The point 2020 term 3 by IEU Vic Tas

Launceston Grammar dispute

WorkSafe changes in light of COVID-19

Spotlight on health and safety

Looking out for student teachers

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Centrefold

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PRINT POST 100010937

VOLUME 10 NO 3 TERM THREE 2020

The Independent Education Union Victoria Tasmania acknowledges the Indigenous people as the Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.

The Point is published by the Independent Education Union Victoria Tasmania.

2 THE POINT Term Three 2020

K E E P I N G I N TO U C H W I T H T H E I E U As the Victorian lock-down continues, we’ve had to stick with the system put in place since term 2 for communicating and responding to members’ requests. Currently, our office is not able to take incoming calls, but we will respond to every member who needs us. For assistance, advice or to request a call-back, email us at info@ieuvictas.org.au or text us on our SMS line 0480 092 251 - we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

U P C O M I N G C O U N C I L DAT E Victorian Reps - join us online for Council, 3 September at 4pm. This is an important opportunity for Reps to hear from the Union

Our office hours remain unchanged – we’re working regular business hours

and to connect with each other.

Monday to Friday and will respond to all members during this busy period. To update your contact details, your method of payment or change anything about your membership please email finance@ieuvictas.org.au or log in to Member Access

Registration will be via Member Access. Check your email for details.

at https://member.ieuvictas.org.au/

When government guidelines permit, we will return to the IEU offices and turn the phones back on.

STAY I N T H E L O O P

I E U FAC E M A S KS

Apart from sending out an issue of The Point each school term, we also send regular updates via our e-newsletter IEU Express. If you haven’t been receiving this in your email inbox log in to Member Access and update your email address.

Sub-branch reps and IEU-member HSRs in Victorian workplaces, as well as 100 readers of the IEU Express, should have received their new Australian made IEU-branded 3-ply face masks.

We also post regular updates on our social media pages

Given their popularity, we’re looking into getting another run made. Let us know at info@ieuvictas.org.au if you’re interested in purchasing one at cost price and we’ll keep you posted!

Facebook www.facebook.com/ieuvictas Twitter www.twitter.com/ieuvictas Instagram www.instagram.com/ieuvictas

What’s in The Point

Union win for general staff member Financial settlement reached for boarding house supervisor

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Redundancy advice Ensuring a fair process

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Union movement economic reconstruction plan Australian unions five-point plan for recovering from the pandemic

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@IEUVicTas EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES T: (03) 9254 1860 F: (03) 9254 1865 FreeCall: 1800 622 889 E: info@ieuvictas.org.au W: www.ieuvictas.org.au

Agreement watch Victorian Public Service workers win a good deal with their EBA

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Education Support staff How the pandemic has affected their work

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CONTRIBUTIONS & LETTERS from members are welcome and should be forwarded to: The Point PO Box 1320, South Melbourne 3205, or by email to: ThePoint@ieuvictas.org.au

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MELBOURNE OFFICE: 120 Clarendon Street, Southbank 3006

Principal win Significant financial win for primary principals who move schools Rep huddles An innovative way of connecting during lockdown Labour history Workforce casualisation in Australia

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HOBART OFFICE: 212 Liverpool Street, Hobart 7000

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The Point is published by the Independent Education Union Victoria Tasmania.

EDITORIAL CONTENT: Responsibility for editorial comment is taken by D James, 120 Clarendon Street, Southbank 3006. Views expressed in articles reflect those of the author and are not necessarily union policy. COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT

General Secretary: Debra James Deputy Secretary: Loretta Cotter President: Mark Williams

Deputy President: Teresa Huddy

Ordinary Members: Jason Blackburn Adam Bremner Andrew Dunne Heather Macardy Stephen Hobday Zoe Skeggs

Member Resident in Tasmania: Kim Merhulik

School Officers: Andrea Hines (Vacant)

COUNCIL PRESIDENTS & DEPUTIES

Catholic Primary Council President: Maree Shields Deputy: Rachael Evans Catholic Secondary Council President: Andrew Wood Deputy: Ruth Pendavingh Independent Council President: Alexandra Abela Deputy: (Vacant) Tasmanian Council President: John Waldock Deputy: Paul Mannion Principals’ Council President: (Vacant) Deputy: Vince Muscatello

3 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

Workload: the long and winding road As part of the last round of Victorian Catholic Agreement negotiations, the IEU and the CECV agreed to conduct a major independent review of teacher, deputy principal and principal workload.

ack in 2018, over 3500 Catholic school employees were surveyed, and 64 focus groups were held. The research and full report, conducted and written by NOUS Consultancy, showed, not surprisingly, that members of all three cohorts reported frequently working excessive hours and they commonly felt management of their own workload was not within their control. In 2019 the NOUS group was further engaged by the IEU and CECV to work with a stakeholder working party on more research and surveying to drill into the causes or ‘drivers’ of workload and to look at what strategies or ‘enablers’ might help. Despite many different stakeholder views, it was hoped that there would be consensus about joint recommendations that could be made to CECV for genuine measures to mitigate workload. In order to give some structure and direction to its recommendations, the working party examined these drivers and enablers on the basis of whether they were evident at a system, school or individual teacher level. The process has been long and in some ways frustrating, with some stakeholders denying that an issue with excessive workload actually exists in Catholic schools and others seeming to shy away from some very practical, low cost strategies to do something about it. What the review has shown is that in terms of workload management, some schools are doing much better than others. We know from our work in schools that where the IEU sub-branch is active and

the Consultative Committee operates effectively, workload issues are better managed, morale is higher and there is genuine staff support for school programs and initiatives. One example of a system-level issue is the workload created by the NCCD. The review showed that teachers and school leaders find the collection and management of data, administration and the differentiation of curriculum involved in the NCCD process far more labourintensive than previous funding models. At a school level some leaders have taken very proactive steps to do something about this with some schools allocating teachers an hour each cycle for NCCD related work and others hiring CRTs to release teachers during peak times. Similarly, some schools have implemented streamlined processes around assessment and reporting which take into account the fact that teachers are providing much more frequent feedback to students and parents via continuous online reporting. The review provides irrefutable and independent evidence that staff in Catholic schools are already working excessive hours and that there must be change at both the system and school level to ameliorate the negative impact. The final report will be available in the next month. We expect that as well as providing some practical suggestions for workload management the report will also point to some areas which should be a focus of our next round of Agreement negotiations.

Members take up the fight at Launceston Grammar

The Board at Launceston Church Grammar School continue to back the school’s embattled Headmaster after 80 staff voted in favour of a third motion of no confidence in his leadership.

taff tell us that they are deeply disappointed in the Board’s position, given that the Headmaster has clearly lost the support of the majority of the school’s 91 teachers. They say that the school is now facing a worsening staff welfare crisis as morale plummets and more key staff look to leave. The most recent no confidence motion continues two years of protest and unrest at a school which, according to many staff, was a great place to work until a disastrous leadership change radically undermined the supportive workplace culture. Teachers rejected a deeply unsatisfactory proposed EBA back in 2018, and early in 2020 threatened to take industrial action. They also passed two no confidence motions in the Headmaster, before this most recent motion directly demanded that the Board terminate the Headmaster’s employment. IEU members say they are angered by a very top-down style of leadership under which key programs have been scrapped and wholesale change implemented without consultation. Anger and concern are also rising amongst parents with several contacting the IEU, the school and the media. The IEU understands that parents have met with Board members and argued that such an unhealthy school environment will in the long run be detrimental for the education of their children. Following the earlier no confidence motions, the Headmaster openly

admitted he had made mistakes and committed to change. These commitments included the establishment of a Consultative Committee and a promise to hold a survey which would show ‘warts and all’ what the issues are at the school. However, the survey which the school eventually put out infuriated staff, as the school refused to include key changes to questions suggested by them. The survey was overwhelmingly perceived as a whitewash, and things have since deteriorated at the school. All of this has played out in the Tasmanian media with dozens of articles appearing in the state’s major papers as well as TV bulletins and on radio. There are increasing calls amongst the growing IEU membership at the school to put forward a further motion of no confidence directed at the School Board itself, but for now members have asked the IEU to run a new health, safety and welfare survey designed to give staff a genuine opportunity to detail the key issues and concerns with current leadership. Major media outlets in Tasmania have already indicated that they are very interested in the IEU survey outcome. These findings will be shared with the Board in the hope that it finally takes long-overdue action. These findings will be shared with the Board in the hope that it finally listens to staff concerns and takes long-overdue action to prevent further damage being done to the school community.

The new normal GENERAL SECRETARY DEBRA JAMES

gain I want to congratulate our members; teachers, principals and education support staff on the tremendous job they continue to do to keep our school communities learning, safe and positive in the most difficult year we’ve had to face and hopefully will face for many more years to come. School leadership is complex and demanding at the best of times and the most effective leaders have developed strong relationships with their staff and communities based on collaboration and genuine consultation around their decision making. They will have earned

The only thing I’ve come to expect out of 2020 is change and more change. credibility, trust and respect and treat others in the same way. They will be nimble in their approach. Difficult decisions around unprecedented issues made with little notice through necessity are reviewed and tweaked by effective leaders responding to feedback, new information and further change. It takes tremendous courage to be an effective leader and their work has never been more challenging. The safety, health and wellbeing of our members both individually and collectively is always important but made so much more complex in this crisis. A level of anxiety and fear is not

very far away as people watch the daily numbers and live their lives in a much more curtailed way. Masks, curfews, permits, closed borders, travel limits, closed businesses, growing numbers of unemployed, remote learning and working from home is life in Victoria and for most of our members. Yet because of their commitment to their students, their school community and colleagues they step up each day to be positive, creative, supportive, flexible, innovative and professional. How difficult it must be to do this each day when there is such a level of underlying anxiety and disturbance.

So many schools are doing great things to ensure that staff are supported, respected and regarded. Yes, we are all in this together – but our needs are not necessarily all the same. It’s been hard for some schools to trust that work they can’t see being done is actually being done and challenging for some schools to accept that in these unprecedented times, keeping people safe might mean some tasks need to be scaled back or delayed, and that some staff can’t attend the workplace even though they might not be able to do their normal job from home. We’ve got to move past this thinking. It’s time for trust

and respect and compassion for people in our school communities – not for the nit-picking and demoralising micro-management which is unfortunately evident in some of our workplaces. Thank you to the fabulous school leaders out there who are engaging with our members and being positive. I know this is a very hard year and I hope that you are taking some time for yourself through this. Thank you to our wonderful members for stepping up and outside of your usual teaching, learning and support activities to deliver quality education to our students. Roll on the September break!

4 THE POINT Term Three 2020

Changed arrangements for VCE students and teachers On 10 August the VCAA wrote to principals of Victorian secondary schools to outline the measures announced by the Minister to address the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on VCE students.

ictorian Reps attending Council on 3 September will discuss these changes and the potentially significant workload implications for staff in schools. The letter from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) specifies a new ‘Consideration of Educational Disadvantage’ process to calculate VCE scores, taking into account disruptions to learning this year. To calculate scores, the VCAA will consider a range of data provided by schools, together with each student’s exam results. The data will include: the ranked order of students prior to and following the impact of COVID-19 a student’s indicative grades prior to and following the impact of COVID-19 school assessments completed prior to remote and flexible learning the General Achievement Test (GAT) a range of statistical analyses used to calculate final results. Consideration of Educational Disadvantage The Consideration of Educational Disadvantage process when calculating VCE scores will require schools to provide the VCAA with information on students and school circumstances to help calculate their study scores. This will include information about the circumstances and impact of the disruption on students, as well as additional data such as estimated assessment scores. To ensure the fairness of final results, the VCAA will consider all available information, including the General Achievement Test (GAT) and appropriate comparisons of performance across all assessments and schools. Based on this analysis, where disadvantage has been identified, this will be factored into students’ final scores, which will then contribute to the study score calculation. This approach will ensure that Victorian students are not disadvantaged in comparison to interstate students in the calculation of their individual ATAR. Further details about this process will be communicated to schools via a Notice to Schools. The letter to principals also outlines other amendments, including The General Achievement Test (GAT) will be rescheduled to Wednesday 7 October 2020. VTAC Special Entry Access scheme Victorian Certificate of Education – Vocational Education and Training Programs - practical assessments Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) - use of existing flexibilities To see the full VCAA letter go to www.ieuvictas.org.au under COVID- 19 Advice.

Union win in face of ‘old school’ ways The Union recently achieved a substantial financial settlement for a member engaged in boarding supervision services under the Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2020.

ur member had been working in boarding supervision for several years at a prestigious Victorian independent school, and part of their job was to live on school grounds and provide supervision and all round support of the operation of the school’s boarding house in relation to the supervision of students. This was a term of the member’s contract and it was clearly outlined in the position description that our member had to reside at the school premises. However, the school also wanted to charge our member for accommodation, food and utilities. The amount the school was charging was exorbitant and well above the market rate for rent of the property.

More importantly, in its assessment of the rate it charged, the school completely ignored that our member was required to live on premises as part of their role and was denied private benefits and freedom which they would otherwise have if they lived in a private property. The school deducted the amount from our member’s wages – we considered that this was not lawful and that the amount the school had calculated was unreasonable in the circumstances. Initially when the IEU raised this, the school was reluctant to discuss it with us, and we were obliged to correspond in detail, outlining our position and alleging various breaches of the Fair Work Act. After

extensive negotiation, the school agreed to repay our member a substantial sum of the money it had withheld from their wages on the basis of accommodation, food and utilities. This is a significant win and goes to show that just because something has always been done a particular way, this does not mean that it is right, fair – or lawful!

New requirement to notify WorkSafe Victoria about COVID-19 The Australian Council of Trade Unions has been campaigning to have a confirmed case of COVID at work included as a notifiable incident to safety regulators.

n Victoria this has been achieved as a result of succesful lobbying by the union movement, including IEU member participation in an online petition. Under OHS legislation, employers must notify Worksafe about serious workplace incidents such as amputation and electrocution – these are known as ‘notifiable incidents’ and are included in OHS and WHS legislation. Failure of employers to comply with the reporting requirements in the OHS Act can lead to fines of up to $39,652.80 for individuals and $198,264.00 for companies. On 28 July, temporary regulations were approved requiring Victorian employers to notify WorkSafe of confirmed cases of COVID-19. These temporary regulations will apply for 12 months. Under the Regulations, employers and self-employed persons with management or control of a workplace must notify WorkSafe immediately after becoming aware that: an employee, an independent contractor, an employee of an independent contractor or a selfemployed person has received a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, and that person attended a workplace under the management or control of the employer within the ‘infectious period’.

The ‘infectious period’ is the period between the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms or the confirmed diagnosis (whichever comes first), and the date the person receives a clearance from isolation from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The requirement to notify Worksafe is in addition to any requirement to notify DHHS. Notification is not required when a person’s workplace is their home, and that person has not attended any other workplace of the employer during the ‘infectious period’.   This means that a confirmed diagnosis of an employee who has attended school within the infectious period must be reported to Worksafe. Note that in the case of a student who has a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, the requirement to notify Worksafe does not apply, but the requirement to DHHS might still apply if the student has been on-site. Risk control measures are more important than ever The new requirement to notify WorkSafe of confirmed COVID-19 cases does not impact upon the ongoing obligation for employers to implement proactive risk controls to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. These risk controls include:

requiring employees to work from home where able to do so increased cleaning protocols information and instruction on face coverings and hand-hygiene requirements, and access to necessary supplies social distancing strategies systems for monitoring the location of employees and contractors attending the workplace clear protocols outlining the steps to take if a confirmed case is identified in the workplace, including notification, contact tracing and deep cleaning For more information about the new regulations, contact the IEU or check out the Worksafe Vic websitewww.worksafe.vic.gov.au/ notifiable-incidents-involvingcoronavirus-covid-19

5 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

Farewell Michael The IEU waved goodbye over Zoom drinks at the end of term 2 to long-serving Organiser Michael Rooney.

fter 25 years as a teacher and 16 years serving members as an Organiser, Michael had decided it was time to hang up his hat. Prior to starting with us, he worked 16 years at CBC St Kilda, mainly in Outdoor Education. He swapped ski poles and surfboards for a desk in an office environment, which took some adjustment. Michael quickly developed his skills in representation, advocacy, and bargaining. His calm, methodical, unflustered approach was respected by members and many of the employers he worked with. A team player, he was happy to put his hand up for country runs, difficult member situations or

supporting other colleagues. Michael reflects that his time at the union allowed him to develop both personally and professionally. ‘I learned a lot from others and I also found that I had a capacity for some of the ‘dry’ tasks such as drafting Agreements.’ Over the years he became a de facto ‘go to’ person when someone had a question about a condition or clause in an industrial instrument. He unofficially and officially mentored many organisers. He believes that supporting members is challenging but intrinsically satisfying, saying ‘we get as union organisers to do good not evil.’ Michael has made an enormous contribution to the

working lives of many members, as well as to the internal culture of the IEU itself. Perhaps as much as his reliable, calm and reassuring advice, his dry humour is already missed by his colleagues. Also missed will be his unparalleled cooking skills – in particular his ability to whip up an army-sized paella was the stuff of legend, most recently witnessed as he fed striking workers at the Longford Esso picket line. The retirement plan was to head to Base camp at Everest with his children, but that’s on hold for now. Instead he has picked up a paintbrush and is starting to tackle jobs that have been waiting for a while. Patiently, methodically, and thoroughly…

Redundancy keeping the process fair Potential redundancy situations in schools normally come about as a result of declining enrolments and can be a confronting time for all staff.

genuine redundancy exists when an employer legitimately decides that a role will no longer be undertaken by anyone at the workplace. Term 3 is generally the ‘peak’ time for formal notification to employees that a school is seeking to reduce staffing numbers. This is always a difficult experience for affected employees, and with the events of this turbulent year is likely to create an even more uncertain and anxious situation. The IEU plays a vital role in ensuring fair processes, genuine examination of options rather than shedding staff, and advocacy for our members. The IEU is active in supporting members to ensure that all measures to ‘mitigate or advert’ negative impact are fully explored. This requires a period of consultation and discussion which can be extremely stressful for the members involved - so having the support of your union and the assurance that processes are being properly followed is vital. In schools it can sometimes feel that redundancies are rare situations which makes negotiating for improved entitlements and processes during enterprise bargaining seem less of a priority. However, staff who find themselves having to consider redundancy understand that

these provisions are important, sometimes life changing. In Victorian Catholic schools, we have agreed procedures regarding a timeline for potential redundancy, which generally requires notification by the third week of Term 3 for the implementation at the start of the following school year. This enables staff to have enough time to plan for any change which may impact them. The procedures in Tasmanian Catholic schools are very similar, but redundancy is less likely to occur as all but two schools are covered by a single employer. At the start of August, the IEU and those employees likely to be affected were notified of potential redundancies of approximately 10.7 full time equivalent staff across seven Catholic schools. Some Catholic and independent schools have also notified Introduction of Major Change which includes significant outsourcing of services such as cleaning, IT and Finance. Schools who have announced closure at the end of 2020 include Presentation College Windsor and St Benedict’s East Burwood, while Xavier College will close its Kostka Hall campus in Brighton at the end of 2021. The IEU will work with members to explore a range of measures which can be used

to avoid, delay or minimise the impact of redundancy on staff. These including staff accessing leave entitlements such as long service leave and leave without pay, re-deployment, agreed variation of hours of part-time staff, and offers of voluntary redundancy. Understanding these options and working through them is something that we assist members to explore to ensure that forced redundancy is the option of last resort. At one primary school, for example, the need to reduce staffing by three full time workers was resolved by one staff member resigning to take up an employment offer elsewhere, one staff member taking 12 months Leave Without Pay, a part time voluntary redundancy and five staff accepting variations in their time fractions. Redundancy situations are stressful and distressing experiences but the ability of union members to access support and advice makes them a little less so. If you or your colleagues are notified of change, we urge you to contact the IEU and ensure that you have access to our full advice and support.

Workers need wage rises DEPUTY SECRETARY LORETTA COTTER

It has been an incredibly tough time for so many Australians and the impact on the nation’s economy will be big and lasting.

t is not a reason to stagnate workers’ wages. Aside from anything else, our economic recovery will be largely dependent on the capacity of workers to spend. In NSW, unions are fighting the state government’s ‘pause’ wages policy, which is in effect a pay freeze. Treasury advice obtained by unions under Freedom of Information legislation states that reducing public sector wages growth in the short-term would only deepen the recession. In June, the Fair Work Commission weighed up the pros and cons of granting low paid workers a pay rise in the context of a grim economic outlook. Despite employer groups arguing against any pay increase, the Commission awarded a 1.75% pay increase to Award-reliant employees. Factored in its decision was gender inequality and the fact that a considerable proportion of low paid workers had household disposable incomes that were less than 60% of the median income poverty line. The school sector, with some limited exemptions, is much more strongly insulated against job losses or impact on revenue. Federal and state funding has not dried up and will continue to keep flowing. Government and Catholic schools will soon commence bargaining for new Agreements, and there is already precedent in the Victorian public service with a recent deal that will deliver about 13% income growth over 4 years. Yet in many independent schools, who are also recipients of state and federal funding, bargaining has slowed considerably. Some delays are perhaps to be expected as we all come to terms with the many challenges of this year and find new ways to hold bargaining meetings, but we cannot allow this pandemic to become an excuse to postpone legitimate bargaining indefinitely. In the absence of an agreement, workers are reliant on employer discretion around wages and many other conditions that have never been more important such as consultation, personal leave, workload limits and redundancy pay. While some high-fee schools, also dependent on revenue from international students, may be facing a financial shortfall this year, the overwhelming majority of schools do not fit this profile. There would need to be highly compelling evidence to simply quietly acquiesce to a wage outcome that would see employees fall below the market rate of the government sector. No doubt there are some tough times ahead. But it has never been more important to be a unionised workplace. It is only unionised workers who can ask the hard questions of employers and campaign for fair workplace conditions, secure jobs and decent pay. It is union strength in the workplace that ensures accountability and the safety net of an Agreement. And it is union members who understand that nothing comes easily – it must be fought for.

6 THE POINT Term Three 2020

Australian unions plan for Australia’s economic reconstruction The Australian Union movement has developed a National Economic Reconstruction Plan, with five concrete ideas to tackle the issues of job insecurity, inequality, and record-low wage growth.

he plan is big, bold and brave - it’s a plan to create and support over a million permanent jobs and to help steer Australia through the next stage of the COVID-19 crisis. The plan has five key planks: 1. Early childhood education and care 2. Training for reconstruction 3. Rediscover Australia 4. National reconstruction investment plan 5. Sustainable manufacturing strategy ‘The fight against COVID-19 is one we are all in together. The impacts of the pandemic are still emerging, and we are all trying to imagine what our country will look like in the future. We have seen the immediate impact on jobs and industries and know already that some sections of our community will be hit harder than others. Young people, women, casual and precarious workers, and our essential and frontline services are bearing the brunt of this terrible pandemic, and unless we act decisively, we risk generational social and economic harm. The ACTU, with economist Dr Jim Stanford and the Center for Future Work have developed a National Economic Reconstruction Plan, with 5 concrete ideas to get started. History tells us that left to its own devices, the economy is poised for years of depression post-COVID. We cannot and must not accept a jobless recovery or a recovery that leaves the next generation with a social deficit from which they will never recover. For the most part - this pandemic has bought out the best in our country – our incredible health system, our strong workplace health and safety regulations, our highly skilled public sector and the Australian people’s belief that our Governments should stand up and make big decisions for the benefit of the people they serve. The Australian people know that the next steps – national economic reconstruction – can only be led and delivered by Government. Australian Governments have stepped up and done this national building recovery before, and we can do it again. Australian Unions offer this plan with optimism, hope, and determination. We look forward to continuing to work with Governments and the Australian public to rebuild a stronger and fairer Australia. We are committed to making sure that working people’s voices are always heard.’ – Michele O’Neil, ACTU President For more: www.australianunions.org.au

Agreement watch – the Victorian Public Service gets a good deal At the time of writing, Victorian Public Service employees have just voted up a new draft Enterprise Agreement, following the conclusion of negotiations between the Community and Public Sector Union and the Victorian government.

he agreement will run until 20 March 2024 and deliver improved salaries and new conditions. The pay rises, while within the State Government’s wage policy (2% p.a.) are ‘front loaded’ to maximise the dollar amounts. An allowance payment equal to 1.25 % will also be paid each year so, while it does not add to employees’ base pay rates, it increases the total value of the package to about 13% over the four years to March 2024. The wage increases are: 1.5% on 20 March 2020 1.25% on 1 December 2020 1.5% on 1 September 2021 1.25% on 1 June 2022 1.5% on 1 March 2023 1% on 1 December 2023 This totals a cumulative 8.27% in nominal wage increases, in addition to the four lump sum payments of 1.25% which will be paid on 1 July of each year from 2020 to 2023. These lump sums attract additional employer superannuation payments, and are paid as a ‘mobility allowance’ – a recognition that there may need to be more movement between jobs, departments and locations. This will be paid to all employees irrespective of whether an employee is required to move: while there may be more capacity for the employer to move employees, it is expected that this will reduce the need to make employees redundant.

Predictably, there has been criticism from conservative quarters about the cost of this significant pay outcome. It is well-established, however, that low wages growth has been stifling the Australian economy for several years – and as over coming years we face the urgent need to rebuild our economy coming out of the COVID-19 shutdown, public sector wage rises (which go on to set the bar for private sector negotiations) will play a crucial stimulatory role. There are a number of other significant improvements in the draft Agreement, including: superannuation at normal rates on up to 12 months of unpaid parental leave, increased parental leave to 16 weeks with more flexibility with how leave can be taken and paid lactation breaks upon return to work, 15 days per annum paid personal leave can be used now also for medical appointments, with a broader definition of significant family or personal connection introduced for compassionate leave, the first 52 weeks of parental leave counting as service for the purpose of calculating Long Service Leave, 12-month qualifying provision waived for paid parental leave for employees not subject to probation, with no need to return to work to

access further parental leave, recognition of other caring arrangements e.g. Foster and kinship care, employees who enter a formal surrogacy are entitled to Pre-Natal leave and six weeks paid leave, Employees in receipt of Workers’ Compensation payments will be able to take and accrue annual and personal leave, new clause that supports the Gender Equality Act 2020 (Vic), and explicitly sets out the gender equality principles, with a clause to enable equal pay cases to address gender pay gap (currently 12% in VPS), paid gender transition leave up to 20 days, paid leave up to 10 days for members of First Peoples Assembly of Victoria, study leave clause to recognise microcredentialing and CPD (compulsory professional development), and recognition that the union can raise disputes in its own right. Coming on the heels of comparable union-negotiated outcomes for nurses, police and paramedics, this Agreement sets an important precedent for upcoming Victorian government school and Catholic school negotiations – which in turn set the benchmark for negotiations with independent schools.

Bargaining roundup Bargaining has slowed right down in Victorian independent schools with some employers saying that they are currently assessing the financial hit they have taken due to the global health pandemic.

n some cases, the IEU has agreed to roll over existing EBAs and to pick up bargaining next year. Some schools are proposing a Memorandum of Understanding to lock in a wage rise and other conditions for a year, and then come back to the table. Importantly, the IEU expects that we and our members will be consulted about any employer proposals and these pass the test of evidence and genuine financial difficulty. The IEU expects that in 2021 wages in Victorian government schools will increase by at least 2% consistent with government policy- see related article above. At a minimum there should be similar increases over 2022 – 2023. At independent schools where wages sit at or around government rates the union will push hard with members to ensure that wage increases at least keep up with

government schools. The obvious problem for a school that currently pays government school rates is that if they do not offer a wage increase in 2021, they will have to find at least 4% in 2022 to play catch-up. The IEU has long argued that no independent school should be paying less than government school rates and that considering the fee base of many schools and the extracurricular expectations that attach to the work, many should be paying a good margin above. In addition to locking in wage increases for 2021, the IEU has been working with members to improve outcomes in bargaining around no or low-cost provisions such as improved consultation, limits on meetings and reducing other out of hours expectations on staff. The IEU is currently at the table at the Woodleigh School, Cornish College and Toorak College with

bargaining expected to commence at Bialik shortly. At Plenty Valley International Montessori School the IEU is assisting with the completion of a final draft. In Tasmania bargaining at the Friends School is about to commence.

7 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

Maintaining VIT registration requirements in 2020

IEU members in Victoria have continued to express concerns about the challenges of meeting the various requirements for registration due to disrupted employment and the constraints of remote learning arrangements.

he IEU raised these issues with VIT several months ago, and as reported in the previous edition of The Point we were pleased to see that reasonable accommodations have been made to help ensure that no teacher’s registration is put at risk as a result of the current health crisis. Below is a summary of the additional flexibilities that have been introduced for 2020.

20 hours of professional development during each annual cycle. They can count a wide range of professional development activity including reading, webinars, seminars and school meetings with a professional development focus. VIT has highlighted that any professional learning that teachers have been involved in to develop their skills and knowledge to undertake remote teaching can be used.

VIT registration renewal requirements

Provisionally Registered Teachers

If fully registered teachers are not able to demonstrate at least 20 days of teaching/educational leadership/ equivalent practice in the past 12 months at renewal time (30 September), they are provided with the option of ‘averaging’ – in effect, declaring that they have undertaken: 40 days over the previous 2 year period; or 60 days over the previous 3 year period; or 80 days over the previous 4 year period; or 100 days over the previous 5 year period. VIT advises keeping a record of the days you undertake. It also advises that for those who are still unable to meet the number of days by the renewal date, this will not be an impediment to, nor preclude them from registration renewal. Teachers are also required to undertake

Some Provisionally Registered Teachers may not have completed 80 days of teaching as a result of changes to schooling arrangements this year. This may also impact on their capacity to complete their evidence-based inquiry by their PRT expiry date. While VIT encourages PRTs to discuss with their school and mentor the suitability of using the period of remote learning as part of the inquiry process, PRTs who will not have the required 80 days teaching or have been unable to complete their inquiry process will be granted an additional 12 months of provisional registration through their MyVIT account. Recently registered teachers should have received an update from VIT explaining how their registration issues can be accommodated. In short, no teacher will be precluded from being able to renew their registration or have their Provisional Registration period extended.

Permission to Teach and unable to progress to formal teaching qualifications

Teachers granted Permission to Teach who have been unable to complete or progress to the required formal teaching qualifications as a result of the COVID -19 crisis will be able to apply for a further grant of 12 months of Permission to Teach.

Requirements for those Returning from Non-Practising Registration

Teachers who have returned to teaching from a period of non-practising registration and have the requirement to complete 20 days teaching and to demonstrate completion of 20 hours of professional development when they renew their registration this year will also not be precluded from renewal if they are not able to meet these requirements by the renewal date.

Education Support staff in the pandemic The thing about a difficult situation is that it can bring out both the best and the worst in people – and in institutions.

ducation Support staff are the most vulnerable category of staff in schools. A higher proportion are in insecure work, and wages are usually significantly lower than other staff in the education sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted both the value of their essential work but also the wide range of ways in which they are treated in different schools. We have a long list of examples of Victorian schools that implemented the return to remote learning this term with great foresight and compassion for the needs, safety and individual circumstances of all staff. Crucially, there was a strong trust relationship that allowed support staff to work remotely and supported their initiative in finding new ways to get their work done and contribute to the functioning of the school. Many schools have done an exceptional job of putting together clear guidelines and supports for all staff enabling them to concentrate on supporting students in their work.

Where genuine consultation has occurred, and the guiding principle has been to ensure minimal on-site staffing levels, prioritising the ‘willing’ for school supervision, and being creative about alternative duties, there have been very positive outcomes for Education Support staff. On the other hand, we’ve also seen schools that have tried to implement blanket policies requiring all support staff to attend the workplace, regardless of whether this was actually necessary, or find other draconian measures to check up on those working remotely – just to make sure that every minute of their day is accounted for. The lack of trust shows a high level of disrespect for staff who have gone above and beyond not just through all the ups and downs of the pandemic – but all the time. We have seen some independent schools stand down support staff, rush through redundancies, attempt to force staff to take leave – some of this behavior occurred almost as soon as the first period of remote

learning had commenced. In the majority of these cases, the IEU has been able to effectively advocate for members – in some instances through informal discussions, in others by initiating legal proceedings. The lesson here is the importance of trust and respect in these uncertain times. Where these values are shown to support staff, they are more than paid back through the initiative, dedication, collaboration and hard work of staff. Where employers micro-manage or threaten employment, or try to seek an account of every working minute, there is very little incentive for staff to go the ‘extra mile’ that is so needed as we support each other through this crisis. The ways in which some schools have risen to the challenge has been inspiring. These are the schools where people work in a supportive environment, in which trust, support and care is demonstrated for everyone in the community.

Another union win for principals The IEU has won an important case about pay rates for Victorian Catholic primary school principals who have moved from larger to smaller schools.

n 12 August, the Fair Work Commission issued its decision on a dispute which has been running since May 2019. The issue arose for a principal who moved from a school with an enrolment over 250 to a school with less than 150 students. When the new pay structure in the Agreement took effect in May 2019, Catholic Education Melbourne kept this principal at Level 2, arguing that the clause that required him to be paid at ‘the rate of pay applicable to the former position’ simply meant the old pay level. The IEU argued that these words meant the rate of pay that applied to the old position under the new structure. After receiving all the evidence and submissions, the Commission found in our favour. This means our member gets back-paid at the higher rate to 1 May 2019 and, instead of being stuck at the top of Level 2, is entitled to annual increments up to the top of Level 3. There are likely to be a number of other principals who are entitled to higher rates of pay. Specifically, on 1 May 2019: Those who had previously moved to a school one or two enrolment bands below their old school should have been paid at the new level calculated on enrolment numbers at the old school at the time they moved; or Many of those who had moved to a school more than two enrolment bands below their old school should have received an increase because of the removal of Level 1 and the changes to enrolment numbers for levels 2 and 3. This can be mightily confusing, but we encourage any principals in doubt to contact Noel Dillon (IEU Principals’ Officer) to confirm whether they are being paid the correct rate.

8 THE POINT Term Three 2020

Tasmanian Years 9 to 12 Curriculum Framework – where to now?

Diverse Pedagogies

Teachers use a range of evidence-based strategies to enhance learner engagement with the material being taught, the skills and understandings being developed and the assessment artefacts being created.

Further to our update in the previous edition of The Point, the IEU has continued discussions with the Tasmanian Department of Education on the development, consultation and implementation timelines of the Years 9 - 12 Curriculum Framework.

he implementation of the framework has been delayed until 2022 and will be phased in by two subjects per learning area. A major focus at this point is the Integrated Model for Course Design and Delivery, which is currently the subject of consultation (including via an online survey) and will inform the development of policy settings. Consultation for the first tranche of courses to be developed using the Years 9 to 12 Curriculum Framework will also occur over the remainder of 2020, with plans for these courses to be implemented in 2022. Also for consultation this year are: Draft Vocational Learning Framework Requirements and Guidelines for: – Career Education – Delivery of VET to School Students – Work based learning – Apprenticeships and Traineeships for school aged students Draft Workforce Support Framework Draft Vocational Learning and Industry Areas Map

Consultation and Support

One of the desired outcomes from consultation is to achieve a seamless system for Years 9 to 12 curriculum provision in Tasmania, marrying Australian Curriculum requirements with the Office of TASC’s Senior Secondary Accreditation Framework in order to produce a targeted set of courses that are designed to be flexible, relevant, futures focussed and supportive of every learner aligned with their strengths, interests, aspirations or intended pathways through life. Teacher input is critical, and development and implementation require specific targeted resources to support teachers. Implementation requires a clear strategy with system and school resourcing. Tony Woodward, who heads up

the Project, advised the IEU that consultation sessions will be scheduled to allow teachers to contribute meaningfully without disrupting scheduled classes or adding significantly to workloads. Teachers will be able to participate in consultation through a range of forums including through representative stakeholders bodies (unions, learning area groups (LAGs), principals meetings, the Learning, Teaching and Assessment committee), electronic surveys, in-school professional learning and end of year professional learning sessions. Online communities of practice, established during the COVID-19 restrictions, will allow for large scale consultation with teachers and teachers will also be able to contribute feedback as part of the formal course development process. The IEU is in discussion with Tony about a specific forum for IEU members and will advise members accordingly. IEU members and sub-branches are also encouraged to provide feedback and comments to us at any point.

Background

The Years 9 to 12 Project was initiated in response to the Review of Years 9 to 12 Tasmania final report completed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The Review examined barriers to student retention and attainment in Tasmania and has developed key findings, recommendations and policy options in relation to these years of schooling. The recommendations accepted included: Take a holistic approach to system and sector improvements; Review and update the formal curriculum, assessment, reporting and accreditation requirements; Initiate regular long-term strategies to change public perceptions about

the value of school education and VET in Schools; Implement a development strategy to support the rejuvenation of the workforce and potentially, the implementation of multi-campus schools; Improve the status of VET and VEL in schools through community involvement in the development of a future vision and associated implementation strategy; and Re-evaluate the nature and use of data collected. A governance structure has been established to support these recommendations. The Years 9 to 12 Steering Committee and working groups are cross-sectoral and include representatives from the Office of TASC, University of Tasmania, TasTAFE and Skills Tasmania. A significant scan and assess process was conducted in the initial stages of the project. This included a comprehensive literature review, an environmental scan of high performing jurisdictions and a range of stakeholder forums and statewide consultation sessions with teachers, industry and other interest groups. A series of frameworks were also produced from the scan and assess process including: A Years 9 to 12 Curriculum Framework A draft Years 9 to 12 Teaching and Learning Framework A draft Years 9 to 12 Assessment Framework A vision for Vocational Learning and VET in Tasmanian Schools to 2030 The Project development to date has had two major foci: The depth and breadth of the curriculum – described through the Years 9 to 12 Curriculum Framework Structural considerations and design specifications – represented through a draft Integrated Model for Course Design and Delivery

The Years 9 to 12 Curriculum Framework identifies five focus areas for study. These include: Discipline-based Study Transdisciplinary Projects Professional Studies Work-based Learning Personal Futures Each focus area, by definition, requires a tailored approach to teaching and learning. It is intended that focus area courses will be framed to reflect this through clearly articulated learning outcomes, course content, work requirements and assessment criteria. The Integrated Model for Course Design and Delivery is a current major focus and is the subject of consultation (including via an online survey) and will inform the development of policy settings. It aims to bring together a range of policy considerations into a cohesive and holistic overview, highlighting the relationships and interdependencies between various structural elements, including: Years 9 to 12 Provision Course Design Assessment Articulation, Extension and Enrichment Credentialing Many of these conceptual elements are in alignment with policy developments nationally and in other state jurisdictions. More information about the Years 9 to 12 Project (including further information about consultation opportunities) can be found at: www.education.tas.gov.au/ about-us/projects/years-9-12-project/

9 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

Tasmanian TRB takes concerns ‘on board’

Managing staff performance in Tasmanian Catholic schools

The IEU Victoria Tasmania has for some time been raising with the Tasmanian Teacher Registration Board (TRB) concerns about the process involved in Provisionally Registered teachers moving to full registration.

Recently there has been an increase in IEU members facing performance and conduct management processes, either at the school level or via the People and Culture unit at the Catholic Education Office.

he process is covered by Clause 10 in the current Catholic Agreement (which is available on the IEU website). While the union can’t prevent your employer from holding or raising concerns about your performance, we can ensure that you receive procedural and substantive fairness. The IEU has successfully run disputes at the Fair Work Commission over failures to properly follow the process in the Agreement. We are particularly concerned about the ‘ambushing’ of members who are called to meetings with no advance information about topic, purpose or agenda, in which they are informed that a formal Clause 10 process is being instigated. There have unfortunately been several examples of this over the last 12 months, and in some cases the member has been immediately stood down – this is a clear breach of the Agreement. Any direction to attend a meeting where the employer refuses to disclose the reason is an unreasonable direction. A meeting held under Clause 10.1.4 is a step of the informal performance management process – this will be a meeting that discusses concerns, and accurate records must be kept of the discussions that are held. You are entitled to (and should!) have union representation at this meeting. The purpose of the informal part of the process is to ‘resolve the concerns or reach agreement on measures to resolve the concerns.’ During this informal part of the process, our members are

A super win

his is a result of nearly a year of battling with the school and the Australian Taxation Office. The issue initially arose when the IEU became aware that Scotch Oakburn College had not been paying superannuation on members’ annual leave loading since 2009. This, together with the returns that this money should have been earning, adds up to very significant

often given two options: 1. Listen to the concerns of the employer and have the opportunity to respond. The employee, with support from the IEU, can then negotiate a range of measures that are designed to resolve the concerns of the employer. 2. Dispute that the concerns have any validity and provide evidence to show this is the case at the initial meeting or any subsequent 10.1.4 meetings. In many cases the first option can lead to a faster resolution, as the series of agreed measures helps to resolve the principal’s concerns and end the process. While the second option should be pursued if the employer’s concerns are spurious or not evidence based, it will generally lead to the process being escalated to what is called a ‘Notice of Concerns’ (Clause 10.2). This is a more formal part of the performance and development management process – at this stage the member will receive a more detailed written record of the complaints or allegations and any directions as to whether they are to remain in the workplace while an investigation is being carried out. This process can also lead to a Performance Improvement Plan, a warning, or termination of employment. Ideally this process can also lead to the Clause 10 process being dropped by the employer, especially if the process is a fair one and investigations are done in the correct manner. Importantly, membership of the union gives you support throughout this entire process. This can be moral, industrial and legal at the various steps of the process. It is particularly

important to have this support when, as is often the case the employee is instructed not to speak to any colleagues about the process, making this a potentially very isolating time for staff who have had concerns raised against them. It’s really important for all staff to know that the IEU can only offer assistance and support to existing members: all-too-often we have to have very difficult conversations with staff who have joined the union after finding themselves in trouble and are not eligible for advice, support or representation under our industrial assistance policy. The best way to ensure that you are protected and supported, and to know that you are supporting your colleagues and your industry, is to join the IEU as soon as you start work in non-government education! Some independent schools do not have clear binding processes for dealing with performance issues – this can make your treatment a little more unpredictable. Where our membership is strong, we are better positioned to advocate for clear, fair processes around performance management. Even in the absence of these, all employees are entitled to natural justice – don’t hesitate to contact the IEU for support and advice!

he union has highlighted a number of issues, including the considerable workload involved for both the individual teacher and the teachers on the schoolbased panels, and the additional bureaucratic hurdles put in place for the TRB to manage the high demand in recent years. Since the introduction of an additional incremental step on the teacher pay scale for fully registered teachers in both Catholic and Government school Agreements, the number of teachers now applying to move to full registration has increased substantially. The Board of TRB has been undertaking a review of the process and in particular has now been undertaking work in relation to possible alternate pathways for progressing to full registration. The Board acknowledges that it has listened to concerns and is in the process of developing pathways for: Provisionally Registered teachers who are in non-teaching leadership roles working in settings over which the TRB has jurisdiction (schools, colleges and TasTAFE) and Experienced practitioners, generally those who have held provisional teacher registration and satisfactorily practised for more than two cycles (over 10 years). As a part of this direction, focus groups drawn from all sectors will be consulted. The IEU will provide input to the TRB on the proposals.

Members at Scotch Oakburn College in Launceston are about to get a big (and overdue) payment into their superannuation accounts.

sums missing from members’ superannuation accounts. The IEU initially raised a complaint around this with the Australian Taxation Office back in September 2019. After a long delay the ATO advised that, in their view, the superannuation was not payable. It took many phone calls and emails for the IEU to explain the finer points of superannuation law to the ATO –

and it was only after the dispute was escalated to the ATO’s ‘Complex Technical Unit’ that the employer’s obligations were properly understood and acknowledged. While the ATO’s delays and confusion led to a great deal of frustration, we now at last have a ruling that will mean many hundreds of dollars (in many cases well over $1,000)

plus substantial interest is due to be paid into members’ superannuation accounts within weeks. We know all too well that superannuation is complicated and hardly the most fascinating subject, and that many members (quite understandably) pay little attention and simply assume that their employer is doing the right thing. It can seem like a very

remote stack of money, especially for younger members. However, it’s YOUR money, and one day you are going to need it - we urge you to check your super account and let us know if you have any questions or think you may have been short-changed.

10 THE POINT Term Three 2020

Australian workers speak out on sexual harassment in the workplace In June 2018 The Australian Human Rights Commission launched the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.

he Commission’s task was to review and report on workplace sexual harassment and make recommendations in relation to: Its prevalence, nature and reporting in Australian workplaces The role of technology Its drivers, including risk factors for particular population groups or in different workplace settings The current legal framework Existing measures to address it and examples of good practice Its impacts on individuals and businesses including its economic impact The Independent Education Union of Australia supported the ACTU in the development of their submission to the Inquiry and IEU members participated in the online survey. The Commission received 460 submissions from government agencies, business groups, community bodies and, above all, victims. From September 2018 to February 2019 the Commission conducted 60 consultations as part of the inquiry with more than 600 individuals participating in all capital cities and some regional locations across Australia. The final report was released to the Government in March 2020. The timing could not have been worse as the Covid-19 pandemic hit and the fight against the virus became the focus of governments and citizens across the world. Initially, at

least, the findings of the Inquiry took a back seat to the pandemic. Overwhelmingly, the Commission heard that the current system for addressing workplace sexual harassment in Australia is complex and confusing for victims and employers to understand and navigate. It also places the burden on individuals to make a complaint - yet most people who experience sexual harassment never report it. In many cases they fear the impact that complaining will have on their reputation, career prospects and relationships within their community or industry. Throughout the Inquiry, the Commission heard of the need to shift from the current reactive, complaints-based approach to one which requires positive actions from employers and a focus on prevention. The report contains 55 recommendations including the continuing collection of data and research, what can happen outside the workplace to prevent sexual harassment, what changes need to happen to the legal and regulatory framework and recommendations about what needs to happen in the workplace to prevent and respond to sexual harassment. For those of us working in schools Recommendation 10 is particularly relevant: Recommendation 10: All Australian governments ensure children and young people receive school-based

respectful relationships education that is age appropriate, evidence-based and addresses the drivers of gender-based violence, including sexual harassment.

Overwhelmingly, the Commission heard that the current system for addressing workplace sexual harassment in Australia is complex and confusing for victims and employers to understand and navigate. Also of particular note is Recommendation 47, which goes to what needs to happen in workplaces to eliminate sexual harassment: Recommendation 47: Key industry and professional groups (unions, employer associations, employers and other industry bodies) collaborate to establish industry and profession-wide

initiatives to address sexual harassment, for Australian workplaces of all sizes. Initiatives may include industry-wide prevalence surveys, awareness-raising campaigns on industry-specific issues, or the development of industry-specific policies or accreditation requirements. The IEU in conjunction with the Victorian Trades Hall Council Women’s Team have undertaken a significant amount of work on eliminating sexual harassment and gendered violence in the workplace. We can offer training to members in these areas including: How to run a Women’s Rights at Work (WRAW) chat to identify issues/ concerns Gendered violence training Developing a plan of action for your workplace/sub-branch Contact us if you are interested in finding out more at info@ieuvictas.org.au You can find the full report Respect@ Work including Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkin’s foreword on the Australian Human Rights Commission website https://humanrights.gov.au/ our-work/sex-discrimination/projects/ national-inquiry-sexual-harassmentaustralian-workplaces

Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence - ACTU submission On 31 July 2020, the Australian Council of Trade Unions provided a submission to the House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs which has been asked to inquire into and report on family, domestic and sexual violence to inform the next National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children.

s the peak body representing workers in Australia the ACTU is well-placed to advocate on behalf of working Australians on this important issue. Work has always had a central role to play in advancing gender equity and preventing violence against women, through promoting equitable workplace cultures, increasing women’s economic security and supporting women experiencing and escaping from family and domestic violence. The role of work has never been more important to the advancement of gender equality and the prevention of violence against women. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, women were already disadvantaged in our workplace relations system. The pandemic has exacerbated these inequities, including further increasing the risks of violence against women, both at work and at home. The next National Action Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their

Children must address these matters. Below is a summary of the recommendations in the ACTU submission.

Recommendations

The next National Plan must expressly recognise family, domestic and sexual violence against women as a workplace issue and provide specific detail on the need to promote gender equity and better health and safety for women at work through the following key measures: 1. A minimum of 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave for every worker 2. Reduce insecure work, including a clear and fair definition of casual worker and stronger rights for workers to covert to permanent employment 3. Stronger rights for workers to bargain together for safer and fairer workplace conditions and measures to protect and strengthen Awards

4. Measures to protect and strengthen superannuation 5. A stronger mandate for the Fair Work Commission to proactively tackle gender inequity across all its functions, including better pay equity provisions and an expert Gender Equity Panel 6. A new capacity for the Fair Work Commission to deal with sexual harassment and discrimination matters as recommended by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Respect@Work report 7. A new Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulation on Psychosocial Risks at Work, which provides clear duties on employers to manage the risks of violence and harassment at work, as recommended by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Respect@Work Report and the Boland Review into Australia’s Model WHS Laws

8. Guaranteed access to secure, quality family friendly working Arrangements for all those workers who need them 9. Universal access to quality, affordable Early Childhood Education and care 10. A Model WHS Regulation and Code of Practice which addresses both the physical and psychosocial impacts of COVID-19, including increased risks of violence and harassment 11. A minimum of 10 days Paid Pandemic Leave for every worker 12. Ratification of the ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment 2019 (C.190) The National Plan must address the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on women, including the need for a proper gender analysis of the impact of policy decisions and interventions, equal representation on all COVID-19 committees, and investment in jobs for women during the recovery phase.

11 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

The saga so far... A brief chronology of two terms of disrupted schooling in Victoria. At the end of term 1, the Victorian school holidays are brought forward 4 days to allow schools to plan for remote and flexible learning in term 2. At the time, it was envisaged that this might take place for the whole term. Advice to schools is clear about minimal staffing levels on site, and delivery of the program for most staff from their homes. Emphasis on consultation and ‘willing’ workforce on campus. 15 April. Term 2 commences – all Victorian students, except those in special schools, move to remote learning. On-campus supervision programs are provided for those who cannot learn from home. 7 May. IEU Committee of Management passes a detailed resolution urging that in any transition back to on site learning, health and safety of members is paramount, and clear guidelines must apply. Advice from Chief Health Officer is that schools remain relatively low risk for transmission. 11 May. IEU issues statement urging caution, consistency

and care in managing the return to on-site schooling. 12 May. Minister for Education James Merlino states that on 26 May, Preps, Grades 1 and 2 to return to school sites, with all other year levels to return on 9 June. 26 June. School holidays commence. Schools due back 13 July for term 3. 7 July. Cases across Melbourne increase. State government announces Stage 3 restrictions for Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. 9 July. The IEU issues a statement calling for safe staffing arrangements and engagement of CRTs should another period of remote learning be implemented. 12 July. The Victorian state government announces that the first week of term will be pupil-free to allow for preparation for a ‘possible return to remote and flexible learning’. Only Year 11, 12 and Year 10 students doing a VCE subject to attend the site. However, advice issued from the Department and replicated in Catholic schools stipulates that ‘staff

IEU Secretary Deb James addressing media will be required to attend for duty at their school in accordance with normal arrangements, making necessary adjustments to support physical distancing between adults.’ In small print there is the capacity for school-based decisions to permit some or all staff to work from home. The IEU immediately releases a statement calling for on-site school staffing to be minimised for the safety of staff, students and the community. 20 July. The IEU surveys members across Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire. Of over 3300 respondents, over 60% report ‘good’ or ‘very good’ consultation and safety measures in their workplace. However, more than 40% tell us that they are uncomfortable with the amount of time they are spending on campus and comments reflect widespread concern around the staffing advice from the Department. 22 July. The IEU writes to and meets with Education Minister James Merlino, urging a review of

Department policy about on-site attendance and raising concerns about the inconsistency with the advice to other Victorians to work from home where possible. 30 July. The IEU and the Australian Education Union Victoria release a joint statement expressing urgent concern about policy settings and safety of our members. Across the state over a hundred schools have had temporary closures linked to COVID, with increasing incidences of transmission on school campuses. 2 August. The Victorian government announces a move to Stage 4 restrictions for Melbourne and Mitchell Shire and Stage 3 for regional Victoria. 5 August. All schools except specialist schools in rural and regional Victoria move back to remote and flexible learning for the rest of term 3. Policy setting goes back to ‘where teachers and support staff are not required on site, they must work from home’. Emphasis on consultation and ‘willing workforce’.

Your lockdown recommendations We asked members to tell us what’s been keeping them entertained and informed – here’s just a selection of the great suggestions that have come through! Atypical is a show about a teenager on the autism spectrum who negotiates his way through high school - a breath of fresh air in an iso-lockdown world. Rita is a series about a Danish teacher with a healthy cynicism for bureaucracy and an admirable dedication to her students. Marlo The Glad Shout by Alice Robinson. After a catastrophic storm destroys Melbourne, Isobel flees to higher ground with her husband and young daughter. As things become more desperate hard decisions must be made. It’s a riveting read set in a climate compromised future with central themes of motherhood, the struggles of women and what they will do to survive. Best book I’ve read this year. Deb James Back in Time for Dinner is a great 7-part series on ABC iView. Maria The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. If you liked Girl on a Train you’ll like this! Deni Taskmaster on SBS Viceland. A bunch

of comedians doing ridiculous tasks soundtracked with the constant ridicule of Greg Davies. Totally childish, sometimes crude but easy to watch. Callum Brené Brown’s podcast Unlocking Us: Interviews with amazing people who challenge societal expectations and norms. More of the great work from Brené about leaning in to vulnerability, courage and conversation. Nakkita Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. The first sci-fi ever written by a black woman, it follows an African-American woman as she is forced to go back in time to a plantation during the early 1800s. This book is considered a mix of genres and explores themes of slavery, trauma, race and gender relations, and the quest for emancipation. Jacqui The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. The story follows a set of twins after they decide to run away from home. One of the twins decides to ‘pass’ as white and this

choice forms the crux of the novel which explores race, gender, sexuality and class in interesting and thought provoking ways. If you have ever wondered about race as a social (rather than biological) construct or about how racism is internalised, read this! Bess InBestigators (iView): A team of four primary school aged kids form a detective agency and solve local mysteries with loads of weird people so you don’t know who did it, but there are lots of clues and its fun. William (Aged 7) Revisionist History podcast takes a look at a wide range of historical events and revisits the learnings of these events, given time to see the long term impact of events such as bussing of students in America in 60’s; why the best basketballer of his time wouldn’t change his weakest skill; is golf a game of addiction for rich people? Michael The musical Come From Away tells the remarkable tale of the town Gander, Newfoundland where 38 planes from all over the world were diverted after the 9.11 attacks. Bec Schitt’s Creek is a great lockdown show - light humour and some interesting episode plots. Lisa Keep them coming to thepoint@ieuvictas.org.au!

Supporting Reconciliation through learning and understanding The IEU has committed to a formalised process of reconciliation through our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (Reflect RAP) with Reconciliation Australia.

s part of this commitment we have pledged to provide training opportunities to all IEU staff and members of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. One such opportunity being offered to staff and ATSI members is the Voice. Treaty. Truth. Advocacy course delivered online by the First Nations Workers Alliance and the Australian Trade Union Institute. The purpose of this course is to provide a space in which participants can develop their understanding of what a realisation of the demands contained in the Uluru Statement of the Heart could ultimately deliver for First Nations peoples. The Uluru Statement from the Heart outlines the path forward for recognising Indigenous Australians in the nation’s constitution. The Voice. Treaty. Truth. Advocacy course introduces union officials, organisers, workplace leaders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workers to the history of the First Nations peoples’ struggle, the Uluru Statement of the Heart, techniques to advocate on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) workers when participating in an event or campaign, the skills required to build the confidence of officials, organisers, workplace leaders and ATSI workers to handle objections, and messaging and mapping in a targeted campaign. Participation in this professional learning opportunity allows us to develop a further partnership with the FNWA, substantiate our commitment to reconciliation, actively promote opportunities to be involved in reconciliation and ensure our staff have opportunities to participate in training which supports cultural sensitivity. These are all significant contributors to our identified actions within our Reflect RAP. As an IEU member, you know that there is strength in numbers. For more information about the First Nations Workers Alliance or to join and support the campaign head to fnwa.org.au

12 THE POINT Term Three 2020

MacKillop College’s first HSR!

ob Zehmeister is the new (and first!) staff elected Health and Safety Rep at MacKillop Catholic College in Mornington, Tasmania. He has had a long career within Catholic Education in Tasmania, clocking up some 34 years of service, and has long been interested in the area of health and safety in workplaces and different environments. Serving as an Army Reservist has raised Rob’s awareness of work health and safety (WHS) issues as all manner of safety are a huge part of the Australia Defence Forces's culture. His long period of work in IT has seen Rob manage many inherent risks working with electrical devices, manual handling of equipment and the like. Rob feels that the Covid 19 crisis has heightened staff understanding of health and safety needs. He was elected by them as their Health and Safety Rep and he undertook training in June 2020. The training empowers the HSR as per The Tasmanian Work Health and Safety Act 2012. He particularly enjoyed the training and said ‘It was very informative, and I liked that it had a very practical approach to understanding how to address WHS issues through examples and role playing’. ‘I would encourage staff in schools to have at least one WHS Representative. I believe that having an extra set of eyes and ears tuned to WHS is always going to be a valuable asset within the school environment. Having a representative that staff can approach to discuss their issues and concerns, and take appropriate actions when required, is important in my view’. Don’t have a HSR in your school? Contact your IEU Organiser for advice in how to get the process going.

Spotlight on Health and Safety Reps The pandemic has highlighted the importance of having union-elected HSRs to ensure the wellbeing and protection of staff and students. We hear from the voices of a few of our HSRs.

wo years ago conversations with our IEU rep revealed our school didn’t have any Health and Safety Reps. It seemed a logical, easy step to take to ensure that our school was the healthiest and happiest it could be! After discussions with the leadership team, our Union organiser, and our subbranch we were elected into the roles of Health and Safety Rep and Deputy Rep. Working as a team has given us a broader understanding of needs across the school (Kim is an LSO, Meaghan is a teacher), enabled us to support a wider range of staff and support each other in addressing necessary changes within the school. Covid-19 of course has presented a raft of new challenges and questions we never thought we would have to ask! With everyone working from home, communication hasn’t always been easy, however, the return to school in Term 2 enabled us to work more closely and directly with members of the leadership team. One of our continued concerns has been the social pressures around wearing masks. Many staff are unable to physically distance themselves from students, yet with no directive on the wearing of masks, few staff felt confident in wearing

the face shields our school had provided early on. With increasing numbers of infections in the community, the leadership of school took the decision to protect the interests of all our community members with the early introduction of mandated mask-wearing across the school. What was particularly encouraging was the speed and enthusiasm with which this was embraced by staff and students. Within one day, the blue uniform was enhanced with bright, colourful masks, and teachers were comparing minion masks with floral and a flourishing black market in Carlton masks had begun! No one is under any illusion as to the difficulty of instructing students while wearing a mask, or that there might not need to be exceptions for hearing impaired students. But the step has given staff confidence to move around the classroom again and offered reassurance to students who have been feeling disturbed by the long list of changes this year. The introduction of HSRs into a school is not necessarily an easy one. It can take patience, compromise and persistence - from all involved. Discussion and regular communication has certainly helped us as a school, staff have had a voice in

Kim

our response to Covid-19 and leadership have had extra eyes and ears as support going through this unprecedented time! Kim Devereux, Health and Safety Rep and Meaghan Hillman, Deputy Health and Safety Rep - Loreto College Ballarat The most immediate reason we need an HSR is that, like most ELICOS colleges, we face the prospect of returning to face-toface teaching in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic in the near future (thankfully, we have been teaching online since April). This is a daunting task for any school or workplace, but many ELICOS colleges, including small ones like INUS, do not have a strong culture of systematically reviewing health and safety risks and putting controls in place. Furthermore, there is often little or no consultation with teachers in the ELICOS sector about any issue, including health and safety. Having an HSR at INUS means the teachers have strong representation, that our voices are heard and taken seriously by our employer, and that the school will take all the necessary measures to reduce our risk of contracting coronavirus at work. The main obstacle we had in forming a Designated Work Group (DWG) and electing an

Meaghan HSR was ensuring the school understood what the role of HSR was and what they needed to agree to in order to form the DWG. There’s no culture of having HSRs in the ELICOS sector, so it took a bit of explaining, but luckily our school enabled the process to go ahead easily and without too much delay. Gavin Scott - INUS Australia Education and Training Being a newly appointed HSR has been a fairly interesting experience given what can probably be described as unprecedented circumstances. HSR training through IEU hasn’t been able to take place face to face because of the pandemic either so it’s certainly not an ideal beginning, however, I’m enjoying the role all the same. I’m a lab tech so safety is often at the forefront of my mind. In taking on the role, despite all the things that are testing us all across all levels I’m glad to be able to help with any safety concerns staff will have and hopefully help ease a bit of the anxiety that has currently become a part of our world. Peter Eames - St Joseph’s Gollege Mildura

Bringing mindfulness into the classroom

indfulness is a powerful tool for educators, as it focuses on building attention, awareness and calm in students, helps create environments in which children are more receptive to learning, and fosters engagement, resilience and positivity. Right now most of our students are learning remotely, but given the stressful nature of this year their eventual return to the classroom will be an opportune time to use these four ideas for mindful classrooms, provided to The Point by mental health organisation Smiling Mind. 1. Facilitating guided meditations Meditation is a great way to break up classroom activities to help calm and reset students focus for the next lesson. Remove any distracting noises and have the children take a place on the floor, either

lying down or with a straight back, feet uncrossed and hands in their lap. Play a short, guided meditation out loud for the class to listen to. The Smiling Mind app is a great free resource for educators to use in the classroom. It provides access to meditations that are tailored to each year level and desired outcome, such as attention, curiosity or awareness, as well as additional materials that help build lessons around the meditation. 2. Outdoor time Mindfulness is about paying attention to the present moment, which doesn’t always translate to quiet time or stillness. A great way to encourage students to be in the present moment is to facilitate a short outing beyond the classroom and have them pay attention to the natural world.

Start walking around the school grounds and have the children look around to see if they can spot something they haven’t noticed before. Encourage them to look at the colours of the flowers, the presence of animals or insects or even cracks in the pavement. To keep students engaged, make it a treasure hunt – have them find one object with each of their natural senses: sight, touch and even smell. After 10 minutes, have the kids gather to discuss what they found. 3. Mindful colouring Mindful colouring is a great calming activity that can help bring students awareness to the present moment by focusing on colour and design. Provide the children with pencils, textas and a colouring-in page – see the Smiling Mind website for a printable page

13 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

We haven’t stopped fighting for you As COVID-19 has continued to upend our lives we haven’t stopped making sure your voice is heard on the issues that matter.

Gavin Occupational Health and Safety is bread and butter stuff to me, as I’m a scientist and I’ve worked for 40 years in labs. It’s also a great source of people power; workers have a voice through OHS. I’ve been involved in OHS since the first legislation was enacted in 1985 – I was an elected HSR at Melbourne Uni around this time, so it’s in my blood! In my experience it can be a challenge to engage management in true and effective consultation – my advice is not to wait for an invitation by the management to voice your concerns, take issues up as soon as they arise. Sometimes HSRs are seen as ‘difficult people’ when raising an issue – but waiting could mean a hazard becomes an incident or accident! A recent achievement was helping the Health and Human Development team move out of an office that had a ‘water window’ feature every time it rained. When I was asked to inspect it on a wet day seeing the stream that poured down the inside of the window was a shock! They had been asking for a long time to get the leaking ceiling fixed and have the mould removed, but once we raised it more formally through OHS protocols they were quickly moved to safer accommodation. To be elected by your colleagues is a great honour and responsibility. The IEU was instrumental in setting up the DWG and getting elections to happen after many years of no HSR. The training provided by the union was so helpful and I use the knowledge I gained every day. Karen McCoy - Genazzano FCJ College

designed to foster mindfulness. Instead of just setting aside time to colour, ask the class to focus on the weight of the pencil in their hand, the shade of colours on their paper and the feelings they experience when drawing. Before they pick up each pencil, ask them to reflect on why they are choosing that particular shade and how they will use it, quietly saying to themselves ‘I am choosing this yellow pencil to colour in the person’s dress because it’s a happy colour’. 4. Gratitude Journalling Gratitude journalling is an excellent way to wrap up the end of the school day, as it not only helps to summarise the day but also cultivate feelings of appreciation for all the positives in a student’s life. 10

Peter

Karen

And finally, a collective win from Eltham College:

During the second round of lockdown, staff were initially asked to work on-site and year 10-12 students were expected to return to school a week before government school students. Staff were upset about this decision, especially since consultative processes were not properly followed. Before school returned, the four members of the Eltham College IEU Branch leadership team collected information, concerns and data to present at a Consultative Committee meeting. During that first week, the Consultative Committee met – the concerns of staff were clearly stated, and some emotions were very raw. The school listened and took on board the concerns that staff had around Occupational Health and Safety. As a result, a new roster was introduced allowing staff to attend campus just one day per week. This was a great win for consultation – the hard work of the IEU team paid off and the school showed a genuine preparedness to listen and to make changes based on staff concerns. We’re also very happy to report that this active work by the union led to significant membership growth!

minutes before the bell, have your class sit down and write down three things they are grateful for during the day. These don’t have to be big things, they can be as simple as finishing a project or playing their favourite game at lunch. It’s a great idea to have a notebook dedicated to gratitude journalling, as it helps keep these all in one place and means the kids can look through it and discuss all the highlights of their school life at the end of each term. The Smiling Mind Care Packs include practical, evidence-based tools and resources that can be used for children aged five to 12. You can check them out on the Smiling Mind website www. smilingmind.com.au/kids-care-packs

14 THE POINT Term Three 2020

Rep Huddles- a different way to organise As schools transitioned to remote teaching and working, IEU staff were also busy grappling with the best ways to make working remotely a success.

ust as workers around the world had to think differently about how to approach their work, so did we at the IEU. Organisers in particular were faced with a critical challenge: how can we continue to organise and build power within workplaces when we literally can’t get a foot in the door? ‘Organising is leadership that enables people to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want.’- Marshall Ganz, Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Organising and Civil Society, Harvard University. A key part of an organiser’s role is working directly with reps and members to address workplace challenges collectively to create positive change. Traditionally much of that work is done face-to-face at the workplace when organisers visit for sub-branch meetings or for informal chats in the staffroom to talk through any questions or issues members have. Union reps are an essential part of workplace democracy, and often also play a key role as staff representatives on consultative committees. At a time when we have been unable to provide our regular training program for reps, organisers saw an opportunity to work directly with workplace leaders in small groups to provide key information and to share and develop skills and knowledge. We reached out to sub-branch reps and began to put our heads together (albeit

on different screens) to create a space for collective wisdom and development – we have dubbed these ‘Rep Huddles.’ ‘Rep Huddles provide such a valuable opportunity to actually hear what is happening in other schools during remote learning. It allows Reps to share ideas about what is working well and what hurdles we may be experiencing. Having the support and input of other amazing Reps and our Organisers, is even more so important during these unprecedented times in education’  - Rachael Evans, Rep, St Peter’s Keilor East. What we have seen in our bestpractice schools has been genuine consultation with IEU reps and health and safety reps about the way work is being organised, both on-site and remotely. Having a space for reps to come together to share wisdom, advice and good practice has meant that members in a broad range of schools have benefited from the collective wisdom of the huddle. In many workplaces we’ve been able to support each other to achieve best practice in on-site staffing arrangements, managing parent teacher interviews, ensuring safety measures are properly implemented, tackle workload issues and much more. It has also been a space to problem-solve any tricky issues for members and to seek advice and clarification about workplace rights. A key learning for IEU organisers around the success of the Rep huddles is

how important it is to share our wins and challenges with each other as we identify and address any systemic issues. Through our Reps huddles we have been able to highlight common issues which have informed our advice out to members as well as our approach in individual schools.

Rep Huddles provide such a valuable opportunity to actually hear what is happening in other schools during remote learning. It allows Reps to share ideas about what is working well and what hurdles we may be experiencing.

check in with my fellow workers and see how things are going for them – makes us all a little less atomized.’- Jordan Adams, Rep, Kilvington Grammar School. While there are enormous challenges for workers everywhere right now, finding opportunities to come together in an increasingly isolating world is more important than ever. The experiences of working with reps in this different way has reinforced what we knew to be true: strong sub-branches with active members and reps make a real difference, not only at work, but on matters that impact our whole lives. As organisers it has been wonderful working with reps as closely as we have been over the past months. Our union is growing, and that is a direct result of our reps promoting positive union cultures in workplaces and demonstrating extraordinary leadership in the face of uncertainty.

‘I’ve found the rep catchups immensely helpful, especially as a worker in an independent school – when there’s so much variation in conditions and expectations between schools it’s great to be able to

Principal Organiser perspective – Consultative Committees 2020 has been an extraordinary (and extraordinarily challenging) year for everyone in our schools, not least for school leaders.

apid changes and developments have meant that many decisions need to be made quickly to ensure the safety of the school community. Policy settings have changed, and different rules have applied at times in different areas. The role of the principal is integral to this process and the support offered by the Consultative Committee has enabled full staff commitment to decisions made. We have of course seen rapidly introduced government and system requirements, and many principals feel incredible pressure to comply with these demands within often unrealistic timeframes and little or no extra support to do so. However, the importance of educators having a voice and buy-in into the decisions made that directly influence them

and their ability to provide the best education possible for the students in their care cannot be underestimated. We have seen some fantastic examples of schools where there appears to be a level of balance and common sense when it comes to the many twists and turns of the year. Consultative Committees provide an avenue for staff to have their views or issues genuinely heard and considered. They have scope to address many aspects of school life – for example, POLs, time release, support for students with special needs, class size maxima. Staff have a representative forum to be heard in and appreciated as part of a professional culture. Principals can hear the views of staff and by following these processes they demonstrate the significance of

authentic consultation. Over the past few months, I have (remotely!) presented Consultative Committee Workshops with IEU Organisers at a number of staff meetings. This can be at the request of the principal who has recognised that the process available to them, through our Agreement, to have proper consultation about work and workload either needs reviewing, refreshing or in some cases re-booting. When all staff understand what the Consultative Committee is, how it can be structured for maximum effectiveness and the fact that it is their opportunity to have a say about their own work through a fair, representative and transparent process, there is a real chance that a positive change can be made, particularly

in dealing with workload stresses. This is even more important as we address the changing landscape delivered to us by the current health crisis. Real consultation means that opinions, ideas and options are sought before a decision is made, so that decisions are well informed and are seen to have legitimacy. The process outlined in the Catholic Agreement allows time for reflection and contribution by members. If staff don’t take up a genuine opportunity to contribute their ideas, then there is little comeback if they disagree with a decision. If principals decide not to take up the recommendations of a Consultative Committee that has broadly canvassed workable solutions, then there needs to be written reasons and a preparedness to implement

something that may not be fully accepted and supported. An underlying premise for good consultative processes is mutually respectful and professional relationships which, in turn, produce open communication. Discussions about workload behind closed doors or in the car park after work do nothing to alleviate the actual problem if the issue doesn’t land where it needs to – with leadership, and an effective way to do this is through the Consultative Committee. Your school organiser and I are available to run a 30 minute Consultative Committee briefing at a staff meeting. If you are a principal member and need any information or support, feel free to contact me at ndillon@ieuvictas.org.au - Noel Dillon, IEU Principal Organiser

15 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

Behind the Screen: the good, the bad and the ugly From deep in the BTW Bunker, locked down and masked up, this edition brings you a round-up of the highs, lows, and just plain weird that has been happening in schools in recent weeks. BTW remains in awe of the fantastic work that all staff have continued to do, under very trying circumstances. Thank you all and please keep the tales of woe (and of success!) rolling in to btw@ieuvictas.org.au we love hearing from you.

the term opened was not a sensible idea, and who had the intestinal fortitude to speak up and say so! BTW can only dream of the day when all sites, large and small, secondary, primary, English language colleges, are led so well!

The Good

The Bad

It’s pretty simple really… get the IEU Rep and the elected HSR together. Schedule a meeting with the principal. Discuss the school’s plan for the next round of remote delivery and 30 minutes later… an agreed plan for the school and a roster of supervision for the few students who have to be onsite that takes into account the individual needs of staff who are vulnerable. This was the situation that made its way through the plexiglass sneeze-guard to BTW’s ears last week, and it came from a large Catholic Secondary school, proving that some old dogs can learn new tricks! Consultation is the way to go; if you can’t simply organise a meeting with the leadership team, use the consultative arrangements already in place in your school and if there isn’t a functioning Consultative Committee, you know what to do people: contact your IEU Organiser and get a CC up and running! And while we’re on excellent things, BTW wants to give a shout-out to the principal who had the foresight to recognise that having all 300 students in a senior secondary college onsite as soon at

Unfortunately, the list of items that could be included in this section is long, so we’ll keep it to a minimum. It seems that common sense is often in short supply and that normally open channels of communication sometimes close down in a crisis. Gathering staff together for a meeting on a pupil-free planning day in the midst of a pandemic, holding that meeting in the school’s hall, seating staff within 1.5 metres of each other and then passing a microphone around so that everyone can hear the questions being asked is DEFINITELY a bad idea! BTW understands that one of the first questions asked was about the sense of gathering staff together in a hall for a meeting, seating them within 1.5 metres of each other and then passing a microphone around!

The Ugly (Weird)

Lab Techs required to be onsite 2 days of every week during ‘lockdown-lite’, when senior classes were still running? Seems reasonable…maybe… After all, Lab Techs do most of their vital work in prep-rooms

before classes, getting things ready and set up for Science classes, and at break times, cleaning up after the cherubs (and that includes the science teachers) who have streamed out of the classrooms leaving behind them a mess of spilled chemicals, shattered microscope slides and all manner of things that need to be put away. But Lab Techs required to be onsite 2 days of every week during Stage-4 lockdown in order to ‘look after the chemicals’? Hmmm… BTW thinks that the school in question should invest in a padlock or two to keep those miscreant chemicals where they should be, or better still discuss how the Lab Techs can work from home leaving the chemicals safely in the storeroom! Does your face mask match your outfit? Or perhaps you coordinated it with your nail polish or your tie (if you’re still being forced to wear one!) every time you are onsite? There was a good deal of head scratching in the BTW Bunker when we were informed of a particular school requiring their students to wear face masks that matched the school’s uniform colours. Parents were quoted in the media as being just as amazed as the BTW scribes – they pushed back, justly outraged that this policy would force them to outlay funds to purchase new material to make reusable masks, rather than using the old cot sheets that have been languishing in the back of the linen press all these years. BTW cannot think

of a better way to lessen the inherent dread of a face mask that is designed to protect from a deadly unseen enemy by repurposing the brightly coloured rocketships and clown sheets from yesteryear! Upcycling at its best we say!

Finally… The Best!

You are all doing an amazing job as you manage the different lockdown stages and the inherent challenges that arise as a result. BTW has listened to your Organisers talking about you and seen the odd email or two from you – we are so impressed with your professionalism and your grit and determination in the face of what are sometimes very trying circumstances in your workplaces. Keep it up! BTW salutes you all and reminds you to stay at home, work from home, wash your hands and wear a mask! Thank you all from the BTW Bunker: you’re amazing! This hand-made and repurposed edition of BTW was lovingly crafted while the music of the late, great Ennio Morricone drifted through the recently sanitised and minimally-staffed rooms and corridors of the BTW Bunker… actually the BTW Scribes are working from home! Don’t forget that your IEU Organiser is only an email, phone call, SMS or ‘Zeeting’ away from you and they can be reached via the usual channels or you can email us at info@ieuvictas.org. au or send a text to 0480 092 251.

Principal profile Rod Sims is the principal at St Thomas Aquinas School in Norlane and a long-term union member.

od’s journey over the past 5 years has been significant. The role of leading and guiding the community as well as impacting on the future directions of a school (rated as one of the lowest SES schools in Australia) has been challenging but never daunting. Rod acknowledges the great work of previous principals whilst at the same time endeavouring to put his personal mark on the school. As principal, Rod has been uncompromising in his belief that all staff take on an unconditional positive regard for children, with children at the centre of all they do. He and the staff have set high expectations for all children through the lens of learning. The expectation was that all children can learn – and learn at a high level. Indeed, students have risen

to the high bar that was set. Rod believes strongly in shared leadership. He says that the job is too hard to do by yourself and that shared leadership will enable highly effective learning and teaching to take place. Rod has strategically selected leaders with specific skillsets to meet the needs of the school community. He has continually encouraged and enhanced the skills of the group and the entire staff and has embraced support from IEU Principals’ Officer Noel Dillon in building highly effective teams in the school. Wellbeing of staff, students and the parent community has also been a major focus. A great initiative was to install a coffee van in the school, a converted shipping container that was hand

painted by students. It provided a meeting point for parents and parents were also trained as baristas, giving them skills to engage in the community. This is an example of building strong connections between the school and its wider community. The most recent school review in 2019 highlighted that the school had a very high degree of outward connections to the wider community. Rod and his staff have also focussed on developing the physical appearance of the school, the resources and facilities. These are outstanding and provide an environment that is both nurturing and educational. The school has a high Maori population with connections being enhanced by teaching the Maori language as part of their

LOTE program. The program and the Maori school community were further supported by a visit from the New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia Dame Annette King and Federal MP for Corio Richard Marles. The philosophy for Rod and his school community is based on the question: ‘Who are the adults we want our children to become?’ Rod believes that if we don’t invest in these children now, it will cost the community much more in the future. The school is focused on developing longterm community members with a sense of justice, passion for learning and a desire to be the best they can be as they contribute to society in the future. ‘It’s about the children having a chance in life.’ The IEU congratulates Rod

and the hard-working staff of St Thomas Aquinas School for making a significant difference in the lives of the students and families in Norlane.

16 THE POINT Term Three 2020

CAREER CORNER

Moving on from redundancy I’ve been made redundant. What next? There’s not much positive to say about this situation, other than to hope that your redundancy payment is a generous one courtesy of a good IEU-negotiated Enterprise Agreement.

t’s worth remember that, for better or worse, you’re not alone - you’ll be in good company with many other COVID-redundant alumni from across many industries. While the employment forecast is not looking so rosy and many people finding themselves out of a job in 2020 will have a tough time of regaining employment, school education is one of the most resilient and recession-proof sectors and has weathered the early shocks of this pandemic and economic downturn with only a minimal contraction – it’s a far better industry to be seeking work in than most others! However, it is likely to be an increasingly competitive environment, with job-seekers outweighing job vacancies, so it is critical that your first priority before hitting the ‘apply’ button is to get your story straight. There are a few different things to spend some time thinking through: 1. What is your headline point of difference or ‘unique selling proposition’? 2. What have you accomplished in the past ten years? 3. How do you intend to get your ‘story’ in front of prospective employers? Let’s look at each of these in closer detail.

Your Unique Selling Proposition

Each of us offers something unique to employers – the culmination of our skills, experience, attributes, knowledge, values, personal circumstances etc. Somewhat akin to a lockdown 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, the closer the fit between your USP and the school’s needs, the more likely you are to be successful in your application. Principals and HR Managers are likely to be more risk-averse than they were 12 months ago, so it may not the time to be looking to change careers, pursue an aspirational promotion or try something you haven’t done previously. 2021 will probably be a time for you to sell a message of reliability, security and

flexibility. Doubtless many applicants would love a full-time, permanent position, but these are likely to be relatively scarce for the foreseeable future as organisations, particularly in the independent sector, re-shape, regroup and slowly re-emerge. You should aim to have a two-sentence, high-level point of difference that concisely articulates your employment pitch. Experienced or recently graduated? Broad or narrow-based skill set? Flexible or firm? There is no right or wrong answer, only differently shaped jigsaw pieces. If you haven’t already undertaken this exercise, it is unlikely you are clearly defining to prospective employers what you have to offer.

Your accomplishments

Unlike the disclaimers on financial products and services, our past performance is a very strong indicator of our future prospects. Therefore, it is essential to emphasise what you have achieved rather than merely what you have done. ‘Coordinated a unit on Greek Mythology’ is more valuable than ‘Taught Year 7’. Distil the roles and accomplishments that will have the most value for schools, not just the ones that mean the most to you. Now is the time to delete any reference to having been Head Prefect 20 years ago! A modern resumé typically only covers the past ten years of employment. Therefore, you need to do the heavy-lifting in terms of prioritising the in-demand, self-evident achievements and eliminating or demoting the ‘business as usual’ ones. ‘Conduct parent teacher interviews’ or ‘provide outstanding customer service’ don’t even progress you past the first square on the employment snakes and ladders board. Finally, try not to think of listing your achievements as ‘big-noting’ yourself. There is a subtle distinction between stating facts and exaggerating your involvement. Better to go out on a limb here rather than remaining the most humble unemployed applicant!

What’s your story?

We all love stories. It is how we have related to each other for millennia. The two previous exercises will go a long way towards communicating your own unique story. You then need to add something about your redundancy. Why you? Why now? Why not a stand-down or reduction in hours? Again, there is no right or wrong answer here, merely a credible account of what happened and how you are looking to move on from it.

Networking is a good first step in terms of letting your online and off-line contacts know that you are actively looking for work. The other aspect is how you are going to promote and spread your story. Networking is a good first step in terms of letting your online and off-line contacts know that you are actively looking for work. Get active on LinkedIn. Pick up the phone and ask counterparts elsewhere how their school has survived the pandemic and whether there might be any opportunities there. If so, who is the right person to contact, and how? It’s important to remember that in networking, you are never actually asking someone for a job; you are merely enquiring about potential vacancies, and in so doing, giving them a snapshot of what you’ve achieved since the last time you spoke. In other words, you’re getting your story out there. Does someone owe you a favour? Now might be the time to call it in… Recruiters and CRT agencies will doubtless be inundated, but contact them nonetheless and let them propagate

your story to their clients on your behalf. There is no cost to you, and they will be eager to prove their worth for their client schools. Job advertisements online and in the newspaper are useful, but should not be your top priority. Why? Well, for a start, only 40-60% of all vacancies are advertised, with the balance going to those in current employees’ networks. Secondly, in applying for a job ad, you are putting yourself on a level playing field with potentially hundreds of other applicants and hoping that your CV somehow finds its way to the top of the pile. Your goal should be to circumvent this process so that your CV is already in a pile of its own and you’re getting a call before the school spends time and money on advertising. Finally, you won’t be giving any of the above your best shot unless you are looking after yourself, particularly your mental health. Redundancies are stressful and demoralising, and you may, quite understandably, harbour some resentment towards your previous employer and the situation you find yourself in. Get the professional support you need at every stage of this journey – medical, financial, emotional – and remember to be kind to yourself and others. That will be a great starting point for your story.

GRADUATE DIARY

Melbourne Lockdown 2.0 Here we are, back again during such confusing and frustrating times.

ast time, I mentioned that there were pros and cons to teaching remotely. This lockdown 2.0 is no exception, but I feel like it brings additional stress as the restrictions are more stringent this time around. For someone in my position – working part-time, not relying on CRT work and

being single without children to take care of – going back to remote learning was easy enough. Both the schools I work for basically went back to the system that was set up from lockdown 1.0. Besides focusing all student work to be handed in through Seesaw, instead of other online means like Padlet or direct email, both systems were

received well by parents and students alike. Therefore, going back online for their daily Google Meet classes was an easier process. However, as restrictions are tighter than last time, I can only imagine the stress families must be feeling when getting through their day. I feel fortunate to be working for two small schools as we are able to be more flexible than those in a school of 500 kids or more: the logistics of going back felt easy, simpler even. Both my principals are pragmatic, from my point of view. They’ve organised a skeleton staff roster to take care of the very few kids of essential

worker families, which greatly limits our need to leave home, as many of the teachers and staff, including myself, live more than 5km away from the school. In terms of my teaching and practice (I’m a Japanese LOTE specialist teacher), I’ve been taking full advantage of iMovie and Google Sites to create and upload weekly video lessons, printable resources and activities for my students in one of my schools. Then easily recycling those lessons for my other school, at which I teach online once a week. Again, I feel quite lucky to be in this position as my subject does not require me to teach online every day. I don’t

17 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

What is wellbeing for teachers, leaders and educators in 2020? The Oxford English Dictionary defines wellbeing as ‘the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy’.

am not sure that is helpful for teachers, leaders and educators in 2020. Here is my attempt: Wellbeing is the state of being physically, emotionally and mentally healthy enough to engage in meaningful and purposeful work that contributes to improving the community. This definition comes from a whole person approach. By that I mean that you are not only a teacher, or principal, or education leader or education support officer, you are a wholly rounded human being whose current work role is in education. I hope you might find one strategy in the collection below to support you through the remainder of 2020.

1. Physical Health

We are living through a year which is unlike anything that most of us have experienced. Our first concern for our physical health is that we are COVID free, so we need to follow all of the health guidelines to keep ourselves safe. Then there are a few of the usual reminders:

Being physically healthy means that we can be present for our work, whether that is in a classroom or working and teaching remotely.

2. Emotional Health

Working with children and adolescents in education is emotionally demanding. Young people who are still developing will draw on teachers and educators to help them understand the world. Teachers, leaders and educators have a heightened need to care for their own emotional wellbeing. There are some questions that may be worth asking yourself: Do I make time for myself to relax and wind down from intense activity or focused concentration? This could be reading, running, meditation or gardening. It could be movies and television. It is also worth asking ‘am I able to ask for and accept help from others?’ Am I involved in relationships that are positive and life affirming? Do the people I interact with make me feel good about who I am? Do I make others feel good about who they? Can I do something to

Exercise

We have national exercise guidelines that recommend a minimum of two and a half hours of activity every week

www.abc.net.au/life/whats-theminimum-amount-of-exercise-i-needto-stay-healthy/10639592

Food

This is the Australian Dietary Guidelines summary 2013, (free of commercial sponsorship) – it has the Body Mass Index graph, a great poster about food groups, a quick quiz for yourself.

www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/ default/files/files/the_guidelines/ n55a_australian_dietary_guidelines_ summary_book.pdf

Alcohol

Sleep

A difficult one for many people. The www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/ National Health and Medical Research alcohol Council has guidelines for alcohol intake which provide ‘advice about the health risks from drinking alcohol so that we can all make informed decisions in our daily lives’ We do have to keep working toward 7-8 hours.

have the fatigue that I hear many teachers have from looking at a computer screen all day. I can focus my teaching to 1-2 days every week and I’m free to create work/ activities for my students that can be done exclusively on their designated specialist days. This makes things simpler for me and my students. As for my first round of report writing, since I’m a specialist teacher, I wasn’t required to provide individual feedback for each student. As a first-year graduate teacher, this was a relief. Instead, I had to provide an overall breakdown of what we covered during semester one. That in itself

www.health.harvard.edu/stayinghealthy/how-much-sleep-do-wereally-need

proved quite difficult, as I’m still trying to find my feet when it comes to the scope and sequence of my lessons. Having said that though, I feel like the first round of remote learning got me to focus my lesson plans and organise how and what to teach my students. It also gave me a focus on what questions, queries and advice I wanted from my mentor. I feel like now that I’ve got a good sense of how to organise and plan my lessons, I’ll be prepared for the next round of report writing. In terms of VIT; I am not doing it this year. If I’m honest, I never planned to complete it this year in any case. As I work

make these relationships positive? Do I make a positive contribution to other people? Do you acknowledge the spiritual side of who you are? Spirituality is being concerned with the human spirit or what makes life worth living. It is not the material or practical things; it is about the inner world of purpose and existence. For some people this is achieved through organised religion.

3. Mental health

This is one clear area where your union, the IEU is providing leadership for you. I have three ideas drawn from union resources for you. Creative project When you are under pressure or experiencing uncertainty or anxiety, much of your focus is reactive. You can feel like you are in catch-up mode or you are always behind. One solution to this can be to take on a creative project. Creativity is healthy for the mind and the spirit. Read more atwww.viacharacter.org/character-strengths/ creativity Your project could be for yourself e.g. a scrapbook or archive about family, or a travel experience. If you are practical, build or re-model something. Create an artwork or write for enjoyment. Creativity could be a professional task. Have a look at the course, ‘Ebooks, multi-touch books, iBooks – accessing, using and creating digital books to enhance student learning’ at https://ieulearninghub.tln.org.au/ Working with others There is a real sense of achievement in working with others to achieve a goal or overcome a problem. Work with your colleagues in your workplace or take a broader view and work at a state or national level with union colleagues. The IEU website has a great collection of ideas and resources on Black Lives Matter & First Nations Justice at www.ieuvictas.org.au/newspublications/black-lives-matter/

part-time and know my own eccentricities for learning things as I go and at my own pace, gathering evidence of student work, building a rapport with them, with their families and with my new colleagues was always going to take some time. Therefore, I’m giving myself all the time I can get to complete my registration. I already mentioned the stress that’s come with lockdown 2.0 for families, students and for staff. Again, I’m very fortunate for the position I have. However, we all need strategies to implement and support our wellbeing. Mine involves a lot of reminding: I remind myself of the

Keep on learning The IEU Learning Hub (https:// ieulearninghub.tln.org.au/) has over 40 live and recorded professional development session that will help you to keep developing your skills and knowledge. When dealing with existential issues, it can be hard to focus on professional development. Maintaining your identity as a highly skilled professional educator can be a source of sustenance. Your knowledge and skills are important to the community.

4. Purpose and meaning

This is where we are fortunate as teachers, leaders and educators. Whether you read the research of Professor John Hattie, or attend a workshop by Glen Pearsall or any other great educator, there is a consistent message: ‘What educators do matters. Every day we change lives.’ This is the case whether we are in a physical classroom or teaching remotely. Our task is to look after our own wellbeing, so that we can engage in meaningful and productive work that improves our community. Finally, I’d like to share with you five points that our household has focused on since COVID-19 struck Australia, which have helped us through the long months since March: 1. Everything is better when you are getting regular exercise. 2. There is no coronavirus in the garden. You do not have to cultivate a paddock - a plant on the balcony is good for the soul. 3. Now is a time for unread books, unseen movies and unheard podcasts. 4. Check in with people in the household and beyond, regularly. 5. A creative project is good for the spirit - everyone should have one. Michael Victory Teacher Learning Network

blessings I have. The blessings of being an essential worker and having a job. The blessings of being able to live in my family home where I don’t have to pay rent. The blessings of a warm house and food in my belly. I remind myself that I am literally not alone and that we are all in this together, and will all get out of this together. We just need to remind ourselves of the blessings we have in our lives to help give us endurance and patience for the time ahead.

18 THE POINT Term Three 2020

Reaching out to student teachers It’s no secret that for teachers, whether they are pre-service teachers, graduates or experienced educators, 2020 has been tough.

veryone has faced uncertainty about their working conditions into the future, we’ve had to adapt to both learning and teaching online, and we’ve struggled to be sure how much our students are really learning when we can’t interact with them face-to-face. Student teachers have also faced a set of unique challenges during this pandemic. Many have been told that they cannot graduate without completing final placements, while placements are even harder to come by than usual. Many have had to complete final placements online, making completing the VIT mandated Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) very challenging. Student members worry whether their limited practical experience in classrooms will disadvantage them in their search for

employment, as well as in their pedagogy and classroom management. Student members graduating in 2020 have also lost the chance to model the interactive teaching of university tutors (as well as placement mentors), as they too have been learning online.

What Student Teachers Need:

Support from Co-workers Many graduate teachers are currently experiencing their first ever term of teaching via online platforms. So whether you are an experienced teacher or a knowledgeable graduate, working from home or based in a school, reach out to your less experienced co-workers. This could be a casual wellbeing-check, or a reminder of what rights teachers have in their new workplaces. This support will likely

be ongoing as more and more graduate teachers begin their careers in these uncertain times. Regular Rights Updates Pre-service and graduate teachers alike would benefit from regular updates about their rights as students and workers. Students teachers tell us they feel like they have been left out in the cold by universities, with learning environments constantly shifting with little (and sometimes no) warning or support. Communication from education unions is (and needs to continue to be) a reliable source of stability. Regular communication is vital for both new educators and the teaching profession as a whole. Tailored Professional Development Going into the next few years, graduate teachers are going to need tailored

support to ensure that they have a solid start to their careers. Many pre-service and graduate teachers fear they have missed out on vital experiences during this pandemic that will have an impact on their teaching abilities. Professional Development should therefore be provided (by unions and schools alike) to fill in the gaps that may have been left during such an insecure university year. Solidarity between teachers at all stages of their education careers and union involvement is more important now than ever before. Let’s work together to help young teachers be the most resilient and competent educators that they can be.

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19 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

Calling on schools to support pre-service teachers While the rollercoaster journey of remote learning, significantly restricted lifestyle and heightened anxiety is having its toll on our members in schools and their families, those about to enter the teaching profession have been experiencing a raft of anxieties and uncertainties that many of us in the teaching profession have not had to face.

inal year Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students in either the fouryear undergraduate degree or those in the second year of their Masters of Teaching are facing the worry of whether they will be able to graduate this year. As schools will be very aware, many final year placements to occur in terms 2 and 3 have been severely affected by the impact of COVID-19 on schools, particularly as a result of the move to remote learning. Schools are still being urged by their university partners and encouraged by the education systems to continue with placements, albeit within the relevant COVID-19 operating guidelines. VIT has approved a 25% reduction in the required number of practicum days for

course completion for this particular cohort of ITE students. ITE students are able to undertake placements in the remote learning context of e-learning, and a very helpful set of guidelines and suggestions has been distributed to Catholic school principals on the kinds of activities that ITE students can undertake in remote delivery, and the types of supervision that will meet the practicum general requirements. IEU members, including those in independent schools, can access a copy of the Catholic Education Melbourne document Pre-service Teacher Placements during the Coronavirus Pandemic on the union’s website www.ieuvictas.org.au under its COVID -19 advice section. The IEU encourages schools to

explore with ITE providers how they can participate in and facilitate placements.

VIT has approved a 25% reduction in the required number of practicum days for course completion for this particular cohort of ITE students.

service teachers need to have sufficient time and resources factored into their workloads, and should be paid the practicum supervision allowances.

We also reminds schools that those teachers supervising or mentoring pre-

We’ve made a promise. To be a champion for our teachers - the way they’re champions for our kids. So that even on days that feel a little tougher than usual, you can be sure someone’s there to care for your health and wellbeing.

Lisa, THF member

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20 THE POINT Term Three 2020

LABOUR HISTORY

Workforce casualisation in Australia

The Australian workforce is gradually becoming increasingly casualised. In 2018, 20.6% of workers were employed casually, compared to 13% in 1984.

his number is likely higher due to hidden modes of employment, such as contracts made between individuals for exchange of services. These workers receive very few to no non-wage entitlements (such as paid sick leave, parental leave or long-service leave), they are not entitled to notice of employment termination, and they work largely outside of any training or career path trajectory. The compensation for this is a ‘casual loading’ of anywhere between 10-50% of their wage, which is supposedly meant to make up for the lack of the typical benefits associated with permanent positions. One of these benefits is stability in hours worked, which of course is associated with stability in pay – a crucial element of an individual’s autonomy in a capitalist economy, allowing one to plan for the future. The very nature of causal employment leaves little room for any sense of financial stability or security. Policymakers have been reluctant to acknowledge the increasingly casualised workforce composition, resulting in failures to address the specific needs of casual workers, the vast majority of whom are women. Union organising is far more challenging in casualised industries – workers move between workplaces at high rates and their work is inherently precarious, making the movements needed to organise, demand better or even take strike action far riskier. This also results in workers have less of a stake in their workplace, making walking away from a bad workplace an ‘easier option’ than fighting for change.

We’ve recently seen the clearest examples possible of how this casualisation not only demeans individual workers but also weakens our institutions and collective welfare: the most serious outbreaks of COVID-19 can in large part be attributed to shoddy casual and contract employment arrangements. While this has been most notable in private aged care and security, every single worker deprived of paid sick leave or income security represents an additional transmission risk. As workers and union members, we need to critically examine this change in the way we work and live and to ask the question - why is casualised and insecure work becoming so commonplace for Australians? The creation of more casual jobs came hand in hand with the rise of neoliberal ideology. In Australia, policies of privatisation, deregulation, globalisation, free trade and reductions in government spending in order to increase profits in private sectors received bipartisan support during the 1980s. The Hawke and Keating governments pursued programs of economic reform that focused on lessening government regulations and restrictions in the economy in exchange for profit growth. The surpluses gained by the Howard government came at the cost of welfare, jobs, healthcare and more. Ultimately, these policies are more concerned with private profit than public welfare, so naturally we see a rise in casual work – workers cost employers less over time, obligations towards workers are reduced, all in the name of greater profits.

LEARNING HUB

This did not come without benefits – Australia was one of the few developed countries not to go through a recession during the 2008 financial crisis -until this year, Australia had not suffered through a recession since 1991, a record no other rich country has matched. But when Australia has the second highest rate of casual employment in the OECD, when part-time employment is five times the OECD average and one in four employees are casual, we cannot ignore the fact that this economic growth comes at a cost, a cost that is disproportionately borne by our the most vulnerable. Most jobs created in Australia during the 1990s were casual jobs. Some argued that the growth of casual employment meant that the Australian labour market had become more ‘flexible’, whereas others argued that it represented a growing polarisation in the labour market between ‘good’ jobs – those with permanency – and ‘bad’ jobs. Defenders of labour market casualisation may agree that casual jobs are of lesser quality, but they suggest that they play a ‘bridging role’, providing stepping-stones for the unemployed to re-enter the labour market. This argument is debunked by abundant evidence (including data from the mid-1990s’ Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Employment and Unemployment Patterns) that the idea of ‘bridging’ into permanent work is illusory, and that most casuals stayed trapped in a cycle of one casual job after another. Fundamentally, casualisation has mostly negative effects for

Australian workers – but great benefits for private profit margins. As unionists we need to question this change in workforce composition and push governments into adapting policy to better support workers in insecure employment. This must be a key plank of our recovery efforts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen the failures of casualised work – at the drop of the hat, huge numbers of casual workers lost their work and their income. In many other cases it has been casual workers on the frontlines, risking their health simply to secure a living wage, often having to choose between isolating at home when unwell or being able to pay for rent and food. These are impossible choices and ones we would not have to make if paid pandemic leave had been made accessible for all workers early in this crisis. Already our government has announced reductions to JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments, despite the fact that the economic effects of the pandemic will last far longer. When will our most vulnerable workers, predominantly young people, women and migrants, stop being the ones having to disproportionately bear the cost for profit margins at the expense of their own health, families and survival?

Timely professional support for members

Earlier this year the IEU developed the IEU Learning Hub as an expanded source of high quality on-line professional development for members on a range of topics.

hrough the IEU Learning Hub, members of the union can participate in free live on-line webinars and access a growing suite of on-demand professional development videos. The Teacher Learning Network, jointly owned by the IEU Victoria Tasmania and the AEU Victorian branch, is a key developer and deliverer of the professional development suite.

The IEU Learning Hub provides on-line professional development specifically designed for different cohorts including early career teachers, education support staff, teachers and current and aspiring members of school leadership teams. More recently, in response to the specific needs around remote learning, a broader suite of on-demand presentations have been added to help members develop and

enhance their digital literacy. We are glad to see an increased uptake of the professional development offerings, as well as overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. One very satisfied member, Nirmala Justus, a teacher at Melton Christian College, emailed us recently to say that his participation in a webinar enabled and inspired him to change his practice in developing online

materials for his students – great to hear! Take a look at the IEU Learning Hub today – there is a full calendar of live webinars to book into for terms 3 and 4, and a growing library of on-demand videos. We’d also love to hear your feedback and suggestions for future courses! https://ieulearninghub.tln.org.au/

21 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

Women working in (boys’) schools

WOMEN

COVID-19 and the global education of girls The global pandemic and the associated impact on our lives and education has affected all school communities.

ll over the world, schools were shut in order to halt the transmission of COVID-19. For many students, school closures were temporary, and they will be able to return to their normal school settings, and their education will continue as it did before the crisis. However, the impact will be most felt by disadvantaged students and their families, and in developing countries it is the lives and education of girls that are disproportionally impacted by school closures during lockdown, impacting not only their current situation, but the rest of their lives. There are estimates that close to 20 million girls in developing countries have not been able to access quality distance education opportunities and may never go back to the classroom once this crisis has passed. Organisations such as Girls Not Brides and Malala Fund are working to provide advocacy and resources to help respond to the needs of girls in this global pandemic. Many of the factors that impact on the ability of girls to access and stay engaged with education are amplified in situations of crises such as a pandemic, as family and community structures are placed under greater stress and economic factors influencing education become even more pronounced. Factors such as a lack of access to internet and technology to support education are already suffered disproportionally by girls, and this

becomes emphasised when more education activities are performed remotely. Girls are more likely to take on caring and family responsibilities during an economic downturn, leaving less time for education, and with schools closed girls also experience a higher risk of gender-based and sexual violence. Community support also begins to break down, with many health and community support services and intervention programs, including sexual and reproductive health and child protection, being halted or reduced. This leaves more girls at risk and unsupported, and less likely to return to education post-pandemic. Some of the very practical ways that girls’ welfare is being supported in countries with less developed social welfare and community health systems is to make continued engagement with education a priority. This can be a combination of online support such as providing internet access and setting up specialist websites, the provision of access to offline resources like school programs delivered by radio or distribution of printed resources and materials, and the setting up of small local networks for mentoring and support. Other ways to keep girls in schooling is to target health and attempt to reduce opportunities for harm. In many countries, innovative health campaigns and support have been set up on social media, and very practical support has been offered in the form of food, hygiene products and other

emergency items to alleviate the immediate effects of the crisis and to allow girls to stay connected with education. Harmful practices have also been targeted in communities by raising awareness of child protection issues through a range of traditional media as well as supporting girls to access counselling or to report abuse via apps, video conferencing and online messaging platforms. Organisations working in this space are trying to ensure that girls can continue learning and return to school when their communities begin to recover from the pandemic. Examples are Girls Not Brides and Malala Fund who are working to understand the impact of the pandemic on girls’ education and are looking to develop plans with other organisations to assist girls to return to education once school campuses reopen. For more: Girls Not Brides (www.girlsnotbrides.org) Malala Fund (malala.org)

CRT upskilling conference – sources and resources Another challenging and unpredictable term has been the experience for Victorian CRTs.

fter the lockdown of term 2, there appeared to be hope for a return to some normalcy with the return of students to school. There was hope too for more work for casual relief teachers after the downturn in opportunities experienced in term 2. Unfortunately, the increase in COVID-19 infection rates meant the sad reality of further lockdowns and restrictions. We battle on in our fight against the virus, and it is in solidarity and joint

action that we work towards a positive outcome – just as unions work as a collective to achieve great goals! Henry Ford said: ‘Coming together is the beginning; keeping together progress; working together is success’. The regular term break IEU/AEU CRT conference is happening soon with just such an aim – to have CRTs working together! The conference will take place online, on Wednesday 23 September. Named Sources

and Resources, this program relates closely to the current educational landscape and has been designed to support and upskill CRTs. The IEU has once again provided support during these difficult times: waived membership fees in term 2 for CRTs have been extended until the end of term 3. If you haven’t received a discount or refund, please send an email with your details to info@ieuvictas.org.au. It is also VIT registration

time – some of you may not have been able to complete the required classroom hours this year. VIT has made adjustments to registration requirements this year: check www.vit.vic.edu.au/news/ news/2020/we-will-helpmaintain-your-registrationduring-covid-19/_recache We look forward to seeing our CRT members for the conference.

The incident of St Kevin’s College boys singing a sexist chant on a tram last year put the spotlight again on boys’ schools and the misogynistic attitudes and behaviours that can pervade these institutions.

he incident also provided an impetus for the IEU to consider further the experience of women members working in boy’s schools. Recently the IEU facilitated a workshop on ‘Women working in boys’ schools’, for the online IEU NSW/ACT Women’s Conference. We focused on member stories about the culture of schools where they work and what can be done to begin challenging the entrenchment of traditions, entitlement and attitudes that lead to women being treated as lesser. Schools should be places where gender equality is the norm. The responses from our IEU sisters in NSW/ACT were no different to what we hear in Victoria and Tasmania, and we know there is much more work to be done to generate the necessary changes to create workplaces which mean all workers are safe, respected and equal. The St Kevin’s sub-branch has started the process of addressing the cultural factors which contribute to gender inequality. Through a lot of work as a sub-branch, they have created two representative IEU working groups – one is a women’s group, the other importantly includes a member of the leadership team. These groups will report to the principal and to the consultative committee. IEU members are committed collectively to cultural change and to a fair, transparent and authentic process of engagement with the school. Women members who teach in environments where gender equality is not a reality know what the issues are, and they know the reasons and the barriers to culture change. What is more of a challenge is how to address the issues and implement effective and long-term change. Ideas put forward in the workshop included the facilitating of Women’s Rights at Work (WRAW) chats, awareness raising of gender equality in the school community, increasing women’s representation in leadership, job share arrangements, encouragement and support for men to take up flexible work arrangements for caring responsibilities, professional development for all staff, a safe effective process for reporting incidents, policies that are meaningful and enacted and an additional IEU Rep women’s position. Worksafe in Victoria now identifies gendered violence and sexual harassment as hazards. They are a risk to the health and safety of workers. We need to fix the systems and the norms that perpetuate gender inequality – and our schools are great places to start.

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THE POINT Term Three 2020

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23 Term Three 2020 THE POINT

NUMBER CRUNCH

INTERNATIONAL ROUNDUP

A phoenix rising from the ashes of the daily stats! As members in Victoria are only too aware, the daily announcement of the COVID-19 numbers has been something of a rollercoaster involving an anxious wait for often grim news - for those members who have been directly impacted by the worst of this health crisis there is no solace in anything that follows.

owever, we hope that this set of numbers, demonstrating the strong continuing growth of your union, may put a slight smile on some members’ faces.

Good side of the coin!

Your union is now bigger and stronger than it has ever been. The graph below shows our cumulative growth over 2020 – even taking into account the annual mid-year purge of lapsed members we are over 700 members up so far this year. IEU Membership Growth - 2020 1000 800 600 400 200 0

1 January

1 February 1 March

1 April

1 May

1 June

1 July

1 August

-200 Recruitment

Resignations

Union Growth!

Digging in a bit deeper to the profile of our new recruitment, it’s interesting to see that while our two biggest sectors - Victorian Catholic Secondary and Victorian Catholic Primary – have each contributed almost 25% to our membership growth, the biggest surge in membership has come from Victorian independent schools. Sector

Proportion of IEU membership

Proportion of 2020 recruitment

VictoriaCatholic Primary

33.3%

24.5%

VictoriaCatholic Secondary

30.8%

24.7%

VictoriaIndependent

27.5%

43.7%

Tasmania

6.3%

5.8%

Principals (Vic & Tas)

1.3%

0.4%

Members who have been closely following the work of the union this year, particularly in battling stand-downs during the previous period of remote learning, may not be surprised by this. Some of the names of the schools which contributed the largest number of new IEU recruits will also be familiar to those who have kept an eye on recent IEU activity: St. Kevin’s College, Haileybury College, Bacchus Marsh Grammar, Ivanhoe Grammar, PEGS and Peninsula Grammar. Membership increases at these schools ranged from 22% to 58%. However, staff right across our sector have seen the value of union membership during this challenging year, with new members joining from 617 separate workplaces and particularly notable growth in ELICOS colleges. Membership growth in Tasmania has been proportionately keeping pace given the relatively lower impact of COVID-19. Growth reflects strong work on the ground by reps, members and organisers in Tassie schools. In particular, the age profile of Tasmanian recruitment is promising: Under 30

22.3%

30-39

26.1%

40-49

25.1%

50-59

20.7%

60-69

5.5%

70+

0.4%

Given that the average age of current IEU members is late 40s, the fact that almost half of our new Tasmanian recruits are under 40 is, we hope, a great indication that we have a new generation of union activists coming through!

In Jordan, security forces have targeted the main teachers’ union, the Jordanian Teachers Syndicate, arresting its leaders and members of its governing council, raiding its offices, and banning it from operating for two years. The government has alleged ‘financial violations’ as being behind the actions, but supporters say that it is not just about the union itself, but an attempt to silence criticism. The union led a massive strike last year, shutting schools for a month in one of the most disruptive strikes ever seen in Jordan, and has long been a vocal critic of the government. The president of the union movement in Cambodia, Rong Chhun, has been arrested after criticising the government’s policies. Chhun, former head of the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association, was arrested at home, and is awaiting trial. This follows the arrest of four prominent education unionists for advocating around health issues during recent school closures. Education International has called on all to be released, saying ‘The freedom to speak up and represent the interests of working people, as well as the right not to be penalised for the opinions expressed are indispensable to the exercise of freedom of association.’ Teacher unions and their school communities right across the United States are protesting against the proposed reopening of their local schools. Many school districts are severely under-resourced and even prepandemic, represented a health risk to staff and students - indeed a 2016 study by the Center for Green Schools found that over 15,000 schools have indoor air quality deemed unfit. Protests and demonstrations have taken place across the country but so far, the two main unions, American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association have rejected calls for a nationwide strike.

GREEN SCHOOLS

Environmental education in a time of crisis

recent US survey has warned that the impact of the restrictions of COVID-19 may be devastating to environmental education. Education for Sustainability (EfS) is largely experiential and doesn’t necessarily transfer easily to the remote learning classroom. To assist with maintaining engagement with the required

cross-curriculum priority, try the links below for ways to keep your students onboard with all things green! https://tln.org.au/covid/ www.abc.net.au/your-planet/ www.aaee.org.au/ www.coolaustralia.org/ca_ topic/covid-19/ https://education.abc.net.au/ home#!/topics/e

www.zoo.org.au/education/ www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2020/07/200729114809. htm Given the limitations some students (and parents!) may be experiencing during this remote learning period, ‘real life’ learning at home, perhaps in the garden or kitchen, may be a benefit. Other students may thrive with the

opportunity of extra at-home time giving them the chance for more online exploring of environmental issues. We are all intrinsically linked to our natural world, however the depth of that connection is not always evident to our students and can be difficult to illustrate. Studying the impact or lack of impact on our physical

environment as a result of our changed human behaviour due to COVID-19 may be the connection that will assist some of our kids to see how important the relationship between us and our environment really is. Even times of great crisis can provide genuine opportunities for powerful learning!

E H T T A P U G N I M CO

EVENTS AND TRAINING U P D AT E D R E G U L A R LY.

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OCTOBER

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Melbourne Cup

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7 8 9

8 E A R LY C A R E E R T E A C H E R S W E B I NA R A L L STA F F WE B I NA R OHS WE B I N A R

E S STA F F WE B I NA R World Suicide Prevention Day

11 12

Victoria Term 4 Begins

Royal Launceston Show

9 10 11 12

National Health and Physical Education Day

World Mental Health Day

Tasmania Term 4 Begins

13 LEAD ERSHI P W EB I N AR T EACHERS W EB I N AR

Remembrance Day

14 HSR T R A I N I N G - UNI O NS TA S MA NI A

17 Tasmania Term 4 Ends

18 Victoria Term 4 Ends

18 Victoria Term 3 Ends

Flinders Island Show (Tasmania)

OHS T RAI N I N G OHS T RAI N I N G EARLY CAREER T EACHERS W EB I N AR

OHS T RAI N I N G

21 A L L STA F F WE B I NA R

Royal Hobart Show (Tasmania)

24 Christmas Eve

25 Christmas Day

E S STA F F WE B I NA R X 3 I E U / A E U C R T UP S K I L L ON L I N E C ON FE R E NC E

24 25

AFL Grand Final Public Holiday (Victoria) (?)

AFL Grand Final (?)

25 26

OHS T RAI N I N G

27 Devonport Show (Tasmania)

31 New Year’s Eve

Tasmania Term 3 Ends

G o t o w w w. i e u l e a r n i n g h u b . t l n . o r g . a u f o r w e b i n a r i n f o r m a t i o n a n d r e g i s t r a t i o n .

Boxing Day