QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION OF AUSTRALIA – QUEENSLAND & NORTHERN TERRITORY BRANCH BRISBANE 346 TURBOT ST SPRING HILL QLD 4000 PO BOX 418 FORTITUDE VALLEY
Phone: 07 3839 7020 Fax: 07 3839 7021 Freecall: 1800 177937 Email: enquiries@qieu.asn.au Internet: www.qieu.asn.au ABN: 45 620 218 712
Monday, 23 August 2010
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CHAPTER BRIEFING
21 Members at Sunshine Coast Grammar School Targeted for Redundancy Dear Colleagues The employment of 21 members at Sunshine Coast Grammar School (SCGS) has been placed at risk with an announcement to staff on Friday, 20 August 2010 that middle management positions will be restructured. The 21 staff in receipt of the notices have been told that they can either:
get a job elsewhere, or apply for one of the restructured positions, or take a redundancy.
There is no offer of continuity of employment as a teacher if a person is unsuccessful in an application for one of the ‘new’ positions; they will have to take a redundancy. Chapters are asked to provide support to colleagues at SCGS and urgent meetings should be held to give consideration to the attached resolution. Background On Friday, 20 August 2010, 21 members of the SCGS were assembled to be handed notices that their current positions would no longer exist in 2011. Meanwhile the Head of SCGS read a statement to a meeting of the balance of the staff advising them of a restructure of middle management. A statement was read; no questions were taken. The School claims that the restructuring is necessary to align with the new Australian Curriculum. However, only five of the 21 positions are curriculum positions and the substance of the ‘restructure’ is to add Prep – Year 6 to the existing Year 7 – Year 12 curriculum responsibility. Rather than invite incumbents to take on the additional responsibilities, the positions are now to be externally advertised with all to ‘be filled on merit’. A number of positions have been restructured out of existence and library management, careers guidance and VET management downgraded.
Union Action Our union is clearly working closely with the 21 staff affected and the SCGS Chapter. The Chapter met on Friday and have endorsed a firm response to this attack on employment. The School is clearly in breach of the provisions of the current collective agreement regarding significant change. We have written to the School requesting that it puts on hold the restructure and ceases its external advertising of the positions so that urgent discussions can occur regarding the validity of the restructure and implications for staff. Collective action by our broader membership is appropriate. Chapters are requested to meet this week and consider the attached resolution. The endorsed resolution should be forwarded to the School and a copy to our union office for forwarding to the SCGS Chapter. Next Steps Our union will not stand by and see the lives and employment of 21 of our members put at risk. Concerted action will be undertaken in response to this flagrant disregard of the employment and dignity of members.
Kind regards
TERRY BURKE SECRETARY
QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION OF AUSTRALIA – QUEENSLAND & NORTHERN TERRITORY BRANCH
CHAPTER FAXBACK 21 Members at SCGS Targeted for Redundancy
Resolution That the Chapter at ____________________________________________ condemns the action of Sunshine Coast Grammar School in putting at risk the employment of 21 members of staff with so little regard for them, their families and the students they teach and calls upon SCGS to withdraw the notices to staff and to enter into immediate negotiations with the IEUA-QNT consistent with the current collective agreement to establish the legitimacy of any restructuring and to maximise on-going employment.
CARRIED/NOT CARRIED
PLEASE FORWARD TO NIGEL FAIRBAIRN, HEAD OF SCHOOL: Fax No. (07) 5445 4345 or Email: enquire@scgs.qld.edu.au Copy to: Terry Burke, Secretary, IEUA-QNT: Fax No. (07) 3839 7021 or Email: enquiries@qieu.asn.au BY 4:00 PM FRIDAY, 27 AUGUST 2010