QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION BRISBANE 346 TURBOT ST SPRING HILL Q 4000 P O BOX 418 FORTITUDE VALLEY
Phone: Fax: Freecall: Email: Internet:
07 3839 7020 07 3839 7021 1800 177937 enquiries@qieu.asn.au www.qieu.asn.au
ABN: 45 620 218 712
Monday 11 December 2006
Ref: ECE-CB4058cc
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Chapter Briefing No 21
QIEU members proud of campaign to protect early childhood education Dear Colleagues, QIEU members within the early childhood education sector can be proud of what has been achieved this year through collective member action and support. QCOT delays implementation of Teacher Registration changes As a result of significant QIEU member campaigning, the QCOT Board has agreed to delay implementation of legislation governing teacher registration until 1 January 2008. As previously reported, the new changes to the Act would seriously impact on the status of teaching in early childhood centres. Under the Act, teachers are required to spend a prescribed period of teaching in a school in order to gain full registration. Further requirements also exist for provisionally registered graduate teachers to teach in a school in order to gain full registration. Previously, the work undertaken by teachers in community preschool and kindergarten centres was recognised for full teacher registration. In protest to this outrageous change to the legislation, QIEU members not only took action through direct correspondence with the QCOT Board Chair, but also actively campaigned throughout the community resulting in significant parental pressure on the QCOT Board. As a result of this member action, QCOT has notified QIEU that the implementation of the changes would now be delayed until 1 January 2008. Impact of the delayed implementation The delayed implementation of the Act does not remedy the situation, but it will provide graduate teachers working in early childhood centres to use their experience to move from provisional registration to full registration until 31 December 2007. The delayed implementation also provides to QIEU members a greater opportunity to continue to campaign for changes to the registration process. QIEU members take protest to Minister In recent Regional Organising Committee (ROC) meetings, QIEU members authorised the formation of a member delegation to meet with the Minister of Education, Training and Arts, Mr Rod Welford. The QIEU member delegation will outline members’ concerns regarding the changes to the Education Act and seek a commitment from the Minister to ensure that either: • •
the Education (Queensland College of Teachers) Act and Regulations be implemented in such a way that recognises the work of early childhood teachers as equivalent to that of teachers in schools or amends the Act and/or Regulation to provide such recognition.
The QIEU delegation will report back to QIEU members in the new year on the outcome of their meeting.
QIEU engages stake holder support QIEU has also sought discussion with C&K (Inc) and other stakeholders including the Early Childhood Teachers Association to ensure that the most effective campaign possible is mounted on behalf of teachers and the early childhood education sector generally. Collective Bargaining – State registered agreements for majority of early childhood members The collective strength of early childhood education members across the state has ensured that the majority of employees in centres have had their working rights and conditions protected through the state registered collective agreement. Along with the existence of a state registered collective agreement for employees, the majority of whom are employed in ACSEA member centres, further state registered collective agreements are being established by QIEU members. QIEU is currently making application for a multi-employer state registered collective agreement which will cover 15 early childhood education centres. Once in place, this state registered agreement will ensure the working rights and conditions of members in these centres are also safeguarded from the anti-worker nature of the Howard’s anti-worker legislation. Impact of High Court decision on early childhood centres The recent decision by the High Court to uphold the constitutional validity of the Howard government’s legislation does not provide any further opportunity to employers to claim federal jurisdictional status. Thus the status of all non-government employing authorities as to whether they are deemed “trading corporations” remains contentious. As such, employers are unable to use the decision of the High Court to justify entering the federal jurisdiction. Such a decision can only be determined by a legal test case on whether or not a specific incorporated body is a “trading and financial corporation”. On 14 November, C&K (Inc) MAS had corresponded to committees on the outcome of the High Court decision and stated that “as Workchoices is going to remain and the argument that not-for-profit organisations should be excluded was rejected, we recommend that all affiliated kindergartens should now review their position in relation to this legislation”. This comment implies that the recent High Court decision supports centres being covered by the federal industrial relations legislation. This comment is in error and demonstrates ignorance of the content of the Court’s decision. QIEU has corresponded directly with centre committees to explain the errors in the advice provided by C&K (Inc) MAS. C&K (Inc) and other non-government employers are on notice not to use the decision of the High Court to justify entering the federal jurisdiction. Significant year – significant union strength It has been a significant year for QIEU members in early childhood education sector. The sector has been faced with serious attacks on employee working rights as well as rights to professional registration. Yet through it all, QIEU members have demonstrated that, where members are educated on the issues which face them and are ready to provide collective action and support, working rights and professional rights can be protected. QIEU members across the non-government sector are proud of the achievements of early childhood members. You have demonstrated to all that our working rights are worth fighting for! I look forward to your continued support and member collective strength as we continue the campaign to protect the early childhood education sector in 2007. Kind regards
TERRY BURKE GENERAL SECRETARY