National Outlook October 2010 Issue 3, 2010
Education News MySchool The working party established by ACARA to address concerns regarding the MySchool website has completed its work and has made a final report to the Education Ministers. The report was embargoed until the October 15 MCEECDYA meeting. The report from the working party, which included unions, principal associations, parent associations and nominees of the Education Minister, agreed without dissent on a range of significant improvements to the structure and look of the MySchool website. Notably, the 18 recommendations contained within the draft report met the specific issues raised by IEUA in regard to the MySchool website. Disappointingly, not all these recommendations were accepted by the Federal Minister for Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett. Despite strong support for the working party recommendations from the various State Education Ministers, the Federal Government remains reticent to make changes particularly to the first page of the website. The IEUA will continue to lobby in support of the working party recommendations. NAPLAN An online NAPLAN/MySchool survey was jointly sponsored by NSW/ACT, QNT and VIEU branches and was sent to all IEUA chapter representatives and principals in non-government schools in Victoria, Queensland, Northern Territory, ACT and NSW. The survey was to assist in informing the work of the union in discussions around remodelling the website and the Senate inquiry into NAPLAN. The survey results will shortly be more formally published and provided to branches and schools. AITSL – Standing Committees Following some robust discussion, the IEUA is now represented on a number of standing committees including: National Accreditation for Registration of Teachers Working Group National Standards for Teachers Validation Steering Group National Standards for Principals Expert Steering Group. This positive outcome ensures that our union is now more appropriately represented and involved in any of the deliberations made by AITSL.
1
AITSL Standards Validation The independent Standards Validation process is currently underway and while the project team will invite specific individuals and schools to participate in each of the three phases, the IEUA has been asked to nominate individual teachers to participate in the focus group discussions of phase three and branches will be supporting individual teachers to attend. Additionally, individual teachers are able to contribute to the phase 2 online survey. Groups such as the NSW/ACT Branch’s Principals Branch will assist in providing expert advice to the federal union about proposals on structure and detail in respect of a standards framework to be developed for School Principals. Meeting with the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth On 5 October, the Federal Office met with Peter Garrett, MP. It was a positive meeting where the IEUA was invited to raise the significant issues such as School Funding, Special Needs Education, Early Childhood Education, Teach for Australia and Teach Next, and Performance Pay. The IEUA is looking forward to further productive meetings with the Minister and his staff. School Funding Review The final terms of reference for the school funding review were made public in June and the Federal Office met with representatives of the review panel for preliminary discussions. The IEUA continues its work on a review of proposed funding models and has had conversations with National Catholic Education Commission, Independent Schools Council of Australia, Christian Schools Australia and Lutheran Education Australia. National Campaign In addition, the federal office is commencing work on a potential, national member delegation and political lobbying campaign in support of government funding for non-government schools. Central to the campaign activity in 2011 will be promoting a better deal for schools in relation to funding for Students with special needs as well as a parallel campaign in relation to early childhood education.
NATIONAL ORGANISERS WORKSHOP The 2010 Organisers Workshop was held on 17 September in Brisbane and focused on organising various categories
of employees in schools/centres who are sometimes not part of the mainstream larger membership collective such as non teaching staff (teaching aides, special needs aides, clerical support, ground staff and other school officers/ services staff categories); indigenous education workers and early childhood education and care teachers. The workshop provided opportunities for organisers to identify and debate the value and sustainability of strategies and resources which have been utilised by branches and then, via specific workshop groups, to consider further organising opportunities.
Sector News Lutheran Sector Lutheran Schools Australia has made a proposal for a single interest enterprise bargaining agreement for all Lutheran schools in South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia and the first meeting to consider this process was held in Adelaide on 9 September. This follows negotiations for a proposed agreement for Victorian and Tasmanian Lutheran schools, but this has met difficulties regarding the inclusion of the Tasmanian Lutheran schools. Nevertheless it is clear that Lutheran Education Australia is increasingly looking to have more common employment conditions as a result of the current national industrial framework. Edmund Rice Schools The federal office has also met with Edmund Rice Education Australia and whilst there are no plans to have ‘crossjurisdictional’ industrial agreements, EREA will ‘monitor’ the national industrial landscape of their schools. Accordingly the IEUA Federal Executive has determined to hold a forum for all EREA school union representatives nationally in May 2011 to look at ways in which we can share experience, union culture and knowledge. Early Childhood Education and Care
2
Early childhood education members in Queensland have commenced a political lobbying campaign in support of community kindergartens. Changes to the government funding of community kindergartens, coupled with the additional costs associated with implementing the Universal Access initiatives, may result in a shortfall of between $300 and $400 per child per annum. This places the viability of community kindergartens at risk. NSW/ACT branch has also commenced a campaign in the early childhood education sector to achieve pay parity for teachers working in early education services with their counterparts in primary schools. The “Teachers are Teachers” political lobbying campaign will secure the commitment to fund equal pay for early childhood teachers from both major State political parties in the lead up to the next State election. A rally of members is planned for 10 November 2010.
Industrial Relations News Current preserved conditions in State Awards (where these awards have moved into the federal jurisdiction) will cease to operate on 31 December 2010 and legislation provides for the application of the preservation of relevant sections of State Awards. Branches have examined applications for the preservation of 23 Award entitlements.
Committee News Women’s and Equity Committee Education for Special Needs Arising out of recommendations from the National Officers’ Seminar, the IEUA Women’s and Equity Committee has commenced work on reviewing and further developing the existing Special Needs Education Policy with a view to developing a resource paper which supports the overall needs underpinning quality special needs education. The next edition of IE (Independent Education) will feature articles on the need for a comprehensive and consistent approach to funding of the special needs education. Industrial Committee The Industrial Committee are currently investigating the establishment of a national industrial database (agreements and other industrial instruments covering IEUA members) to assist the work of Branch industrial officers and organisers.
Branch News NSW/ACT Branch Independent Schools’ Agreements
IEUA NSW/ACT branch has successfully negotiated agreements for independent schools which include pay rises of 14.8% over four years. This will ensure that the top teachers’ salary scale will move to over $100,000. The new agreements will come into force next year and all three will deliver pay increases of 3.2% in February 2011, then 3.6%, 4% and 4% in the following years, expiring at the end of 2014. SA Branch Catholic Agreement Following approval of content by members at a series of city and regional meetings the final drafting of the document has been occurring. Under the new legislation, there is no longer an underpinning award. All existing award and agreement terms must be carefully incorporated into one document or those conditions are lost. The outcome of the new agreement includes: • Teachers Salary Step 10 $83 007 with AST $85 774 • Up to 8% increase for Education Support Officers • 14 weeks paid maternity/adoption/ leave with superannuation • Additional allowances for curriculum extension activities including overnight allowances for camps. QLD/NT Branch QLD PMSA Sector Back in June, over 240 members from the Presbyterian and Methodist Association schools took a full day stoppage in protest over their employer’s refusal to negotiate equitable salary increases and an hours of duty schedule in a new collective agreement. Since then a significant shift in the employer’s position on wages nexus and hours of duty has
3
allowed for negotiations to continue and resolution is anticipated shortly. Northern Territory Conference The inaugural Northern Territory Professional Issues Conference “Challenges for the Future” will be held in Darwin on 23 October. The Conference will include key note speaker Professor Robert Lingard from the University of Queensland, along with many other educational professionals for workshops on early childhood, indigenous education, special needs education and middle schooling. VIEU On 21 September a Parental Leave Seminar was held for VIEU members who were on parental leave or were about to return to work. This seminar provided members with practical advice and relevant information about access or returning from parental leave. On 24 September, a Student Teacher Conference was held to provide student teachers with information on the applying for a job in the non-government sector and on the current conditions and salaries. In particular, participants were provided with access to a panel of principals and the opportunity to question how they may optimise their employment opportunities.
International News World Teachers’ Day 5 October 2010 represented World Teachers’ Day, a day to celebrate teachers and the central role they play in guiding children, youths and adults through the life-long learning process. This year, all teachers who have been directly or indirectly affected by a major crisis were recognised. Materials in support of World Teachers Day are located at http://www.ieu.org.au/311. COPE The COPE Roundtable Conference/Workshop on Code of Ethics for Teachers and Children’s Rights will be held from 6-8 December 2010 in Nadi. This will be followed by the Biennial Meeting of Council of Pacific Education to be held on 9-10 December 2010 with the Women’s Network Coordinators meeting being held on 9 December. This year marks the 25th Anniversary for COPE, thus a significant year for all affiliates.
4