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Draft For consideration by members WORK INTENSIFICATION POSITION STATEMENT The following position statement was developed on the basis of a QIEU Member Conference held 13 March 2004 and has been authorised by Union Council for consideration by members at Branch and Chapter level.
WHAT IS WORK INTENSIFICATION? “Work intensification” is an academic and international term used to describe not simply increased work load, but the work context within which it occurs. Basically, the term includes both “working longer hours and working harder within each hour spent at the workplace.” 1 Work intensification goes beyond just working your existing job at a faster pace. It includes the key elements of: job enlargement or broadening through under-staffing (increased content of jobs), reducing “idle time” (leaving less space for rest breaks and time between tasks), more simultaneous demands (similar to job enlargement), speeding up work (includes deadline tightening as a result of ICT use), shifting remuneration from time-based to results-based criteria (‘working until the job is done’) and extension of the working day. 2 The scope of “work intensification” is further described in the following extract: ³ “Work intensification, through reduced staffing levels and increased work loads has not only driven long hours of work among full time workers, it has also meant that workers are under constant stress in attempting to meet targets and demands, particularly in jobs which involve dealing with the public. This intensification of work gives rise to unsustainable work practices, which harm both the enterprises and workers concerned. Lack of staffing means there is no time for ongoing training of workers which allows them to keep up with the changing demands of their work. The increased pressure at work gives rise to unsafe workplaces. And, the inability of workers to participate in a full non-work life ultimately makes work an unsustainable part of their lives.” The issue of work intensification strongly resonates with QIEU members and indeed the wider Australian community. The scope of the problem is demonstrated both by our lived experience and statistical evidence.
1
ACTU Congress 2003 “Future of Work – Trends and Challenges in Australian Workplaces” Issue Paper 3 “Increased workloads and work intensification” page 49.
2
ACTU Congress 2003 “Future of Work – Trends and Challenges in Australian Workplaces” Issue Paper 3 “Increased workloads and work intensification” page 59 - 61.
3
ACTU Congress 2003 Background Paper “Working hours and work intensification” page 3
Statistics reveal full time employees are working longer hours across the board in Australia today, at the same time as under-employment remains a problem for many casual and part time workers. The phenomenon of increasing numbers of people performing excessive hours of work is also occurring at the same time as paid overtime is decreasing. As a result, statistics for workplace stress claimants were also sky rocketing until the point at which legislation limiting workers’ ability to claim for compensable workplace stress injuries changed, so widespread and severe is this problem. In international comparisons, Australia has the highest number of primary teacher contact hours and the second highest secondary teacher contact hours amongst OECD countries. The current reality of excessive workloads endured by school employees is so common that it is almost seen as intrinsic to ones self-identification as a professional, to the detriment of health, family / personal life and ultimately productivity. All elements of work intensification are increasing problems. Understaffing, the imposition of change without consultation or adequate resourcing, the introduction of new technology with limited training and without appropriate systems operational and functioning are all commonly identified by QIEU members as negatively impacting on their work intensification. However, a primary issue is that of increased content of jobs through the continual (and subjective) expansion of what is deemed to be the “core business” of schools. This is usually done with limited consultation with staff, or through a cosmetic presentation in which the benefits of a change are presented to staff. Any complementary professional reflection as to “why” change is needed and whether it can be accommodated within the hours of duty agreement or maximum number of hours regulated and paid is rarely even an after-thought. Commonsense would indicate that whenever additional tasks are “prioritised”, some existing tasks will need to be “de-prioritised” in order for equilibrium to be achieved. What we have experienced, though, is that the gifts of time staff have regularly made over long periods have now mutated into an “expectation” and the “other curriculum” has become the mainstream curriculum by stealth. An industry-wide response from members is needed to address this, as opposed from the more traditional school-level or even sector response, due to the increasingly consumerist approach of non-governmental schools’ marketing of their particular education “product”. Certainly increased competition within the education sector has thus far served as a catalyst for the ever-increasing emphasis on extra-curricular activities and pastoral activities, which would have school staff spend more time with other people’s children than their own if left unchecked.
PRINCIPLES TO ADDRESS WORK INTENSIFICATION QIEU members have identified that a positive workplace which addresses the issue of work intensification is characterised by the following principles:
There is a democratic workplace that encourages more collegial collaboration and welcomes the professional input of all staff.
Changes improve the future quality of education, through an increased ability to attract and retain quality teachers.
The work of staff in schools is adequately resourced in terms of time release, training / skills, equipment and resources.
Staff are enabled to work more efficiently, not longer hours.
There is complementary de-prioritised work tasks when changes are made to ensure the maximum hours of duty or number of paid hours of work are not exceeded.
Staff are enabled to have a balance between their work and family lives.
Proposed changes have been subject to significant reflection and consultation with staff and
the parameters of the implementation are defined in advance.
The parents and the broader community are made aware of the implications of enhanced curriculum delivery, pastoral care and provision of extra-curricular on the workload of staff.
Processes of decision making are transparent and open.
Job satisfaction and quality of outcomes are encouraged.
The working lives of all staff are enhanced through improved work conditions, job security, career path / structure and workplace health and safety.
All staff are motivated towards a common purpose.
There is constant attention to the organisational health of the school.
Staff and the employer share common understandings of reasonable work hours and work expectations.
The change has a positive personal and professional impact on all members of the school community.
Ultimately, a positive workplace is one which has a commitment to diminishing employees’ current levels of work intensification.
A PLAN FOR CHANGE One thing is for certain, if we do nothing, nothing will change! QIEU is a union that takes advice from members in terms of developing and progressing our industrial agenda. Work intensification has strongly resonated with members everywhere, as a major impediment to current levels of health, personal and family relationships, efficiency and job satisfaction. Members are also selflessly looking forward towards protecting the future quality of education available to students by addressing these important barriers to the attraction and retention of quality teachers and advocating for increased resourcing to the education process. Our shared understandings of the nature and scope of this problem is naturally the first step. This involves the use of our Chapter and Branch networks in conducting one-on-one communication with our members, as well as members’ supported collective considerations at Branch and Chapter levels.
Armed with the facts and better knowledge of our colleagues’ lived experiences, we are then able to mobilise members to take constructive actions. The purpose of any actions are to emphasise the depth of this problem to employers and create an impetus for change – which will in turn effect the positive workplace changes that will make a real difference to achieving the balance for members and creating a better education system into the future.
RESOLUTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION The ________________________ Branch endorses / endorses with the following amendments [strike out as relevant] the principles for a QIEU Member Campaign on the issue of work intensification in schools.
The ________________________ Branch endorses a program of education and discussion with members on the principles which should underpin any provisions to address the issue of work intensification and endorses a subsequent member consultation to identify those achievable industrial and professional provisions which will support a better work / life balance and address the issue of work intensification.