout or for more information visit www.chilout.com.

For the first time, the IEU hosted an IWD event at Wattle Street on Friday 7 March, with guest speaker Sophie Cotsis, NSW Shadow Minister for the Status of Women, Local Government and Housing.

The IEU also collaborated with Bathurst CEO for an IWD event on 6 March, involving an IEU network meeting and dinner hosted by the Bathurst WGE Committee with guest speaker author Robin de Crespigny. In Wagga Wagga, IWD was celebrated with a gathering which included Indigenous principal and former “Sapphire” Lois Peeler.

Wollongong CEO WGE Committee hosted an IWD event on 10 March with guest speaker Professor Marian Baird from Sydney University, who reported on the “right to request” research project undertaken by Rae Cooper and Sue Henderson from the University and involving Wollongong CEO and the IEU. In the ACT, the IEU was represented at the Canberra International Women’s Day luncheon on Friday 7 March, hosted by the Australian National Committee for UN Women which is based in Canberra.

Unions NSW held an IWD community lunch time event in Parramatta on 7 March, with around 130 participants, at which the IEU was represented.

As in 2013, the IEUA Women and Equity Committee produced IWD ribbons which were distributed at various gatherings and were positively received by members and other event participants.

With a focus on the theme of ‘inspiring women’, this year’s IWD was an important step in recognising the achievements of women in workplaces and communities, in acknowledging the challenges which remain, such as the 17.5% gender pay gap, and raising awareness of the ongoing social justice issues which face women globally and in Australia. newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

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www.ieu.asn.au overview

Cross-curriculum priorities are options, not orders This article appeared in the Canberra Times (27 February 2014) and is reproduced with kind permission from ACARA.

By Professor Barry McGaw, Chairman, Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority

The creation and implementation of the Australian Curriculum in schools across the country is a significant moment in Australian education history. Discussion on curriculum is always lively and stirs the passions.

Recently much of the discussion on the Australian Curriculum has focused on the three cross-curriculum priorities and how they are embedded in the learning areas.

There is no requirement in the Australian Curriculum that subjects be taught through the three cross-curriculum priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island histories and cultures, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia, and sustainability.

The cross-curriculum priorities were nominated by the council of education

ministers in its Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, drafted in 2007-08 and adopted in December 2008 as work on the Australian Curriculum was commencing.

In developing the curriculum, we did not want to give them the status of separate subjects, just as we did not give the "general capabilities’’ the status of separate subjects. We believe they are important but judged that we should focus on the disciplines and deal with both the cross-curriculum priorities and the general capabilities through the disciplines, where relevant.

The curriculum consists of content descriptions that set out what students are entitled to learn and achievement standards that set out what successful students would know and be able to do. The Australian Curriculum does not prescribe how the content should be taught. That is a matter for schools and their jurisdictions.

During the development of the curriculum some respondents asked for more detail to be provided. We did not add more content but instead added content elaborations that offer some ideas about how content might be covered.

The most extreme claim about the cross-curriculum priorities is that mathematics is somehow to be taught through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. That is not the case.

Not only does it miss the point that the relationship is the other way round, with the priorities to be taught through the subjects disciplines, it also misses the fact that there are no content descriptions in mathematics connected with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

There are, however, 12 content elaborations in mathematics over the 11 years from foundation to Year 10 that propose ways in which attention might be given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

In geometry in Year 3, when the content is symmetry, there is an elaboration that suggests that symmetry in Aboriginal art might be considered.

In statistics in Year 10, when the task is to construct plots with which to compare data sets, there is an elaboration that suggests comparing the age distribution of the Australian population as a whole with

that of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Teachers can choose whether or not to take up any of the elaborations or to choose other applications. Those with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students might well choose these suggestions to help those students find themselves and not only others represented in their curriculum. Other teachers might also choose to do so.

Anyone who wants to see where the cross-curriculum priorities and the general capabilities fit in the curriculum can readily do so at australiancurriculum. edu.au. Individual subjects such as mathematics, science, history and so on can be selected and the content descriptions and elaborations then filtered to show only one or more of the priorities or the capabilities.

Such filtering allows one to be clear where it is suggested they be covered, and where the link is to a content description that is part of the curriculum, or to a content elaboration that is a suggestion that teachers might or might not take up.

Viewing the curriculum in this way also allows one to focus on what it is that we expect young people to be taught and to see that the content descriptions are clearly about the disciplines of English, mathematics, science and so on while addressing, in addition, the crosscurriculum priorities and the general capabilities.

Read more: http://www. canberratimes.com.au/comment/ crosscurriculum-priorities-areoptions-not-orders-20140226-33iae. html#ixzz2vu0mqLGF

Shorts UNICEF Young Ambassador program applications open Applications are now open for UNICEF Australia’s Young Ambassador program.

Each year, the child rights organisation provides campaign and leadership training to a group of budding advocates from across the country.

Young Ambassadors have the chance to work with UNICEF on its major campaigns and to create their own projects under the guidance of the organisation. Australians aged 15 to 24 are encouraged to apply before Sunday 4 May. Details: http://bit.ly/1eNPFQn Schools sought for anti-bullying research Macquarie University Centre for Emotional Health is currently recruiting NSW and WA primary schools for a research study which will inform the development of school antibullying policies. The study will evaluate the efficacy of implementing two different types of interventions, and their combination, to reduce peer victimisation. Schools that volunteer will have an opportunity to be part of the Friendly Schools Plus Program, which engages all members of the school community (executives, teachers, parents

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and children) and/or the Cool Kids - Bullying Program, a modified version of a well established anxiety program for children and parents. The program starts in 2015.

Details: www.centreforemotionalhealth. com.au/pages/PAVe.aspx Drug impacts far reaching Principals believe alcohol is having a significant and negative impact on students’ general wellbeing, behaviour and academic performance, despite it being almost always consumed away from school. This is among findings in a report by the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD), which says students exposed to other people’s problematic alcohol and drug use are also experiencing difficulties at school. It says teachers are spending significant amounts of classroom time trying to help affected students catch up on their work, in addition to assisting them outside of the classroom with accessing counsellors and establishing other support arrangements. The ANCD has produced an information sheet on best practice policies and programs.

Details: www.ancd.org.au

www.ieu.asn.au overview

IEU Exchange program

Wealth of experience shared

New exchange teachers and a handful who started mid-2013 came together in February to get to know each other, swap stories, ask questions and soak up the tips offered by IEU Exchange Program Coordinator Helen Gregory. IEU Assistant Secretary Mark Northam popped in to bring the teachers up to speed on the industrial climate and national education agenda. The exchangees tell IEU Journalist Tara de Boehmler how they are settling in.

Malcolm Macaulay from Ontario – on exchange to St Mary McKillop College, Canberra This is our third exchange and the first without our children as they’re all grown now. Our son came and visited us for a month but we only saw him for two weeks because he was busy visiting friends he made on our first exchange. It’s a great way for the family to explore different things.

We’ve been on exchange to Maclean High School, Maclean, and St Andrew’s Cathedral School in downtown Sydney and this time I’m at St Mary McKillop College in Canberra. Each one has been different. Exchanges are a chance to meet new people, experience a different part of Australia, get to know the culture and to learn some new teaching techniques.

Mike Beldus from Vancouver BC – on exchange to St Mary’s High School, Gateshead I always wanted to come to Australia and I figured this would be the perfect way to live the culture – much more so than if we just visited for a few weeks. It was just a

matter of the right timing. My wife was able to get time off from work, which was a big thing, and at seven and 11 years old the kids are open minded and able to get excited about new experiences. We’ve been here six months and the first few weeks were challenging. I turned up in the middle of the year so I was taking over from someone else at the same time as learning all the nuances of the Australian education system and my exchangee’s classroom. The staff have been amazing.

It’s unbelievable how welcoming and collegial everyone is and how they help out. I’m loving everything. I’m getting into the boogey boarding and when I get home I grab the kids and we head straight for the beautiful beaches of Newcastle.

David McCune from Spruce Grove, Alberta – on exchange to St Joseph’s Primary School, Port Macquarie We stopped in the Cook Islands on our way here which was something like paradise, so we spent a bit of time there.

Once we arrived in Port Macquarie we still had three weeks to get familiar with it before school started. We found the best way to learn our way around town was to get lost. The kids are eight, 10 and 12 years old and they have adapted very well.

They all attend my school and they look great in their uniforms, which make for fewer fights in the morning. Sometimes they bring their mates over to my class at recess, so I might escape out the other door before they get there. We ride bikes to school some days and it’s a beautiful trip along the coast. We’ve met a lot of nice people and the staff are really wonderful and supportive. The kids at school are the same as kids all over the world. They are wonderful children and they love to learn and engage and I couldn’t ask for a better experience.

Margaret Lee from Vancouver BC – on exchange to Oakhill College, Castle Hill Back in Canada we had professional development and information about the exchange program was on the docket. I got more details and it sounded really cool. I told my husband and he was on board right away. I just put our application in and hoped for the best. A couple of months after, we found out that we had a match and the rest is history. I’ve now been to New Zealand and Melbourne, which was on my bucket list as was the Great Barrier Reef. I want to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge and go to the zoos. I was in a bit of a rut back home but I feel that this really invigorates me in wanting to do something different – so it is helping me to develop as a teacher and as a person.

Nadine Phillips from Wales – on exchange to St Mary’s Primary School, Armidale I’m here with my husband, who is also a teacher, and our two children. My husband and I spent a year in Australia in 2001 and we always wanted to come back. One day I saw an email about exchanges and all the possibilities. The night before, my husband and I had been saying ‘Let’s go to Australia, let’s emigrate and do something different’. So we thought, ‘Why not?’ The children are seven and nine years old and we felt it would be really suitable for us at this stage. A highlight was pulling up at our five-bedroom house on 10 acres of land and seeing the kangaroos hopping around.

We also have cows. Sydney is my favourite city in the whole world. I love to come here and show the children the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. My husband proposed to me on the Opera House steps so they always

wanted to see it. He’s meeting me in the city tonight for Valentines Day and the kids are coming to dinner and on a cruise tomorrow.

We’re doing a lot more together – it’s great for the four of us as a family.

Jennifer Gluwehynski from Edmonton, Alberta – on exchange to St John the Baptist Primary School, Woy Woy I’ve always wanted to go a teaching exchange and although the preparation and long distance communication was a bit daunting it has been exciting to come with the mind-frame that I have this amazing adventure ahead of me and I’m going to embrace it and figure everything out as I go. I arrived in July 2013 so I’m halfway through my exchange.

Coming mid-year gave me a unique perspective. At that time of year people tend to be settled and calm whereas at the start of the year it’s hectic and everyone is running around and setting things up. I had a seamless transition to work because I was the only person asking questions and trying to figure things out. Colleagues were able to offer me a lot of support. On the other hand, it can be hard to follow in the footsteps of another teacher and build a relationship with students who have bonded with that teacher. But coming in and seeing procedures and routines that were already established meant I was able to focus on my teaching. Now at this point, starting a brand new school year, I feel very comfortable with the structure and flow of the school so I can set myself up in a way that works for me.

Applications are still being taken for next year. Check out some of the top choices now listed on the IEU website at www. ieu.asn.au/member-benefits-teacherexchange/teacher-exchange. To apply or for more details contact IEU Exchange Program Coordinator Helen Gregory on (02) 8202 8900 or helen@ieu.asn.au.

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www.ieu.asn.au overview

Growing agenda

Support the 3Rs

and their mentors in the first two years of employment, and • compliance with the Fair Work Act provisions.

Chris Wilkinson President

It has been a hectic start to the year. I am sure everyone is feeling the never-ending paper trail that we find ourselves in.

We welcome two new Industrial Officers Robert Seals and Belinda Miller, who will be a real asset to the IEU. They will work closely with the existing industrial staff.

Negotiations for our pay and conditions claim continues. We are seeking 5% with an interim increase of 2.5% from 1 January. Chapters have held meetings to vote on two motions in support of these pay and conditions claims, including: • pay rises in addition to interim 2.27% • reimbursement of compulsory fees for NSW Institute of Teachers and Working with Children Check • additional coordinator positions • release time for beginning teachers

Support and operational staff in Catholic independent schools, teachers in independent schools and Christian schools are also negotiating wage rises.

IEU professional development has continued to grow and several new PIPs have been added to the interesting topics on offer. These are especially beneficial to New Scheme Teachers who can claim the hours toward accreditation.

The May Day march is fast approaching, so if you would like to be part of this event, contact annmaree@ieu.asn.au. We had a great day last year and I am sure this year will also be a fun event.

Council elections are being held this year, so I would like to thank you all for your dedication and enthusiasm and giving up your Saturdays to attend Council on behalf of members in your Branch. I know it is a big call but we do appreciate your attendance and input.

Enjoy the rest of the term. I hope you get some time to rest and relax over the Easter break.

Bernadette Baker Vice President, Systemic Schools

As teachers we are taking on more and more is expected of us, but have we stopped doing some things? I suspect the answer is no. Teachers have strong professional commitment to their work but don’t receive the corresponding public respect, recognition and support.

As educators, we contribute to the growth of Australia’s future generations yet we are constantly fighting for appropriate remuneration and reward for our work.

The increasing demands of professional learning and development, particularly in regards to maintaining accreditation, Australian Curriculum implementation, GTIL and NPSI and RE qualifications have seen staff meetings morph into professional learning sessions.

The flow-on effect is that staff briefings/ communication meetings have become staff meetings.

They are starting earlier, lasting longer with a formalised meeting structure, because of the time constraints. This is an example of how our work is changing and becoming more complex, and therefore placing significant stress on our work/life balance.

The IEU’s new Catholic systemic campaign is the 3Rs for teachers: Recognise, Respect, Reward, and you can contribute. Attend your chapter and branch meetings, vote when required, keep campaigns visible in your school, keep informed and share your story on social media platforms or send to 3R@ieu.asn.au.

The campaign for Catholic systemic schools includes a pay rise, increase in supervising teacher rates for practicum, release for accreditation, domestic violence leave, workers’ compensation make-up pay and several other issues that are impacting on workload. Hold a chapter meeting, voice your support and vote on the resolution. Soon!

Let’s improve AIS Multi-Enterprise Agreements Association of Independent Schools concerning our salaries and conditions as our present Multi-Enterprise Agreements are due to expire.

Michelle Omeros Vice President, Independent Schools

As term one is coming to a close we need to consider that the Independent Education Union will soon commence formal negotiations with the

It is vital that we develop additional dimensions in our Multi-Enterprise Agreements and for this to eventuate we need the support of all our AIS schools.

Salary increases are important, however when conditions get eroded by the employer who interprets them to their advantage, then we are left behind.

For example, in the Multi-Enterprise Agreement teaching hours are not

specified. Many AIS schools follow the CEO model of 20 hours face to face.

Unfortunately other schools see this lack of explicit regulation as an opportunity to increase the teaching hours at their discretion. We need to work together to regulate this condition, as well as the number of extras that are acceptable and time release for coordinators. Whilst this is difficult terrain, schools can influence outcomes by engaging in the debate.

In the IEU’s history, conditions have been won through solidarity. Conditions such as maternity leave and long service

leave were never just handed over to the employees. Unionists fought hard to achieve these conditions and it is our obligation to continue these efforts.

If we want change and equity in all of our workplaces, let’s work with the IEU by taking the necessary action to achieve a better outcome for all staff in AIS schools.

Vale: Gabriella Dalton 1931-2014 John Quessy IEU General Secretary

Better known to most members as Gabriella Young, our vivacious life member died on 27 February in the Illawarra, where she had made her home in recent years.

“There will be many sad members reading this because Gabriella only had friends.”

Gabriella with husband Tom

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Growing up on Norfolk Island and in suburban Kensington, Gabriella joined the Sisters of Charity in 1950 where she lived in community, trained as a teacher and worked for 21 years. In 1971 she left the order and tried a variety of jobs on the outside including as a barmaid in Balmain.

Gabriella returned to teaching in the early 1970s and became a Union member almost immediately. She taught at a number of Catholic schools including Bethlehem College at Ashfield, where among her pupils was the future director of Human Resources at Sydney CEO Natalie McNamara.

It was not easy being an ‘ex-religious’ in the 1970s and Gabriella had her share of trials and disputes with employers. She even got sacked because she remarried after a divorce, but those who knew her then never saw her faith dented or her good humour crack.

Over a period of almost 20 years Gabriella held most positions in the then ITA, representing members on Council and as a General Executive member and later as Vice President for Catholic Systemic schools. She was always a great mentor to less experienced Executive members and encouraged me to stand for the position of President in 1989.

When she retired from teaching I was delighted to propose her for life membership, an award that she received with great pride and greater humility. Never one to rest on her laurels, she became very active in the retired members’ association for a number of years.

I know a little of her personal heartbreaks, how her husband Kevin died in her arms in 1994. I know also how she bounced back and made a new life with Tom Dalton who died in 2012.

I doubt she had an easy life but she enjoyed it to the full and made life easy for those she knew and for those she merely met in passing. She was the ultimate bubbly personality who always made others the centre of attention. There will be many sad members reading this because Gabriella only had friends.

www.ieu.asn.au overview

Leadership accreditation under scrutiny

Sidonie Coffey President, Principals’ Branch

The 2014 IEU Principals’ Branch AGM was held on 15 February at the Union’s Parramatta office. Sidonie Coffey (Maitland-Newcastle Diocese) was re-elected as Branch president, Pater Galvin (Canberra-Goulburn/ ACT) as Deputy President and two Sydney Archdiocese primary principals (Jenni Payne and Des Fox) will share the secretary’s role.

This year’s Branch Committee is John Walsh (Wollongong), Peter Webster (Canberra-Goulburn/NSW) and Lou Single (Youth Off The Streets).

The 2014 Branch meeting dates were confirmed as 3 May, 2 August and 1 November. The Union welcomes other opportunities to meet with principals at diocesan or regional levels during the year.

Thirty-year badge presentations were made to Des Fox and John Walsh and the IEU looks forward to presenting badges to other principal members who joined the Union in 1984 or earlier.

Principals’ Branch is entitled to four delegates to the IEU Council who come up for re-election in Term 2 this year. Current principal delegates to Council are Lou Single, Des Fox and Louise O’Sullivan (Armidale Diocese) and their efforts are acknowledged with appreciation.

Following discussions at the AGM, a reference group of principals comprising Des Fox, Peter Webster and Margery Jackman was formed in regard to current

and emerging workload concerns regarding Great Teaching Inspired Learning (GTIL) and the National Plan for School Improvement (NPSI) and also to consider issues in relation to principals’ access to and possible remuneration for higher level accreditation. This is especially relevant within the context of the NSW Catholic systemic salaries campaign and the forthcoming negotiations in the ACT. Other major issues for discussion at the Branch meeting included: • the IEU’s claim for improved pay for prac student supervision – the current rate has not been increased since 1992 • emerging use of the AITSL Principals’ Standard for principal appointment, appraisal and performance review purposes • PHRIS issues in Sydney and Broken Bay, with particular concerns that PHRIS is shifting administrative workload onto principals and school staff • RE accreditation requirements and how this intersects with other current and future BOSTES expectations • lack of clarity about funding for Indigenous students, and • concerns about the prohibitive cost of VET courses for students in country towns, with the feeling that as the NSW Government cuts back on TAFE funding, TAFE is trying recoup income from non government schools.

Results in for workload survey

Louise Glase President, South Coast Branch

Another hectic start to a new school year heralds ongoing concerns about workload intensification.

The South Coast branch held its AGM meeting on 12 February at the Woonona Bulli RSL. A well-attended meeting saw members eagerly listen to IEU Organiser Les Porter’s analysis of the CEO Wollongong’s Workload Survey and identification of response patterns.

With 299 respondents across the Diocese, the Branch thanks participants for their honest input. It is through initiatives like this survey that members can have their say and a clear picture of current demands can be presented to employers.

A key focus for the South Coast Branch will be the many enterprise agreement negotiations and renewals due in 2014.

Join the IEU social group & keep up to date with us... www.facebook.com/ieunswact

Thursday 10 April: South Coast Branch IEU Women’s Forum 5– 6.30pm, St Peter and Paul’s Primary School Parish Hall Manning St, Kiama Followed by dinner at Stella’s Seafood and Italian Restaurant Wednesday 7 May: Term 2 Branch Meeting

Championing needs of casual teachers

Appreciation is expressed to Des Fox and Margery Jackman who will again provide practical principals’ input at the IEU’s Standing Strong seminar for student teachers on 5 April.

The Union thanks principal members for their contribution to the IEU’s Principals’ Branch and looks forward to being of support during the year ahead.

Join the online conversation

Negotiations will include those for Catholic systemic and Catholic independent schools in the AIS and for Christian schools sectors, as well as the early childhood sector.

Negotiations are continuing on behalf of support and operational staff members in Catholic independent schools. Members are meeting in their chapters to vote on a motion calling for the immediate payment of a 2.5% increase for this year, the clarification of rates of pay and leave conditions for IT staff, inclusion of boarding house staff not already included, inclusion of an anti-bullying clause, inclusion of workers compensation makeup pay and a review of the agreement to ensure compliance with the Fair Work Act. Congratulations to those members who have been elected to positions of responsibility within the South Coast branch. Their service is much appreciated and the branch is looking forward to another active year ahead.

More support will be offered to casual teachers after concerns were raised about their situation at the ACT Branch meeting on 13 February.

by casual teachers, such as achieving the Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) professional learning quotas.

The meeting endorsed the establishment of an ‘ad interim’ committee to investigate and develop strategies to champion the needs of casual teachers in the ACT. Dawn Shields, formally ACT Branch Vice President and Francis Mahanay, a long standing Vice President of the IEU Executive, will convene an inaugural meeting in the near future.

Casual teacher members in the ACT should contact lyn@ieu.asn.au for more details.

A motion was passed which acknowledged the challenges faced

PIP in shadow of Big Merino Amy Cotton Professional Development Officer

Goulburn hosted the PIP, Dealing with Difficult People, in the shadow of the Big Merino on 11 March. IEU Officers Berna Simpson and Amy Cotton ran the course, which focuses on the impact of actions undertaken when a difficult situation arises.

It was attended by support staff and teachers from six schools, who took the opportunity to share experiences and strategies with the group. The course was well received, with comments from participants highlighting the emphasis on paraphrasing, strategic questioning and understanding different types of difficult confrontations and a range of strategies to use in context. newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

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Stay strong Gabrielle Connell Vice President Early Childhood

There is a lot happening in early childhood at the moment. The IEU continues their wonderful support of the early childhood sector by making a submission on the ‘legislative and conceptual framework’ of its equal pay claim case for early childhood teachers to the Fair Work Commission.

The IEU is lodging the pay claim on behalf of university qualified early childhood teachers in child care centres across Australia based on their pay being reduced because more than 95% are women and the work is seen as ‘caring’ work.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for late April, with the case to proceed throughout 2014.

The Union needs IEU members who are willing and able to describe the nature of their work to assist the Union’s argument that the wages of early childhood teachers are inequitable with the wages paid to teachers.

The Union needs the support of directors and teachers who have worked in multiple settings, such as schools and early childhood services or both preschool and long day care settings. If you can help please email the IEU via ieu@ieu.asn.au.

Submissions for the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Child Care and

Lack of consultation a trend

Early Childhood Learning closed earlier this year. The IEU has supported the sector with a comprehensive submission.

Hopefully we will see the final report in October and there will be better outcomes for children and families trying to access affordable and equitable education and care. Hopefully this will also bring better recognition and wages for all early childhood teachers as well.

The Union has also been meeting with Vice Chancellors of Universities in an effort to improve payments for teachers who mentor students through their practicum experiences.

The Union is asking for several things but the following will affect our sector: • an increase the prac payment to $39 per day the introduction of a simplified process to facilitate the payment for practice supervision, and • a common industrial agreement across all universities clearly outlining remuneration and attendant expectations.

We would also like to see this extended to TAFE colleges and private collages so that teachers who mentor Diploma and Certificate 3 students through the practicum would also be remunerated.

At the moment the general feeling of the sector is one of disillusion and desperation with low wages, increasing costs, reduced funding and shortages of qualified staff.

There is a need for us all to stay strong and united while these things are happening. Encourage your co-workers to join the IEU and offer support through all these campaigns.

The Union is doing an amazing job but needs your support.

recent development is concerning. With even a cursory consultation period, the numerous errors contained in the recent handbooks would no doubt have been avoided, thus avoiding unnecessary stress in staffrooms.

Pat Devery President, Central Metropolitan Branch

At the recent Central Metropolitan Branch meeting members raised concerns about the increasing lack of consultation occurring in parts of the independent sector and a lack of transparency surrounding appointments, especially with regard to female employees.

Members were reminded that all employers with more than 100 employees are required to comply with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012). The CEO is also required to comply with this Act and has a gender equity committee of which IEU Organiser Anne-Maree McEwan is a member, although recent moves by the Federal Government would indicate they believe gender equity issues within Australian society to have been largely resolved.

Disturbingly, this lack of consultation trend appears to be on the increase, both in the independent sector and with the CEO leadership. Recent introductions of various CEO handbooks and payroll procedures have been thrust upon unsuspecting employees not only without consultation but in breach of the Agreement.

The IEU has always enjoyed a respectful working relationship with the CEO and this

Claim back the prac The campaign to claim back the prac was also a hot topic of debate. It emerged in discussion that a number of models exist in schools surrounding the remuneration of practicum supervisors. As the IEU campaign to adequately remunerate supervising teachers steps up in 2014, it is important to ensure that the staff actually doing the work at the chalk face are the ones being paid. If a school has a model whereby the practicum money is pooled into general school resources, the supervising teacher should ensure this money is used for appropriate release time during the practicum to allow for consultation between the supervising teacher and the student teacher. Staff should advise any tertiary institutions seeking placements that they will only accept students on the terms detailed in the IEU proposal.

The next Central Metropolitan Branch meeting will be held in the IEU’s Wattle St office on Tuesday 13 May. This is a great opportunity for members to attend the meeting and to have a look around the heritage listed building at 435-501 Wattle St, Ultimo. It’s near Central Station with parking available at Broadway Shopping Centre. Childcare available on request.

Refreshments provided.

Far, wide and varied Carlo Rendina IEU Organiser, Hunter Valley

Chapter reps from as far field as Scone and Taree travelled up

to 170km to take part in this well attended Hunter Valley AGM. A wide variety of sectors including Catholic systemic, independent, ECS and over 30% of all Hunter Christian schools had representatives in attendance.

It is important for all members to be represented at the Branch meetings.

Congratulations and thank you to the Branch executive, President Marie MacTavish, Deputy President Gerard Crichton, Secretary Cormac O’Riordan and

Committee Members: Anne Dougherty, Peter Barnes, Matthew Bower, Mark Wilson, Marcus Ribbons. The Branch is fortunate to have dedicated and experienced members willing to take up these positions of responsibility.

Hunter Valley organisers have been out at schools presenting over 130 badges to members who have supported the Union by maintaining their membership for 30 years or more. A special mention needs to go to Bob Green, an active member for

more than 40 years. He has represented the Union and teachers on many committees and has been the chapter rep at numerous schools.

Bob says: “My proudest moment as an IEU member was attending a Branch meeting and seeing that five of my former staff members were now reps at their various workplaces.”

This Branch wishes to thank Bob and all those members who have support the Union over the years.

Lismore office celebrates 10th birthday This year the IEU’s Lismore office celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Prior to its establishment, the north and mid-north coast regions were serviced by IEU Organisers Mark Northam and Therese Fitzgibbon from the Newcastle office.

Mark and Therese spent many a long road trip organising and supporting members of both regions. Mark and Therese offered valuable insight to newly appointed Lismore staff Janet Lucas, as office administrator, and Organisers Donna Widdison and Ross Conlon, who 22

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had been teachers in Catholic schools in the Lismore Diocese.

Shortly afterwards Sydney-based IEU Industrial Officer Carolyn Moore made the move to Lismore, bringing her experience to the new team.

The official Lismore office opening on 24 March 2004 was attended by then IEU General Secretary Dick Shearman with Unions NSW Secretary John Robertson, Lismore CEO Diocesan Director Dianne Marshall and members of the North Coast Branch. Dick was a strong advocate for an IEU office in the north

to service the growth of schools and membership in the region. The Lismore office has been a hive of activity ever since.

Original North Coast Branch President Marty Fitzpatrick recently stepped down from the role.

He was involved in many of the issues and campaigns over the past decade and understands the value of being an IEU member.

It is interesting to note, given the current wages climate, that Catholic systemic teachers received a 5.5% interim

pay increase in January 2004 and many of the issues then are relevant today.

Cassie Barnes replaced Janet as office administrator in 2005 and still holds the role. In 2007 Donna transferred to the Sydney office making way for Organiser Steve Bergan. With the continuing growth of membership in the North Coast area, Sandra White from the Parramatta office made the transfer to Lismore in July 2013. Sandra also organises the North-West Branch from the Lismore office.

www.ieu.asn.au overview

Some important definitions

Bernard O’Connor NGS Super

As the superannuation system matures and balances grow, it is increasingly important for members to understand how their accumulated super benefits relate to their estate planning. Some members erroneously think that just because they have a will, their superannuation death benefit (which consists of the account balance and any insured amount) can be passed on to anyone such as a sister, parent, friend or, in some cases, an adult child.

This is not the case since superannuation assets do not form part of an estate and the trustee is required to distribute superannuation benefits in a certain manner.

In the case of a non-binding preferred beneficiary nomination or no nomination, the Trustee considers: the circumstances of the deceased, the will, the nomination and any other information (usually provided by the relatives) that is relevant to their decision. A statement regarding the distribution of a death benefit in a will is powerful, but not binding on the trustee. So if a member made a non-binding death benefit nomination or no nomination, the trustee is legally bound to pay the benefit to: • the member’s dependants, or • the member’s legal personal representative.

If after reasonable inquiry the trustee finds no dependants and no legal personal representative, it may pay the benefit to ‘any other person’ in accordance with relevant law.

A ‘dependant’ is defined as: • the spouse of the member (including same sex spouse) • the child of the member (including adult children) • any other natural person who was partially or wholly dependent on the member, and • any person who was in an ‘interdependency relationship’ with the member.

An interdependency relationship can be established if the two persons lived together, had a close personal relationship or one or each of them provided the other with financial or domestic support.

So how does this work out? For example, if a member had been in a genuine de facto or marriage relationship prior to her/his death and nominated an adult child who was living independently as preferred beneficiary, the trustee would be bound to pay the de facto or married partner rather than the adult child because the adult child did not meet the definition of ‘dependant’.

In the case of a Binding Death Nomination, the trustee must pay the benefit to the named person if the nomination is valid. This means that all trustee discretion in deciding who to pay is removed. A binding death nomination can be made to a legal personal representative (estate) or one or more ‘dependant’ as defined above. If the valid binding nomination is made in favour of the estate, the benefit would be paid to the executor/ executrix and the benefit payment would be distributed according to the terms of the will.

It is important for members to have a clear understanding of these definitions and processes in order to ensure their benefit is distributed according to their wishes and to assist the trustee in arriving at the correct determination in line with the relevant law.

Newsmonth Newsmonth is published eight times a year (two issues per term) by the NSW/ACT Independent Education Union.

Executive Editor: John Quessy (General Secretary) for and on behalf of the

IEU Executive and members.

Managing Editor: Tara de Boehmler Journalists: Tara de Boehmler, Sue Osborne and Daniel Long.

Graphic Design: Chris Ruddle Contributions and letters from members are welcome. These do not reflect endorsement if printed, and may be edited for size and style at the Editor's discretion. They should be forwarded to: Newsmonth 485-501 Wattle Street ULTIMO NSW 2007 GPO Box 116 SYDNEY NSW 2001 Tel: 8202 8900 Toll free: 1800 467 943 Fax: 9211 1455 Toll free fax: 1800 804 042 email: ieu@ieu.asn.au On the net: www.ieu.asn.au

Advertising inquiries Chris Ruddle on 8202 8900. Such advertising is carried out to offset production costs to members and at commercial rates. It does not in any way reflect endorsement by the NSW/ACT IEU.

PRINT & MAIL PTY LTD 23 - 25 Meeks Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204 PO Box 6132, Marrickville South NSW 2204 P.02 9519 8268 F.02 9519 8264 M. 0412237233

NSW/ACT IEU Executive John Quessy General Secretary Gloria Taylor Deputy General Secretary Carol Matthews Assistant Secretary Mark Northam Assistant Secretary Chris Wilkinson President St Joseph’s Catholic College East Gosford Michelle Omeros Vice President Non-Systemic St Euphemia College, Bankstown Bernadette Baker Vice President Systemic St Mary’s Cathedral College, Sydney Carolyn Collins Vice President Support Staff St Michael's Primary School, Nowra Gabrielle Connell Vice President ECS Albury Preschool Kindergarten Leah Godfrey Vice President, ACT St Jude’s Primary School, Holder Peter Moore Financial Officer De La Salle College, Cronulla Marie MacTavish Financial Officer St Joseph’s Primary School East Maitland

General Executive Members John O’Neill Carroll College, Broulee Ann Rogers ASPECT South Coast School, Corrimal Pat Devery St Mary’s Cathedral College, Sydney Marty Fitzpatrick St Francis Xavier’s Primary School Ballina Ralph Hunt The Armidale School, Armidale Denise McHugh McCarthy Catholic College, Tamworth Patricia Murnane Emmaus Catholic College, Kemps Creek Michael Hagan Mater Maria College, Warriewood Louise Glase St Patrick's College, Campbelltown James Jenkins-Flint St Brigid's Primary School Marrickville

Our Locations

(Important information: The information in this article is general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a financial decision, please assess the appropriateness of the information to your individual circumstances, read the Product Disclosure Statement for any product you may be thinking of acquiring and consider seeking professional advice.)

Sydney 485-501 Wattle Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 P (02) 8202 8900 Parramatta 12-14 Wentworth Street, Parramatta NSW 2150 P (02) 8202 8900 Newcastle 8-14 Telford Street, Newcastle East NSW 2302 P (02) 4926 9400 Lismore 4 Carrington Street, Lismore NSW 2480 P (02) 6623 4700 ACT Unit 8, 40 Brisbane Avenue, Barton ACT 2600 P (02) 6120 1500 newsmonth - Vol 34 #2 2014

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www.ieu.asn.au giveaways

Ubby’s Underdogs Gambit

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Author: Brenton E McKenna Published by Magabala Books ISBN: 9781922142139 Three copies to giveaway Ubby’s Underdogs is published by an independent Indigenous company based in Broome. The book is a graphic novel for young adults featuring Indigenous and multicultural characters. Set in the 1940s when the pearling town of Broome is recovering from World War II, the heroic tale follows a street-wise Aboriginal girl Ubby leading the ragtag gang known as the Underdogs.

What on Earth Can I Do? Author: Debbie Dunlap Illustrator: Lara Agulto ISBN: 978-1-4772-5505-6 Three copies to give away

Teacher Debbie Dunlap brings primary aged children a sense of hope end empathy in this picture book on dealing with bullying. The book provides concrete positive steps to take to stand up to bullies.

To enter one of these giveaways, write your name, membership number and address on the back of an envelope clearly marked with which giveaway you are entering by Thursday 17 April. Address it to Newsmonth, GPO Box 116, Sydney, NSW 2001.

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