The Independent Voice
September 2009
13
Years 5 – 6 Clancy Enchelmaier
Ipswich Grammar School
“A strongly conceived work, boldly executed reflecting the spirit of progress and growth of our state.”
Years 7 – 8 Sarah Godlee St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School “This mixed media work captures the life and energy of a river as it meanders through the Queensland landscape.”
Years 9 – 10 Isabella Reynolds Cannon Hill Anglican College “Isabella has used images of the landscape and life... each frame celebrates nature.”
Years 11 – 12 Romy Listo
St Peter’s Lutheran College
“The clever layering creates a subtle insight into the past celebrating the present.”
Harriet Hunter Memorial Award In memory of a gifted and talented young teenager, Harriet Hunter, whose life was tragically taken in 1999, this award is given to a young artist whose work best capture’s the judge’s heart. Harriet’s father, Adrian Hunter, (right) this year presented the perpetual trophy to St Peter’s Lutheran College student Romy Listo, whose work was chosen from all award recipient entries.
Open Sharryn MacDougall Dalby Beck Street Kindergarten Association “The image of mateship, togetherness and looking forward. An image that celebrates the wisdom of youth.”
14
The Independent Voice
September 2009
Looking back on the history of our union: Superannuation The story of superannuation goes back to the mid 1800s when it was first paid as a benefit to certain employees of the public service and larger corporate organisations. In the minutes of the Assistant Mistresses Association of 8 December 1922 it is recorded that a Mr Corrie spoke to the meeting about the “advantages of individual insurance as opposed to a superannuation scheme.” While it would be interesting to know about his line of argument, one thing is certain; the women in his audience were concerned about this matter. In 1956, the Assistant Mistresses were represented at a meeting held at the Brisbane Boys Grammar School. At this meeting it was suggested that an approach should be made to the Premier to have Assistant Masters, Assistant Mistresses, Head Masters and Head Mistresses’ Associations “come in under the same section of the Public Service Act as the State Teachers Union, for superannuation purposes.” If this could be achieved, it would be compulsory to take up superannuation units, but the number of units (3 to 10) to be taken up would be voluntary. It was thought that the amount to be received at retirement would then be adequate. However, it was decided that the approach to the Premier should be “delayed to a more suitable time,” and there is no indication that any approach was subsequently made. What is clear is that the employees felt that they had even less chance of engaging their employers in discussion than they did the Premier of the state. To understand how adequate provision for superannuation was gained in our sector it is necessary to look at some of the key stages in legislation that helped to pave the way. In 1900 New South Wales introduced a means tested age pension of £26 per year and Queensland followed suit. The Invalid and Old Age Pensions Act 1908 also provided for £26 per annum, but eligibility was limited
according to “character, race, age, residency and means.” This was paid to both men and women at the age of 65 years. The age for women was reduced to 60 years in 1910. While there were legislative changes affecting superannuation over the years, significant momentum for change began in the 1970s. In 1973 the Whitlam Labor government established the National Superannuation Committee of Inquiry chaired by Keith Hancock. In 1974, the Australian Bureau
rise. The Accord that was worked out between the government and the unions stipulated that compensation to employees should be six per cent. This was to be three per cent employer superannuation contribution, a two per cent wage rise, and tax cuts. In The Independent Voice of October 1987, we read that our union had to fight to gain this 3 per cent benefit. After the state wage decision of March that year an approach was made to all employers for talks on the superannuation decision. A representative of
able to benefit from enhanced superannuation provisions. They were able to access enhanced employer contributions on the basis of additional employee contributions (see table below).
as “Super Soup Lines” and morning teas were held; and who could forget the super truck visiting schools with the 12.75% “It’s about EQUITY” message blazoned across it.
Once again we see that those in the non-government school sector found it necessary to take considerable action to achieve the same provisions.
Members worked hard, carried placards, marched in the Labour Day rallies, and in so many ways let their employers know that they were serious about being treated as professional equals with their colleagues.
By this time, too, industrial legislation had changed. It was not the comparatively simple matter of taking the case to the Industrial
ABOVE: Member action, including the super truck visiting schools with the 12.75% “It’s about Equity” message, was important to achieving enhanced superannuation benefits for our members
of Statistics conducted the first n o n - g o v e r n m e n t e m p l o y e r s Relations Commission. national survey of superannuation indicated that “employers were not coverage. It revealed that 32 per willing even to talk with QATIS” Member action was needed. As a consequence of the determination cent of the workforce was covered (we became QIEU in 1997). of the members and their outrage by superannuation – 36 per cent male; 15 per cent female. While By October 1988 the battle had been in the face of employer failure to 58 per cent of people in the public won. The Independent Voice reports act in what they perceived as a just manner, a massive sector had super cover, campaign swung into Public Sector Superannuation Rates only 24 per cent of those action. in the private sector had Employees pay Employer pays the same coverage. 2% 9.75% Many will remember the 3% 10.75% actions taken: wearing The recommendations 4% 11.75% “I’m having a SUPER of the Hancock enquiry 5% 12.75% day” badges; attending were handed down in meetings to learn about 1976, most significant of these was the recommendation “all employers have agreed to pay the facts of the situation; having for “a partially contributory, the three per cent superannuation conversations with colleagues to universal pension system with an productivity payment.” Given ensure they were aware of the facts; earnings-related supplement.” 1 that the employers pushed the motions were passed at chapter and However, this came to nothing as matter to the point where it was branch level; chapter activities such the Fraser Government decided not necessary for our union to take the to establish a contributory national case to the full bench of the State superannuation scheme. Industrial Commission, it is no wonder that the President of the The Hawke Labor government, day, Vid Luckus, commented that i n 1 9 8 3 , e x p r e s s e d s u p p o r t it was “ironical that employers, for the principles of employee in some cases, were parading the superannuation and in 1986 granting of the three per cent as Labor joined with the ACTU some act of benevolence on their in seeking a universal three per part.” cent superannuation contribution by employers to be paid into an From May 1, 2002 public sector industry fund, in lieu of a wage employees in Queensland were
Our Profession - 90 Years Union Strong
The history of this issue carries for us a clear message that employers will not willingly increase remuneration. They will drag out the time-worn excuses that they cannot afford it, that student learning will suffer and so on. But history tells us that schools do continue to function, students do continue to be educated and that such fear mongering can only be challenged with action. Member action achieved superannuation justice. Applying the lessons of this campaign to our current situation with respect to professional rates of pay, the message is clear. The only way employers will be moved to a just outcome is for us to demonstrate our commitment to our cause. This means taking action. The first step is to vote “yes” in the upcoming ballot. If we stand firm together in this action our employers will believe that we are genuine in our quest for professional rates of pay just as they came to realise that they had to make equitable provision for superannuation in 2002.
Reference: 1 Information from the Parliament of Australia Parliamentary Library: www. aph.gov.au/Library/pubs/BN/2008-09/ Chron_Superannuation.htm accessed 22/07/2009.
LEFT: The QIEU member action campaign for 12.75% superannuation
The Independent Voice
September 2009
15
Honouring those who shaped QIEU Former Metropolitan Branch representative and current QIEU Trustee
Bob Rea QIEU member Bob Rea could be considered a unique individual – not only has he completed various university degrees and has held a long term position as union trustee, but he has also been a mathematics teacher at the one school, St Laurence’s College, for almost his entire teaching life of over 40 years. When Bob began at the College in 1968, he never hesitated to also join our union; and today Bob is still active within QIEU as a Trustee. QIEU Publications Officer/Journalist Fiona Richardson sat down with Bob to find out more about his significant involvement at QIEU. Though his father was a teacher, Bob’s first career choice was as a surveyor where he studied on a government scholarship at university. After two years of university Bob admits that he did not feel challenged enough, and finally acknowledged his love
of Mathematics and Science when he began his year of a secondary teacher education course at Kelvin Grove Teachers College. Bob completed the course and was then given a job in the state system at Noosa District High School as a Science and Mathematics teacher in 1965. He says he chose teaching because “my own secondary and tertiary education opened a world I didn’t know about” and he wanted to give young people the same opportunity. Over the next three years Bob also taught in Moura and Nambour; however, Bob wanted to return to Brisbane to teach and to go back to university to complete his studies. When the state system refused his request of a transfer, Bob resigned. Bob soon found a job, as a Mathematics teacher at St
Laurence’s College, and also began evening classes in a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science at the University of Queensland studying the courses concurrently. Bob graduated in his Arts degree majoring in Psychology in 1972 and in 1976 completed his Science degree majoring in Mathematics; teaching at school in the day, learning at university at night. Bob joined the state teachers’ union when he worked in the state education sector, and thus never hesitated to join QAMA, as it was then known, when he began in the non-government education sector. Bob says he joined our union to stand up as a collective alongside other “people in our union who fight against unfair dismissals and wages parity.” The Chapter at St Laurence’s would meet once a term to discuss the professional and industrial issues and a further group of lay teachers would also annually attend the union Annual General Meeting. Bob was also staff representative at the school from the early 1980s until he resigned from that position in the early 2000s; though no longer the staff rep, College staff still come to Bob for union advice.
In 1977 Bob, along with his St Laurence’s colleagues Paul Forrester and Terry Edwards, believed that the Queensland Association of Teachers in Independent Schools (another name change which occurred in 1970) could be a more active force in the non-government education sector and ran in the QATIS Council election. Bob admits he put his hand up to join Council as they needed the numbers to form a majority; however, he acknowledges the importance of his role on Council as the nominated representative of the metropolitan branch. The ABOVE: Bob Rea (right) chats to former St Laurence’s College colleague Terry Edwards at elected Council members the recent QIEU life members lunch, honouring those who have contributed to our union met regularly, often from
after school until midnight for committee and Council meetings. The new sitting Council also “dissected” the Constitution, according to Bob, and found that QIEU Trustees had certain influence over the union General Secretary. Bob became one of the three union Trustees, meeting regularly and consistently making resolutions to Council, as was their right. Bob served for one term on Council for four years, sighting the amount of time needed to be on Council as to why he did not run again. However, Bob carried on his role as Trustee, which he still continues to this day. Bob says he continues to visit the QIEU offices to sign cheques as part of his Trustee role to stay as an active part of our union which keeps him directly informed of what is going on in our union. “It keeps me in contact so you don’t (feel like) you are drifting away,” he says. Bob recalls the time when QATIS Council fought to establish that the Archbishop was responsible as the ultimate employer of Catholic schools in the Courts. Bob says the result of this brought about improvements in membership growth and “clout” to our union. Bob remembers the important influence QATIS had on other issues in schools in the 1980s, including the reorganising and formalising of teacher classification and further when new scales were introduced for school officers.
Our Profession - 90 Years Union Strong
He says the teacher reclassification “was a real issue at the time. With these things you can’t satisfy everyone; tough decisions had to be made. A similar situation occured with the introduction of Positions of Added Responsibilities (PARs).” In 2007 at the Council AGM Bob was awarded life membership of QIEU. “It was a humbling thing (to be awarded life membership). When you look at the contribution of previous life members, my involvement would be nowhere near as significant,” Bob says. Though he admits he felt he had not done enough to receive life membership, he recognises his longevity and consistency in our union as significant in being awarded the honour. Bob still believes in the importance of union membership to this day. “History will show you we need an active body to protect the rights of workers.” In the future of QIEU, Bob says he would like to see improvements in building the membership of services staff members and school officers. He says QIEU now needs to be more involved in enhancing membership of non-teaching staff as union members, “are equally as important as the teachers to the running of the school, which assists in the development of the students and the formation of a better school.”
16
The Independent Voice
September 2009
Equity Matters: QIEU members returning to work after accessing maternity leave may decide to work part-time; however, this is dependent on the terms set out in their collective agreement and such a request must be made to the employer in writing. The following information can help those wanting to return to work part-time decide on the best options. What is the entitlement to work part-time? There are three legislative frameworks which provide provisions relating to part-time employment: the Queensland Industrial Relations Act; the Qld Family Leave Award 2003; and the Federal Government’s new National Employment Standards (NES). The Queensland Industrial Relations Act only applies when imported into a collective agreement. For the purposes of part-time work this is
Know your rights – returning to work part-time after accessing maternity leave
only relevant for Catholic sector employees. Under the Family Leave Award 2003: “With the agreement of an employer an employee can work part-time in one or more periods at any time from the date of birth of the child until the second birthday.” Under the National Employment Standards, which will come into effect in January 2010: “Employees with at least 12 months service have the right to request flexible working arrangements. The right to request flexible working arrangements are available to parents with a child under the age of 18 with a disability as well as parents of school age children.” What if I work in a school/ sector covered by a collective agreement? The ability of the employee to return to work part-time will be
dictated by the terms/clauses in the collective agreement. Employees in the Catholic sector have a comprehensive schedule in the collective agreement relating to family leave. This schedule imports the provisions of the Queensland Industrial Relations Act dealing with family leave, under which employees need to apply at least seven weeks before the completion of their parental leave to be considered for part-time employment. Employees in Anglican schools may agree that the employee work part-time or casual either during the pregnancy, because it is necessary or desirable or at any time after the date of birth of the child up until its second birthday. Employees in the Lutheran sector have entitlements which mirror those prescribed in the Family Leave Award 2003.
Should part-time arrangements be put in writing? The following arrangements for part-time work need to be agreed to in writing: • that the employee may work part-time; • the hours, days starting and finishing times; • the classification of the employee; and • the period of part-time employment. Can an employer refuse to grant an employee’s application to work part-time? Under the Queensland Industrial Relations Act, an employer must not unreasonably refuse an application to work part-time. An employer must give their written decision to the employee within 14 days. In deciding to grant an employee’s application, an employer must consider: • the employee’s circumstances
particularly those relating to the role of primary caregiver; • the impact of refusal on the employee and their dependants; and • the effect that agreeing to the application would have for the conduct of business. If the application is refused, the employer must provide written reasons for refusal to the employee. Under the NES the employer must respond in writing within 21 days giving reasons for refusal. What happens when it is time to return to work? After the completion of each period of part-time employment, the employee has a right to return to his or her former position. If you would like to know more about the process, or to receive assistance in drafting an application, please contact the QIEU office on FREECALL 1800 177 937.
New Face to Human Rights in Australia In August 2009, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission legally changed their name to the Australian Human Rights Commission. Along with the change in name came an updating of their organisational vision: “Human rights: everyone, everywhere, everyday.” The change in corporate identity came about through the Disability Discrimination and Other Human Rights Legislation Amendment Act 2009 (Cth). This Act includes other amendments that increase protection against discrimination, particularly for people with disabilities and clarify a number of grey areas in the legislation. These amendments include: • Administrative changes to the way complaints of unlawful discrimination are brought under the Act; • Reversing the onus of proof, with respondents now being required to demonstrate that their actions have been reasonable; • Removing the Proportionality/Comparator Test and replacing with the disadvantage test, which means that complainants no longer have to rely on comparing their experience with that of others to prove their complaint; • The express duty on employers to provide reasonable adjustment to their employees, rather than this being an implied duty as it has been in the past; • The prohibition of discrimination against someone on the basis of a symptom that is a manifestation of a disability; • The creation of Disability Standards which will be endorsed by the Minister and will apply in all “areas of life”; • Provisions that specifically prohibit discrimination against associates of people with a disability; • A tightening of requests for information – it must be demonstrated that the purpose for the information is not discriminatory. • Changes to the way assistance animals and assistant aids are dealt with; and • The clarification of liability on Employment Agencies. Employment
Agencies cannot be held liable if employers they are engaged by fail to comply with the Act. A significant area of change is prohibition on requesting genetic information. The amendments now make it unlawful for anyone to ask a person about their family medical history or any genetic predisposition they may have to any ailment or condition. This means employers cannot legally gather information that could unfairly prejudice an employee’s opportunities for employment or opportunities within employment.
So, for our members, these changes enhance protections against discrimination not only in the workplace but in other areas of life as well. The changes extend explicit protections to areas that were previously implied. However, there are some more accountabilities that must be met to satisfy the Commission that the parties to the complaint have discharged their own obligations.
With the processing of complaints, the emphasis is still on conciliation. However, if agreement cannot be reached, the timeframe of a complaint being lodged with the Federal Court has been extended to within 60 days of conciliation.
Danielle Wilson Industrial Services Officer
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There is also now recognition of the UN Convention, which affords a person the right to submit a complaint against the Commonwealth of Australia. While a complaint of this nature won’t be heard in a Court, such complaints will instigate reviews that must be reported to Parliament. Such complaints have the capacity to institute social change and will continue the reform of government policy in discrimination. There are some down sides to the amendments.The two lawful defences involving employment related complaints have been extended. The “Unjustifiable Hardship” defence is now extended to “all areas of life”, with the exception of the sharing of information. The Commission will consider the availability of finance and other assistance (or lack thereof) and the suitability/practicality of any disability action plans submitted by a respondent. The “Inherent Requirements” defence has been extended from just offers of employment and dismissals to all other areas of employment including the terms and conditions on which employment is offered and opportunities for promotion or transfers.
Discrimination legislation is constantly evolving and the Commission advises its role is to promote and protect human rights in Australia. For more information, visit the newly branded Australian Human Rights Commission website at http://www.humanrights.gov.au.
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The Independent Voice
September 2009
Journal of the Queensland Independent Education Union
September 2009
1
Volume 9 Number 6
Our voice must be heard in campaign for professional rates of pay It is a sad day when employing authorities put their relationship with the state government ahead of their relationship with their employees. Catholic and now Lutheran employing authorities have indeed done that and in the case of Catholic employers actively going on the record in a briefing to their employees to state that ‘We value our positive relationship with the state government’. Rather than advocate to the state government for professional rates of pay, these employers have fallen in behind the state government and refused to negotiate professional
rates of pay. Employer representatives in the early childhood sector have for their part acquiesced to a state government position on wages with no offer beyond a foreshortened public sector position of 4%. ACSEA for its part has gone further and has petulantly refused even to form a joint union/employer representation to the state government.
determined by arbitration in another jurisdiction (state) in a process which does not involve either nongovernment employers or their employees. There is no good reason why nongovernment employers cannot negotiate with their employees on the claim for professional rates of pay.
Employees seem to believe that they should be applauded for a commitment to comparability with a state sector arbitration outcome.
Employers cite their ‘relationship’ with the state government and school funding as if that is the beginning and the end of their responsibilities.
Teaching employees are thus being asked to accept that wages will be
Funding is an issue but so too is the quality of education in their
schools and thence so too is the need to attract and retain the staff they need to ensure that high quality education. Non-government school funding in fact is proportionately largely sourced from the federal government and non-government employers in Queensland will benefit under the funding formula from the payment of professional rates of pay to interstate teachers. Rises in average government school recurrent costs which is largely driven by increases in wage costs, are derived into a supplementation increase to non-government employers around
18 months later. Notwithstanding a preparedness by employees to negotiate delayed implementation of increases and a restructuring of classifications, employers remain adamant that they will not negotiate a wages outcome until the state public sector arbitration outcome is known. The arbitration outcome is unlikely before February/March 2010. Little wonder then that employees in Catholic and Lutheran schools feel the need to consider authorising protected industrial action (see stories page 3) and that these sectors face the real prospect of industrial action in Term 4.
Our Profession - 90 Years Union Strong
2
The Independent Voice
September 2009
CONTACTS The Independent Voice is the official publication of the Queensland Independent Education Union (QIEU) www.qieu.asn.au ISSN 1446-1919 QIEU Brisbane Office PH: 07 3839 7020 346 Turbot Street, Spring Hill Q 4000 PO Box 418 Fortitude Valley Q 4006 QIEU Townsville Office PH: 07 4772 6277 Level 1, 316 Sturt St Townsville Q 4810 PO Box 5783 Townsville West Q 4810 QIEU Bundaberg Office PH: 07 4132 8455 44 Maryborough St Bundaberg Q 4670 PO Box 1227 Bundaberg Q 4670 IEUA-QNT Darwin Office PH: 08 8981 1924 FAX: 08 8981 1935 38 Wood Street Darwin NT 0801 GPO Box 4166 Darwin NT 0801 Editorial/ Advertising enquiries to Fiona Richardson: Telephone: 07 3839 7020 Toll Free: 1800 177 937 Fax: 07 3839 7021 Email: frichardson@qieu.asn.au Editor Mr Terry Burke QIEU General Secretary Publications Officer/Journalist Fiona Richardson Printing: Rural Press (07) 3826 8200 Disclaimer: Advertising is carried in The Independent Voice in order to minimise costs to members and is paid at commercial rates. Such advertising does not in any way reflect endorsement or otherwise of the advertised products and/or services by QIEU. Copyright All articles remain the copyright of QIEU. Permission must be obtained before reprinting. ABN: 45 620 218 712
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Queensland Independent Education Union (QIEU) to be held at The Mercure Hotel, 85–87 North Quay Brisbane FRIDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2009 at 4:30PM
Open to all QIEU members Agenda • Welcome and Apologies • Minutes of Previous AGM • Business Arising • Ruth George Award • John (Max) MacDermott Award • Elizabeth McCall Award • 90th Anniversary Award • Life Membership • President’s Report • General Secretary’s Report • Finance • Reports from Delegates to Educational Bodies • Committee Reports • Branch Reports • Secretariat Report • Policy Motions Adopted by Council – October 2008 -September 2009 • Passing of Union Members • General Business
President’s Report Protected action a significant development in the campaign for a professional rate of pay Members in Catholic schools are voting to determine if protected industrial action is authorised. The taking of protected action is something that is not taken lightly; members in Catholic schools (and other sectors) take their roles as educators seriously. School officers, service staff and teachers value their work and understand the important contribution that we all play in the education of our students; but we are also aware of the commitment to our own profession, to future educators and our own families. Negotiations for a Collective agreement have progressed reasonably well with the majority of the log of claims successfully negotiated. Items agreed to such as enhanced parental leave and work impact studies are important for assisting in achieving the balance between work and family.
School officer higher duties/special project allowance and senior administration and PAR clauses provide members with greater recognition of the task they do. Members and our representatives at the Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) have acknowledged the positive progress and have also commended Catholic employers for the interim wage increase that has been paid. However, in speaking to members, it is clear they have identified that the most significant conditions that needs to be negotiated is a professional rate of pay. It would be remiss of us to abrogate our responsibility to negotiate with our employer for the most significant condition of employment. Unfortunately, this is what Catholic employers would have us do; wait for an outcome that has not been able to be negotiated, so that it is now been arbitrated in a different jurisdiction (state) between a different employer
(Education Queensland) and with a different union (Queensland Teachers’ Union) representing different employees (state school teachers). Employers are now even identifying that they believe the SBU will not even meet again this year. Our wage claim has been clear and consistent from the beginning of negotiations. The endorsed wage claim has always been in three parts: an interim increase in line with the known public sector offer; a commitment to pay no less than the public sector outcome; and an achievement of interstate benchmarks that have well been established. Established interstate benchmarks have been tabled at the SBU; it has been identified how the current interim offer falls short of this benchmark. Our members at the SBU are prepared and ready to
negotiate how we can achieve these professional rates of pay. Members are prepared to take the necessary action to progress our legitimate and fair claim. What are Catholic employers prepared to do? Stand behind a state government that does not seem to value its teachers? Continue to espouse that they support professional rates of pay but not back it with any real action? Or are they prepared to demonstrate their support for their teachers and negotiate what is fair, reasonable and just; a professional rate of pay commensurate with interstate benchmarks.
Andrew Elphinstone QIEU President
General Secretary’s Report Taking industrial action a serious decision for our members to make Considering the taking of protected industrial action is a serious matter. It is an action of last resort and inevitably reflects a frustration with an employer borne of an employer’s lack of consideration and negotiation of an issue. Such is the situation in a large part of our non-government sector regarding the matter of professional rates of pay. In their more unguarded moments employing authorities acknowledge the merit of professional rates of pay. They are clearly aware of the level of the now well established benchmark professional rates of pay. The more considered of those employers even acknowledge that for the vast majority of the classification steps an additional 2.5 – 3% over the life of a three year agreement, in addition to the 12.5% core public sector offer, is all that is needed to reach the benchmark professional rates. Reaching the benchmark graduate and experienced teacher rates has a greater challenge but in all instances employees have shown
a willingness to consider delayed increases and restructuring of classifications during the course of an agreement to achieve the benchmark outcome. Employers, however, such as Catholic and Lutheran employing authorities refuse to negotiate. They do so not for a deep-seated objection to the benchmark professional rates of pay but from an avowed determination to protect their relationship with the state government. The state government for its part, has shown itself bereft of any sense of responsibility to promoting high quality education in state schools. Rather than negotiate meaningfully with the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) members, the state government has adopted a position driven by its financial situation rather than a long term concern for the quality of its schools. Forcing the dispute in the public sector into arbitration in the QIRC was more about protecting its outrageous wage position than it was about appealing to the ‘independent umpire’.
Notwithstanding this disreputable state government position, large employing authorities in the nongovernment sector have effectively sought to take their employees in the non-government sector into that state sector arbitration as well. This is a bizarre situation, all the more curious for the fact that most non-government employing authorities claim to operate in the federal jurisdiction. Members are understandably frustrated by the employer position which would deny meaningful negotiation of professional rates of pay and substitute a decision from a third party (Education Queensland and QTU) arbitrated dispute in a matter and a jurisdiction in which they have no say. Understandably members want to give consideration to authorising protected industrial action to force those negotiations on professional rates of pay. Members in Catholic and now Lutheran schools will ballot to determine if a range of protected industrial actions occur. If action is authorised in the respective ballots, employers will
be sent a real wake up call to their fundamental responsibilities to their schools and to their employees. If in accepting those responsibilities they bump into the state government then so be it. That ‘positive relationship’ with the state government is surely robust enough to accommodate that each party may at times have different interests. Indeed they appear to bump into each other quite regularly on a whole range of other matters without long term negative impact on the relationship. The quality of education in our schools cannot afford to be placed at risk by short-sighted positions on wages. Our students deserve to have teachers whose remuneration reflects the professional nature of their work. Employees will fight for high quality education; the onus is on employers to join us in pursuing that goal. Kind regards, Terry Burke General Secretary tburke@qieu.asn.au
The Independent Voice
3
September 2009
IEUA-QNT members to vote on industrial action in Catholic schools IEUA-QNT members are voting in a ballot that if authorised will see members in Catholic schools undertaking widespread protected industrial action late October. Fair Work Australia issued orders for the conduct of secret postal ballots to determine if protected action is authorised in each Catholic school employing authority.
Catholic employers continue to adopt a bizarre, improbable and indefensible wages position. Catholic employers are defending a state government wages position as Catholic schools face industrial action; all while the Queensland government sits by avoiding industrial action by having forced the Queensland Teachers’ Union members into arbitration.
An authorisation of protected action requires 50 per cent of members to vote and a simple majority of those who vote to endorse the action. Ballot papers were issued to Catholic members on 28 September with ballots closing on 13 October 2009.
Although now operating in the federal jurisdiction, Catholic employers have also adopted the improbable position that they cannot resolve the member endorsed wage claim until state sector outcomes are known in another jurisdiction.
Catholic employers continue to frustrate their employees by failing to negotiate a wage outcome substantially consistent with benchmark professional rates of pay.
Employees thus are being asked to accept wages that will be determined by arbitration in the state jurisdiction in a process over which neither Catholic employers nor their employees have any say.
ABOVE: QIEU members at St Monica’s College in Cairns vote in support of professional rates of pay
Members have consistently endorsed a wage claim that consists of an interim increase in line with the known public sector offer, a commitment to pay no less than the public sector outcome, and the achievement of well established benchmark professional rates of pay.
Employers were commended at the time for making the interim payment and committing to no less than public sector outcomes; however, they now seek to ignore the claim for benchmark professional rates of pay in the log of claims tabled in February and reaffirmed in each negotiating meeting since.
Catholic employers can now only avoid industrial action in their schools if they commit to benchmark professional rates of pay; teachers in Catholic schools and Catholic education deserve no less than proper recognition of the contribution of teachers.
Comparative Wages Chart
LEFT: Central Queensland IEUA-QNT members including Karyl Young, Andrew Stein and Bill Greave rally in support of professional rates of pay with our QTU colleagues in Rockhampton recently
State Public Sector
Current Agreement Ends
Teachers four years trained
2009
2010
2011
QLD offer
Not determined
In 9th year
71,936**
74,813**
77,806**
31 Dec 2011
In 9th year
78,667
81,657
84,760
NSW Vic
31 Dec 2011
In 9 year
77,546
79,648
81,806
NT
31 Aug 2010
In 7th year*
76,351
78,500
To be negotiated
80,480
To be negotiated
8th year introduced in 2010
WA
RIGHT: Discussing Catholic sector negotiations at the recent Rockhampton Area Branch meeting were Sally Hebron from Sacred Heart School, Donna Neander from St Ursula’s College and Louisa Tyrell from St Ursula’s College
th
7 July 2011
Sept 2008
Oct 2009
Feb 2010
Oct 2010
73,280 (In 7th year)
76,944 (In 7th year)
78,521 (In 8th year)
81,661 (In 8th year)
Over the course of the agreement the number of incremental pay rungs is increased from 7 to 9.
84,863 (In 9th year)
* After the completion of the 7th or 8th year, when it is introduced, there is a Senior Teacher scale which increases to $120,810 in the 8th year of being a Senior Teacher. ** Amounts based on core public sector offer of 4.5%, 4% and 4% Note: The comparison is made only for teachers in ninth year of experience to allow for transparent comparison
Lutheran employer rejects professional rates of pay: FWA authorises protected action ballots The problematic wages position of Catholic employing authorities has been duplicated in the Lutheran sector as the employer has also failed to commit to benchmark professional rates of pay in Lutheran schools. Employee representatives at a recent Lutheran collective bargaining meeting were astounded to be told that the employer has decided to hide behind “a relationship with state government” as the primary reason for denying hard working teachers in Lutheran schools a professional rate of pay consistent
with interstate benchmarks.
known from arbitration.
The employer, operating in the federal jurisdiction, continues to force teachers in Lutheran schools to accept that their wages will be determined by arbitration in the state jurisdiction in a process which does not involve the Lutheran employers or employees in Lutheran schools.
In a stark contrast to Queensland Lutheran employers, the South Australian Lutheran sector employers have already chosen to reward their teachers ahead of any public sector arbitrated outcome.
During the meeting the employer offered employees a four per cent wage increase in 2010, claiming they cannot meet the employee claim for professional rates of pay until a state wages outcome is
Teachers in Queensland Lutheran schools might expect some consistency by Lutheran employers; however, it is disappointing to note that their South Australian teacher colleagues at the top of their wage scale will be enjoying up to $3,000 more by 1 July 2010 than a teacher in a Queensland Lutheran school.
Northern Territory Lutheran employees will also be better off than their Queensland colleagues, enjoying up to $7,790 more by 1 July 2010. Teachers in Lutheran schools might be justified in asking why their employer does not value them in the same way the South Australian and Northern Territory Lutheran employers values their employees. Members in Lutheran schools had considered resolutions authorising an application to Fair Work Australia (FWA) for protected action ballots in the event Lutheran employers
did not commit in substance to the benchmark professional rates of pay. In light of the employer position being confirmed at the recent SBU meeting, applications were made to FWA for orders authorising the conduct of ballots to determine if protected industrial action is approved in Lutheran schools. Those orders were approved on 23 September. The secret postal ballot, to be conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission, closes on 30 October 2009.
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The Independent Voice
September 2009
Members in Action St Michael’s School support QTU colleagues in pay campaign
ABOVE: Teachers of St Michael’s School, including Rebecca Gilmour, Erica Bellero, Amanda Hewitt, Trudy Coate, Laarni Hitchings and Mary-Jane Masina rally outside MP Curtis Pitts’ office in support of the QTU fight for better pay for teachers
St Michael’s School teachers joined Far North Queensland QTU members who rallied outside the office of Mulgrave MP Curtis Pitt recently, to highlight the need for the state government to commit to improved rates of pay for education professionals.
and to highlight our own professional rates of pay campaign.
The Gordonvale QIEU members used this opportunity to provide support to their QTU colleagues
Throughout this campaign QIEU and QTU members have resolved to jointly collaborate to achieve
“Members at St Michael’s School should be commended for showing their strong support for this important joint professional rates of pay campaign,” QIEU organiser Patrick Meikle said.
teachers’ wages and are determined to achieve a fair wage deal that sees them on par with their interstate colleagues.
government’s refusal to meet professional rates of pay in collective negotiations.
BELOW: QTU and QIEU members rally in Gordonvale for professional rates of pay
Queensland teachers across both the nongovernment and state education sectors continue to denounce the state
Fraser Coast branch updated on negotiations
FNQ branch kept up-to-date on issues The professional rates of pay campaign, poor levels of teacher recruitment and retention, and inadequate remuneration were highlighted as important issues of discussion amongst Cairns QIEU members at the recent Far North Queensland branch meeting. ABOVE: Fraser Coast Area members discuss the issues during their recent branch meeting
QIEU members of the Fraser Coast area were updated on current collective bargaining negotiations at their recent branch meeting. Concerns were felt by the members that Catholic employers were continuing to hide behind
the state government’s public sector wage outcome with a lack of commitment to professional rates of pay. The members continued throughout the meeting to discuss possible actions to be taken in the future in support of their claim.
“Achieving professional rates of pay is crucial if Queensland wants to attract and retain accomplished teachers in our schools and employees are prepared to stand up and be counted in supporting quality education,” QIEU Organiser Richard Pascoe said.
Members discussed the latest developments in the professional rates of pay campaign, and agreed on the importance of the joint QIEU/QTU campaign to help teachers achieve pay increases to bring them in to line with interstate colleagues. QIEU Organiser Patrick Meikle said members also had expressed concerns over the number of
teaching colleagues departing the profession or seeking employment in other Australian states as a result of poor remuneration for teachers in Queensland schools. Members also voiced their concerns about low levels of recruitment into the teaching profession and the high attrition rate amongst graduate teachers recently, Patrick said. “Members felt there was a clear link between these issues and inadequate remuneration levels for Queensland teachers,” he said. Members resolved to support proposed action in support of the professional rates of pay campaign.
The Independent Voice
September 2009
Honouring the life of inspirational teacher, Mike Gesch The work and commitment of honest and influential teacher Mike Gesch will not be forgotten by the teachers and students at the Marian Catholic School. Mike Gesch passed away in February this year, after teaching an estimated 1,200 students in his nearly 40 years of teaching in the Townsville area. While at the Marian Catholic School Mike taught Years 7, 6, 5, and 4 throughout the years, until multi-age classes were embraced at the school and he became a joint Year 4/5 teacher. Mike’s teaching style and suggestions for learning activities in classes always had a ‘wow’ factor, according to fellow colleague and friend Cheryl Elliot. Coordinating Japanese exchange programs for students from Nagoya to experience the Australian way of life, helping to establish Mountathon, a major fundraiser that involved students walking nine kilometres up Mt Stuart for charity, and being the designated driver for
transporting students to sport, the pool and excursions were some of the other things Mike was also known for. After retirement in 2006 Mike remained a constant presence at the school by taking up a position as groundsman.
“Mike epitomised the values that are a core element of QIEU through his words, actions, honesty and belief in everyone getting a fair go.
Erin remembers Mike as “part of the furniture” at the school, as his “influence touched all aspects of school life and it was well-known
Nominate for QIEU excellence awards Nominations are being called for the John (Max) MacDermott Award, the Ruth George School Officer Award and the Elizabeth McCall Award, presented in recognition of members’ outstanding contributions to their union.
The Marian Catholic School teacher, Erin Fuller, remembers Mike as having a great influence on her as a new teacher to Townsville and as a union member.
“To sum it all up, he was just a decent bloke in every way and his wide group of friends are a living testimony to that. He always stood by members, regardless of the time and effort he needed to contribute on their behalf.”
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that Mike’s priorities were the students of the school. He always took the time to see how staff members were faring and also found the time to be involved in community groups outside of school. “When Mike became ill, his attitude to Marian school members never
wavered and he remained a rock that people could turn to. He’s as great a part of the school today as he ever was and we miss him dearly.” Mike Gesch touched the lives of many people; his memory will not be forgotten within the school and the community.
These awards recognise the outstanding efforts of individual activists and the efforts of school Chapters, Chapter Executives or networks. Nominations should be forwarded to the General Secretary, QIEU, PO Box 418, Fortitude Valley, Queensland 4006 by 14 October. For more information FREECALL 1800 177 937.
EVENTS DIARY QSA 2010 Conference Shared vision: An Australian curriculum P-12 is the Queensland Studies Authority’s 2010 conference for principals, teachers and educators. The Conference is scheduled for 28 to 30 April, 2010 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. For more information, please email events@qsa.qld.edu.au or phone (07) 3864 0471.
Using the Essential Learnings and Standards workshop The Using the Essential Learnings and Standards to improve student success can be attended by teachers of Years 19 , heads of Curriculum, Deputy Principals and Principals with the responsibility of overseeing teaching and learning in Years 1-9 district and regional sector curriculum officers. The workshops will focus on: • the contribution of the Essential Learnings and Standards to QSA’s Learning P-12 approach and alignment to the National Curriculum; • key elements of the Essential Learnings; • auditing curriculum across and within year levels; and • planning for teaching, learning and assessment using the Essential Learnings. Participants have the opportunity to: • explore, discuss and develop
knowledge and understanding of the Essential Learnings; • consider how the Essential Learnings can be used to audit the curriculum; • develop knowledge and understanding of strategies for planning using the Essential Learnings and Standards; and • network with teachers from other schools. This workshop has relevance to elements of the Professional Standards for Queensland Teachers, Standards 1, 2, 3, 5, 9 and 10. Cost is $120 (GST inc). Remaining locations and dates: • Toowoomba, 16 October 9-3pm Toowoomba Education Centre, Darling Heights • Sunshine Coast, 21 October 9-3pm Rydges Oasis Resort, Caloundra For more information email events@qsa.qld.edu.au or phone (07) 3864 0471.
C&K workshop C&K workshop Feeling positive and valued as an early childhood professional will be held on 8 October from 5-7pm and presented by counsellor Andrea Ashford. The session for early childhood professionals will: • identify and affirm personal and professional strengths; • identify and affirm the significance of your contribution; • identify personal limitations objectively and without judgement; • develop self correction strategies
for continued growth and professional expansion; • learn how to contribute to a happy and motivated staff team; and • develop flexibility and resilience amidst constant change. Limit of 30 participants and costs $60. For registration enquiries, contact Linda Wilkinson at C&K Central office on (07) 3552 5311 or email l.wilkinson@candk.asn.au.
R e a dy To g e t h e r workshop C&K workshop Ready Together – creative ways to facilitate emerging literacy will be held on 13 October from 4.30–6.30pm and presented by C&K early childhood literacy coordinator Michele Binstadt. This workshop provides early childhood professionals with information, ideas and activity suggestions to stimulate and support daily interactions with young children around language and literacy. The content of the session is based on the Ready Together resources, which have been developed as part of the Under 5’s Regional Reading Campaign (Let’s Read) in the Inala to Goodna area. Limit of 60 participants and costs $60. For registration enquiries, contact Linda Wilkinson at C&K Central office on (07) 3552 5311 or email l.wilkinson@candk.asn.au.
Building cultural diversity workshop C&K workshop Beyond cultural diversity - myths and practices on 15
October from 4:30-6:30pm will be presented by C&K early childhood education and care consultant Will Jones.The workshop will view culture from another lens. Understand the culture of leadership in our early childhood services, beyond the ethnic, the token and stereotypes. Cost is $60. For registration contact Linda Wilkinson at C&K Central office on (07) 3552 5311 or email l.wilkinson@candk.asn.au.
Bright Minds - Frontiers in Science presentation Bright Minds - Frontiers in Science of the University of Queensland Faculty of Science, presents Drug Discovery from natural products: from rainforest to reef. The presentation will be conducted by Professor David Craik. When - Wednesday, 7 October
2009, 4.30–7 pm at the Queensland Bioscience Precinct, IMB, Building 80, Auditorium. Entry is now free for all teachers, students and the community. To register your attendance, please RSVP by Monday, 5 October 2009 to brightminds4science@ uq.edu.au.
QCU Health and Safety Rep Conference 2009 The QCU Health and Safety Representatives Conference 2009 will be held on Thursday, 22 October from 9-4pm at Level 2, 16 Peel Street, South Brisbane. Cost is $50 for union members and lunch and information kit is included. For further information and registration, please call Pamela Grassick on (07) 3846 2411 or email pg@safework.qld.edu.au
QIEU meeting dates Industrial Relations Day 2 training - October 8, 9am-3pm, QIEU office, Spring Hill Moreton Branch meeting and dinner - October 15, 4pm, Metropole Hotel, Ipswich Sunshine Coast IR training Day 2 - October 23, 9am, Chancellor Tavern Metropolitan Branch meeting - November 5, 4:15pm, Venue
to be confirmed Sunshine Coast Branch meeting - November 5, 4pm, Chancellor Tavern North Metropolitan Branch meeting - November 11, 4pm, Kallangur Tavern North Metropolitan IR training20 November, 9am, Venue to be confirmed. Visit www.qieu.asn.au
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The Independent Voice
September 2009
Teacher Exchange: Challenging and exhilarating experiences Alberta celebrates 30th anniversary In 2003 the Queensland Independent Education Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Teacher Exchange with the Department of Learning in Alberta, Canada, acknowledging the value of Teacher Exchange as valued professional development that sets the standards and needs of exchangees.
International Education Week from 16 to 20 November, 2009. Teachers who have exchanged to Alberta have been asked to contribute to the booklet by sharing what the exchange experience meant to them.
Now six years after the signing, the Department of Learning in Alberta is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the teacher exchange program in November.
Members who were in contact with any of the incoming Albertan exchangees and who would like to share your story or photos please contact Teacher Exchange Coordinator Jenny Zugno on jennyz@qieu.asn.au.
The theme this year is “Promoting Global Citizenship: Canada Partnering with the World”.
Any QIEU or IEUA QNT Branch members in Queensland or Northern Territory with five years teaching experience can apply.
The first teacher exchange to Alberta in 2003 was between QIEU member Geraldine Garske (Ward) and Susan Motiuk. Geraldine reported, “My year in Alberta was challenging, exhilarating, life giving and life changing. My perspective on my home country, my work as an educator and my capabilities as an individual have been broadened and enriched. I loved every minute of it!”
More information regarding teacher exchange can be found at www.qieu.asn.au or FREECALL 1800 177 937 (Queensland) or 1800 351 996 (Northern Territory).
ABOVE: QIEU General Secretary Terry Burke, Deputy Minister of Department of Learning in Alberta, Canada, Maria David-Evans, and exchange teacher for Edmonton Canada Susan Motiuk sign the Memorandum of Understanding for Teacher Exchange in 2003
Since then five QIEU members have benefited from exchanges to Alberta and a further three teachers have been confirmed for exchanges with Alberta in 2010. Alberta are now looking to invite members to help celebrate this anniversary with a commemorative booklet to be released during
Teacher Exchange 5 years Teaching Experience + QIEU/IEUA-QNT Membership
OPPORTUNITY Work overseas and retain your accrued entitlements. United Kingdom; Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Canada; Colorado, USA! Check out our website www.qieu.asn.au Click on Membership sectors the Teachers then Overseas Exchange Program. Contact Jenny at your Union Office on Free Call 1800 177937 (QLD); 1800 351 996 (NT) or jennyz@qieu.asn.au
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QTCU’s lending policies, conditions, fees and charges apply. A Product Disclosure Statement (‘PDS’) is available for Accounts, Access Facilities and Non Cash Payment Products, and Term Deposits. Products issued by Queensland Teachers’ Credit Union Limited. You should read the PDS before making any decisions about a product. PDS’s and current interest rates are available from branches, by calling 13 29 30, or online at www.qtcu.com.au. ABN 83 087 651 054, AFSL 241195. QTE4369IV
The Independent Voice
September 2009
Legal Briefs
19
Andrew Knott, Macrossans Lawyers
“IN LOCO PARENTIS” NOT ONLY WRONG, BUT DANGEROUS For a long time the expression “in loco parentis” was used to describe the nature of the relationship between a teacher and a student and the source of the teacher’s authority. It was particularly used in the context of assessing the nature of the duty of care owed by a teacher to students. One of the classic cases in the nineteenth century said that the duty of a school master was “to take such care of his boys as a careful father would take of his boys”. More than 40 years ago the High Court of Australia made clear that this conceptual approach was incorrect at least in relation to government schools. It was noted that pupils of the prescribed school age attending public schools are, during school hours, compulsorily removed by the authority of the Crown from the protection and control of their parents. Accordingly “the Crown must be regarded as having taken over, in respect of the pupils those obligations of which their parents have been deprived, including the obligation to take reasonable care for their safety”. Increasingly, the Courts have approached questions of duty of care (even in the independent sector) in this conceptual framework, without reference to analogies with the parent/child situations. However, the purpose of this article is to draw attention to another context in which it is not only conceptually wrong, but indeed dangerous, for teachers to think of their relationship with students in parental, rather than professional, terms. That context is association with students outside their role. A number of bodies concerned with teacher registration have pointed out (in the writer’s view correctly) that the relationship of professional teacher and student is a different and distinct relationship. Teachers should not think of themselves as parents, or quasi-parents, but should think of themselves as professional school teachers. That necessarily involves a greater level of formality, more distance, and in particular, consulting with
those who have the appropriate responsibility for troubled or concerned students. Teachers who behave as though they are a parent or a quasi-parent and for example, provide assistance and counselling to students (outside their role) particularly where they do so without the knowledge or consent of their supervisor, or the persons in the school or school system who do have pastoral care responsibilities, put themselves at risk of being disciplined by their employer and/ or by teacher registration authorities for “crossing the professional boundaries”. This point was very strongly made in a case in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal reviewing a teacher registration decision. The Tribunal said: “149. In common with other professions, the teacher is in a position of trust. It is often said that a teacher is in loco parentis to a student. However, this does not mean that a teacher must literally act as a parent of a student. Indeed, he or she must not do so. The teacher must maintain a professional detachment from a student. His role cannot be that of a parent. Further, he cannot be the “best friend” of adolescent girls (or boys, for that matter).
in our judgement, with the approach generally taken by educational employers and professional registration authorities in Queensland).
emotional dependency between teacher and student which may have deleterious effects upon the student, even where there is no overt sexual suggestion made.
“X (the teacher) assumed a familiarity with his students that would not otherwise be present between a 38 year old man and adolescent girls. He could only maintain such familiarity by reason of his position of authority over them. Over time, the students who had initially welcomed this familiarity, came to see it as “creepy”. They sensed that the teacher had crossed over the boundary.
In contrast to other professions, where the professional task is very distinct from the relationship, the relationship which is formed with a student is central to the teacher’s exercise of professional skill. Without a good relationship, it will be impossible to inspire the child to learn. However, too close, or overfamiliar, a relationship may endanger the teacher/student relationship and cause real harm to the student. The teacher of minors is always an adult relating to children, never to equals.
Over-familiarity with students is a difficult concept to define. To some extent it depends on age and sex. A primary school teacher may be able to physically interact with 7 year olds in a way that a male secondary teacher must not do with 16 year old girls. A primary teacher might well need to hold a small child’s hand. It is hard to visualise circumstances in which a secondary teacher would be justified in doing the same thing. It is clear that any sort of sexual overtures to a student would constitute serious misconduct. That is not such a case. However, we must also protect children and their parents from the development of inappropriate relationships or
150. Accordingly, actions such as lying on the floor with students to watch videos, letting students draw on his hand in class, and discussing intimate details of students’ sexual lives, are inappropriate. This is not just because of their potential for the UNTIL MARCH 31ST 2010 development of sexual MEMBERS HAVE THE relationships, CHANCE TO WIN ONE but because they inappropriately OF THREE UNION cross the boundary SHOPPER GIFT VOUCHERS* between student and teacher.”
X prided himself on his capacity to counsel students about their personal problems. We have formed the view that he genuinely wanted to assist the girls involved in this case to achieve some academic and personal success in their lives. All good teachers will have the same goal. It cannot be the case that a teacher must never involve him or herself in the private pain of students. In part, this is what the profession of teaching requires. However, in interacting with children, a professional distance must always be maintained. X crossed the boundaries of
professional distance by his condoning of the activities at the sleep-over, by the highly personal discussion with TQ, and by taking ET to Queensland unchaperoned and sleeping with her at his brother’s house. The damage that has been caused to the girls described in this case has in our view been caused because X did not recognise that he must keep a professional distance from his students. He did not realise that to attempt to become best friends with them would ultimately confuse them and destroy his teaching successes. Thus it is not just overtly sexual behaviour which may fall short of the professional standards. The teacher has, by virtue of his occupation, a position of power over the student. Conduct may reasonably be regarded as disgraceful or dishonourable if it is conduct which inappropriately abuses the power relationship between teacher and student, whatever form that abuse takes.” Accordingly, the emphasis must be on the professional role of a teacher rather than on the notion of standing in the place of the parents.
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20
The Independent Voice
September 2009
Global Issues Sri Lanka: Union concerned about situation of displaced teachers and pupils
Teacher unions in Zimbabwe demand decent salaries
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers’ Union (CTTU) has expressed its concerns about teachers and pupils currently living in refugee camps in the Vanni region in a report submitted to the Sri Lankan minister of education, Hon Susil Prema Jeyanth. 90,761 pupils and 2,934 teachers are reported to be displaced from their homes as a result of the 25-year civil war that has ravaged the country until recently this year. Out of these, 68,688 pupils and 2,383 teachers are said to be held in refugee camps.
EI’s largest affiliates in Zimbabwe – the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) – were sharply critical of the salary increase for civil servants announced by the government.
According to the CTTU, these teachers and pupils have lost their homes and all their properties, except for the clothes they wore when they fled the violence. Among the 18 requests enumerated in the report, the CTTU is asking for the release of teachers and students in the refugee camps so that they could return to their original communities, or at least stay with relatives and friends in neighbouring districts. Furthermore, the teaching and non-teaching staff currently in the camps should be allowed to work and follow teacher-training courses outside the camps.
Public Service Minister Eliphas Mukonoweshuro hiked salaries for government workers, including teachers, from $100 US monthly to $155 to $200
The CTTU write that, “Life in the refugee camps is hard and our members trapped there still have to live through the traumas they had experienced from the violence. The Ceylon Tamil Teachers’ Union is deeply concerned about the physical and mental well-being of its members.” By the end of the civil war earlier in May, nearly 300,000 civilians were living in schools and displacement camps. Manik Farm is said to be the world’s largest camp for war refugees, holding 210,000 ethnic Tamil civilians displaced in the final battles of the war. It even contains banks, post offices, schools and a supermarket. But no one is allowed to come out and hardly any visitor is allowed in. The situation in the camp is alarming: 15 people share a tent meant for five; potable water is scarce; and diseases thrive. The CTTU demands that union officials be allowed to visit the camps and meet with the principals, teachers and pupils there to assess their education and other basic needs.
India passes Right to Education Bill India has passed a landmark bill providing for free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14. In a vote held 20 July, the Rajya Sabha, India’s upper House of Parliament, gave unanimous approval to The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill. The vote came after a long and intense struggle by teachers and their unions across India. Mr. S. Eswaran, a member of EI’s global Executive Board and the General Secretary of the All-India Primary Teachers’ Federation (AIPTF), estimated that about 2,200,000 additional teachers would be needed in the next two to three years to meet the requirements of the bill.
Teacher Registration Queensland College of Teachers
Quality pay and working conditions: a step towards quality education in Georgia For the first time since the Rose Revolution in 2003, the teachers of Georgia, represented by the Educators & Scientists Free Trade Union of Georgia (ESFTUG), and the Ministry of Education and Science, had a shared experience that helped them to hear one another’s point of view. Together they attended a training session on pay and working conditions which was organised by Education International and supported by the Georgian office of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. Over the course of three days, teachers, ministry officials and Deputy Ministers Irina South Korea: Arrests and disciplinary procedures against protesting teachers EI’s member organisation, the Korean Teachers’ and Education Workers’ Union KTU (Jeon-GyoJo), is facing heavy repression for criticising the government. In June, the Seoul Prosecutors’ Office launched an investigation against 88 unionised teachers who signed a statement requesting wide-scale reform guaranteeing the respect of human rights and the defence of quality public education.
st
The of registered teachers have their annual teacher Themajority majority of teacher registration fees are dueregistration on 31 fee due on 31 December 2009. Failure to2007. pay the fee can lead to a loss of December teacher registration.
To ensure your registration remains current please pay your Fee notices will be mailed teachers in early November. 2007. Payment options are registration before 31sttoDecember available on the reverse side of the Fee Notice by logging Fee payment options are printed on the reverse side of the Feeor Notice and are onto Teacher website www.qct.edu.au also available by Services logging ontoon theour Teacher Services section of the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) website www.qct.edu.au
Change of Details Have you changed your contact Please inform the College if youdetails? have changed any of your details have changed their postal address are advised to contact and toTeachers ensure who we are able to maintain effective communication with all advise the QCT of their new contact details. Email enquiries@qct.edu.au registered teachers.
Telephone: 3377 4777 Website www.qct.edu.au
Out of the 88 teachers, 10 KTU central executive committee members including KTU President Jeong Jin-hoo will be dismissed, while the other 78, including metropolitan and provincial KTU chapter heads and fulltime unionists, are suspended. In total, 17,000 teachers signed the KTU statement criticising the government and all are likely to receive “light disciplinary sanctions, including cautions and warnings”. In late June, the KTU organised a press conference to denounce
US, depending on seniority. The PTUZ and ZIMTA, whose members make up the largest number of government employees, had demanded a minimum monthly salary of $400 US. Both unions argue that the new salaries are not only unreasonably low, and furthermore that the process is unacceptable since no prior consultation or negotiation had taken place between government representatives and the unions. ZIMTA believes strongly that the government could do better than this, considering that the salary
Kurdadze and Maia Kopaleishvili, learned about the arrangements and procedures needed to establish bargaining structures to negotiate on issues such as salaries, working conditions, allowances and how such machinery works. The training seminar, entitled Promoting Quality Education in Georgia through the Development and Maintenance of Good Industrial Relations between the Government, Teachers and Employers, was conducted by Barry Fawcett, former head of the negotiation team of the National Union of Teachers in the United Kingdom. At the same time that the training seminar was taking place, the Georgian Trade Union Centre (GTUC) was having discussions with the Labour Ministry of Georgia and the Employers’ Association in order to ensure that the promises to the government’s decision to punish teachers in a deliberate move to incapacitate the teacher union KTU. On the way to the presidential office, the riot police blocked the teachers and took 16 of them into custody. KTU President, Jeong Jin-hoo, was arrested along with 15 KTU central executives. The KTU issued a statement requesting the government to withdraw its plan to sanction the teachers. “The government abused their authority and their punitive actions are legally groundless. We will fight until the government withdraws the punishment imposed on our teachers.” The KTU said it will gather signatures from 400,000 teachers
issue has been on the table for the last seven months. According to PTUZ, teachers are losing patience and are likely to start looking for employment outside the country. PTUZ threatened to continue boycotting classes if their demands were not met. ZIMTA said its members will be “forced to invoke desperate measures to induce response, should the government fail to build a promissory road map towards equitable salaries.”
reform the Labour Code which were made last year during the International Labour Conference in Geneva were in fact met. Because of the difficulties that workers and employers have in Georgia to find a compromise on a common agenda, the joint union-ministry training seminar was seen as very positive step in supporting workers rights. Good industrial relations are not easy to achieve in Georgia. Unions, government and employers have never before had any experience in this challenging field. Nevertheless both parties, Ministry and ESFTUG, have committed themselves to going forward together, not only to ensure good negotiations but to meet the overall aim of Quality Education for All. for a second anti-government statement. It is seeking to form alliances with other civil servant unions. The KTU has not faced such heavy government reprisals since 1999, when the Kim Dae-jung administration acknowledged it as a legitimate workers’ organisation. Prior administrations laid off hundreds of teachers who belonged to KTU on the grounds that they could not be considered “labourers”. Established in 1989, the teacher union currently represents 76,000 members. EI has sent a protest letter to the Korean Minister of Education and is preparing an Urgent Action Appeal.
For more information or to enlist your support for education workers worldwide, visit Education International’s website www.ei-ie.org. The IEUA is an affiliate of EI.
The Independent Voice
September 2009
Help needed to raise funds for Titus An Australian member of the Bali Nine on Death Row in Indonesia shares a cell with a young Nigerian man, Titus Ani. Titus, who comes from a very poor background, has been sentenced to death for importation of drugs into Bali. So far, he has had limited legal representation and faces execution if his final appeal is unsuccessful. His Australian cellmate has come to know Titus’ story and has pleaded for any assistance which may be afforded to Titus. An international legal team consisting of Brisbane barrister Roland Peterson, Brisbane lawyer Russell Thirgood and US/Nigerian barrister Emmanual Egebe Esq, have responded to Titus’ plight and have uncovered evidence that Titus has been sentenced to death on false premises. They believe he has a strong case. Titus has now spent over five years on Death Row in situations where the sentence for his actual crime would not normally attract the death penalty. If Titus had been able to present his evidence to the judges
at an earlier stage, there is every possibility that he would not be on Death Row now. In addition to this, his family have not seen him for seven years. Upon hearing the news that he would be adequately represented, Titus reportedly smiled for the first time in five years. A challenging aspect of running a death penalty case is that it is forensically intensive with high costs involved including the costs of retaining local lawyers. While the international team are acting free of charge or ‘pro bono’, funds are required for an Indonesian legal team with expertise in Indonesian law. The Queensland Public Interest Law Clearing House, a registered charity under the Collections Act 1966, has become involved in the effort to raise funds by setting up http://www.ourcommunity.com. au/qpilchtitusani. Please join the effort in saving Titus’s life by making a tax deductable donation.
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Unions play crucial role in Timor Leste post independence The people of Timor Leste celebrated the 10th anniversary of their ballot for independence on 30 August with Australia unions playing a crucial role in post independence development in the country. Through the overseas solidarity arm of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA, over $4,317,000 in development assistance, mostly from the union movement and individual union members, has been delivered to communities and working families in Timor Leste. QIEU has contributed to Timor Leste appeals over the years, including recently presenting a cheque of $5,000 in support of women’s literacy projects run by APHEDA. Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA was one of the first Australian development agencies to work in Timor Leste, commencing work there in 1997.
Assistance by Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA to Timor Leste has included training in literacy, vocational training in sewing and tailoring and handicraft production for mainly poorer rural women, carpentry, mechanical and agriculture training for men, with media training for community radio and newspapers as well as provision of resources and librarian training for the National University Library. Most importantly, Australian unions, through their aid agency, have helped to establish and strengthen the trade union movement in Timor Leste, supporting working men and women to gain fair wages and safe workplaces.
the struggle for development still stretches ahead. Timor Leste remains one of the poorest countries of South East Asia.” “The people of Timor Leste and their leaders showed great courage and determination when they overwhelmingly voted for freedom, even though they were aware of the consequences, with militia threats of bloodshed and destruction,” he said.
The ballot, celebrated on 30 August, came as a culmination of 25 years of struggle for independence.
The future economic development and prosperity of Timor Leste depends on the nation utilising the opportunities of its Greater Sunrise oil and gas reserves and ensuring that Timor’s workers gain the skills, capacity and employment opportunities to move the country’s economy towards a level of self-reliance, he said.
Executive Officer of Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA, Peter Jennings, said: “However, while the struggle for independence has been won,
Australia’s aid and trade programs should be focused on supporting Timor towards that end.
Health & Lifestyle Tips with Kellie Gonano Dietician at TUH Health Care Centre
Changing Habits -
Dear Jo,
Eating for Weight Loss As well as looking at what you eat, you may need to look at your eating environment – where you eat, when you eat and why you eat. Get to know your “calorie budget” Learn how many calories you can eat and which foods are the “best value” for satisfying your hunger and still losing weight. Enjoy eating as a separate activity Avoid watching television, working or reading while eating or you will tend to associate one with the other. Learn to appreciate your food rather than being focused on other activities. Eat regular meals during the day Skipping meals increases the tendency to snack on the high kilojoule foods later in the day. Read food labels The more you know about food the better your choices will be and the more variety your diet will have. Eat Slowly It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to recognize when you are full. If you keep eating you may pass this point without knowing.
Eat the foods you love Denying yourself is only making it more likely for you to binge later. Learn to love the right foods Enjoy the flavours, smell, texture and visual appeal of seasonal fruit and vegetables, herbs and spices. Limit your “danger” foods Have a grocery list and avoid shopping while you are hungry. Don’t buy high fat/ sugar snacks or keep them out of sight.
I’ve recently been having a difficult time and I find that I’m really struggling at work and home. I had hoped it was just a bad period of my life but it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. I always hear that people should seek help but I’m worried about what might happen if I do. There’s a history of mental illness in my family and there’s still such a stigma around it; I’m worried that if I see a professional, other people are going to start treating me differently. I’m particularly worried about how my colleagues will react, and how my students will perceive me if they were to find out.
Plan ahead Avoid buying takeaway foods on the way home from work or shopping. Take water or low joule drinks and snacks out with you to the movies etc.
I’m also concerned about whether it might impact my employment, especially if I have to take time off. Can you help?
Find alternative activities you can enjoy that don’t involve food Make a list of 10 other things you can do at times when you would otherwise snack.
Dear Jane,
Think positively Visualize yourself as being fitter and healthier. Keep a Food Diary Record everything you eat and drink. Make notes as to where and when you eat and how hungry you are.
Jane
bought on by conflicts or grief or loss, sometimes simply when we become parents. We do not grow and mature without emotional challenges and very few people can manage these times in their life without help. For some it is sufficient to have supportive family and friends they can talk to, together with a social life and activities, that give balance and sometimes more meaning to work and home life concerns. I suggest you firstly seek to resolve this underlying concern of a mental health problem by consulting a professional. By making an appointment to see your GP s/he can then listen to your concerns and assess you or direct you to health care professionals who are trained to determine if you have a mental health illness. You could seek help from an employer assisted counsellor. TUH Supportline is available to members of TUH 24 hours a day. We regularly have queries such as yours and all the counsellors on this line are trained to both assess and help you manage the stresses of your life, and teach you strategies to be able to function well again.
Well done on raising this concern that you might have a mental health problem. This is a persistent worry for a lot of people who have a family history of some mental illness, because when they encounter the normal periods of stress that occur in all our lives; they automatically think something is wrong with them.
TUH Supportline offers telephone [1800 655 302] counselling, that for some is preferable in that it provides a measure of anonymity, and also [in most areas of Queensland] face to face counselling with one of our approved providers. This service is free to TUH members.
Everyone has these times of stress, sometimes
Jo
22
The Independent Voice
September 2009 2009 $ 61868 66107 7854 8667 6068203
Provision for Employee Entitlements - Officers - Clerical Research Research Grants NET SURPLUS/ (DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR
799156
2008 $ (6039) (3451) 9506 5476452 864541
QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 AUGUST 2009 NOTES
2009 $ 3068442 3825501 6893943
2008 $ 2269286 2293730 4563016
436 1944216 134574 19100 144724 2243050
339 1011075 145728 27173 38000 92439 1314754
2 6583991 3 60000 6643991
5152860 60000 5212860
8887041
6527614
100000 113029 259973 535515 447769 40174 1496460
112591 185613 525634 346274 34627 1204739
72185 424453 496638
61886 300000 397973 759859
TOTAL LIABILITIES
1993098
1964598
NET ASSETS
6893943
4563016
ACCUMULATED FUNDS Retained Earnings Asset Revaluation Reserve
General purpose financial statements for the year ending 31 August 2009
Represented By: CURRENT ASSETS Cash on Hand Cash at Bank Prepayments Sundry Debtors Membership Subscriptions Receivable Loan - IEUA QNT Branch
The provisions of the Queensland Industrial Act 1999 require that a copy of the audited accounts is provided to members. In accordance with that provision the audited accounts for the Queensland Independent Education Union (QIEU) are printed on the following pages.
NON-CURRENT ASSETS Property, Plant & Equipment Other Financial Assets
Members who have any inquiries regarding these accounts should direct any correspondence to the General Secretary at: QIEU PO Box 418 FORTITUDE VALLEY 4006
CURRENT LIABILITIES Bank Loans Lease Liability Sundry Creditors and Accruals Membership Subscriptions Paid in Advance Provision For Employee Entitlements GST Payable
These accounts will be presented at the Annual General Meeting on Friday 30 October 2009. Members are invited to attend. QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2009 INCOME Subscriptions Interest Received Advertising Miscellaneous Rent Received Employee Contribution – Vehicle Expenses Sponsorship Profit on Disposal - Non Current Assets LESS EXPENDITURE Advertising Audit Fees Amortisation/Depreciation Bank Charges Branch Costs Building Costs Bursaries and Prizes Affiliation and Capitation Cleaning Commission – Subscription Collection Committee and Council Meetings Communication Expenses Cost of Newsletter Donation Electricity and Rates Fringe Benefits Tax Industrial Campaign Expenses Insurance Interest – Bank Interest – Finance Leases Legal Expenses Loss on Disposal - Non Current Assets Building Union Strength Member Information Services Petty Cash and Sundry Expenses Postage Rent – Office Equipment Regional Office Lease Expenses Repairs & Maintenance Salaries and Wages - Officers - Clerical Payroll Tax Printing and Stationery Subscriptions Superannuation Staff Training Travelling and Accommodation Work Cover QIEU Conference & Anniversary Software Costs Vehicle Expenses Soiree Expenses
2009 $ 6384536 61462 31047 57399 275620 37262 4545 15488 6867359
2008 $ 5868404 69918 36993 86708 242667 36303 6340993
13832 4980 232997 47907 22157 124454 9453 355345 51987 49015 27869 117434 153327 17654 58113 37289 89913 106177 10548 19165 103993 41203 20104 32533 158960 36076 32887 61047 1937599 953207 135793 128751 29761 365339 16885 163340 9533
13883 7027 212392 48368 15723 129343 2516 312051 48244 52342 26203 110183 160904 54613 17927 8514 163164 36176 18102 101987 7577 11359 17587 31229 138140 51843 32488 71197 1811721 840066 128527 168868 28736 327853 25106 118984 13094
33933 25906 82606 4635
40151 68101 4147
TOTAL ASSETS
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES Lease Liability Bank Loans Provision – Employee Entitlements
9 6
6 9
QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION STATEMENT OF RECOGNISED INCOME AND EXPENSE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2009 Retained Earnings $
Asset Revaluation Reserve $
Total $
Balance 1 September 2008
2269286
2293730
4563016
Net Operating Surplus for Year
799156
-
799156
1531771
-
1531771
(1531771)
1531771
-
3068442
3825501
6893943
Gain on Revaluation on Land & Buildings Transfer to Reserve Balance 31 August 2009
QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2009
Net (decrease)/increase in cash held Cash at the beginning of the financial year
933238 1011414
615835 395579
Cash at the end of the financial year
1944652
1011414
QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2009 1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES This financial report is a special purpose financial report prepared in order to satisfy the financial reporting requirements of the Industrial Relations Act (Qld) 1999. The financial report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Industrial Relations Act (Qld) 1999 and the following Australian Accounting Standards: AASB 1031 Materiality AASB 110 Events after the Balance Sheet Date No other Australian Accounting Standards have been applied. The financial report has been prepared on an accruals basis and is based on historical costs and does not take into account changing money values, or except where specifically stated, current valuations of non-current assets. The following material accounting policies, which are consistent with the previous period unless otherwise stated, have been adopted in the preparation of these financial statements. (a) Depreciation Depreciation is calculated on a declining balance basis so as to write off the full net cost of each depreciable non-current asset over its expected useful life. (b) Employee Entitlements The amounts expected to be paid to employees for their pro-rata entitlements of long service and annual leave are accrued annually at current pay rates having regard to experience of employee’s departures and period of service. (c) Cash For purposes of the statement of cash flows, cash includes deposits at call which are readily convertible to cash on hand and are used in the cash management function on a day to day basis, net of outstanding bank overdrafts. (d) Income Tax The association is exempt from income tax under section 50-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. (e) Leased non-current assets A distinction is made between finance leases which effectively transfer from the lessor to the lessee substantially all the risks and benefits incident to ownership of leased non-current assets (finance leases), and operating leases under which the lessor effectively retains substantially all such risks and benefits. Finance leases are capitalised. A lease asset and liability are established at the present value of minimum lease payments. Lease payments are allocated between the principal component of the lease liability and the interest expense. The lease asset is amortised in a straight line basis over the term of the lease, or where it is likely that the economic entity will obtain ownership of the asset, the life of the asset. Operating lease payments are charged to the profit and loss account in the periods in which they are incurred as this represents the pattern of benefits derived from the leased assets. (f) Recoverable amount of non-current assets The recoverable amount of an asset is the net amount expected to be recovered through the net cash inflows arising from its continued use and subsequent disposal. Where the carrying amount of a non-current asset is greater than its recoverable amount the asset is revalued to its recoverable amount. The expected net cash flows included in determining recoverable amounts of non-current assets are not discounted to their present values. 2. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
NOTES Cash Flows From Operating Activities Receipts – subscriptions received Other income Payments to suppliers and employees Interest received Interest paid Net cash inflow from operating activities Cash Flows From Investing Activities Payments for purchase of plant and equipment
2009 $
2008 $
6432417 5969765 413946 380453 (5638742) (5389626) 1207621 960592 61462 (29713)
69918 (54278)
5 1239370
976232
(116869)
(212505)
Land and building – at independent valuation Building at Cost Plant, equipment and vehicles – at cost Less: accumulated depreciation Motor vehicles under finance lease Less: accumulated amortisation
(116869)
Cash Flow From Financial Activities Movement of lease liability and loans
(189263)
(147892)
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from financing activities
(189263)
(147892)
2008 $ 4675000 12856 1231034 (962273) 4956617
394124 (181743) 212381
401988 (205745) 196243
6583991
5152860
60000
60000
3. OTHER FINANCIAL ASSETS Investment in non-listed Unit Trust – at cost
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from investing activities
2009 $ 6180000 1240403 (1048793) 6371610
(212505) 4. SUBSCRIPTION INCOME The subscription year ends on 31 December, 2009 whilst the accounts are prepared for the period ended 31 August, 2008. Consequently, approximately one third of the year’s subscriptions have been carried forward to offset expenditure that will become due up to 31 December, 2009.
The Independent Voice
September 2009
23
Queensland Independent Education Union QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2009 (Continued) 5. RECONCILIATION OF EXCESS OF INCOME OVER EXPENDITURE TO NET CASH INFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 2009 2008 $ $ 799156 864541 Excess of income over expenditure 232997 212392 Depreciation and amortisation (15488) 7577 (Profit) Loss on Disposal - Non Current Assets Change in operating assets and liabilities: 4942 (105289) Decrease/(increase) in receivables Increase/(decrease) in sundry 79907 (78153) creditors Increase/(decrease) in other 9881 88027 operating liabilities 127975 (12863) Increase (decrease) in other provisions Net cash inflow from operating activities
1239370
976232
6. LEASE COMMITMENTS Commitments in relation to finance leases are payable as follows: Not later than one year 113029 112591 Later than one year but not later than two years 72185 61886 185214 174477 7. RELATED PARTIES (a) The persons holding positions as council members of the union during the year were as follows: Terry Burke Christopher Chapman Philip O’Brien (Part Year) Andrew Stein Bryce Goldburg Desmond McGovern Lyn McGovern (Part Year) Bernadette Murray Pat Atkinson (Part Year) Paul Giles Jane Maliszewski (Part Year) Kerry Laws (Part Year) Susanne Stevenson (Part Year)
Ray Cloonan (Part Year) Suzanne Burdon Tom Denham Peter Butler-Wood (Part Year) Beverley Day Lyn Byrnes Peter Lovegrove John Vandenberg (Part Year) Michael Moy Joanne Lawes (Part Year) Susan O’Leary (Part Year) Matthew Dash (Part Year) Jennifer Winn (Part Year)
John Kennedy Andrew Elphinstone Maria Campanini (Part Year) Aleisha Connellan (Part Year) Kerrod Bendall (Part Year) Timothy Devlin (Part Year) Ros McLennan Denyse Liddy Jocelyne Benoit Denis Kettle Lorraine Hellmrich (Part Year) Terry Frawley (Part Year)
(b) Amounts received or due and receivable by council members in connection with the management of the union, including amounts paid to superannuation funds in connection with retirement of council members 460336
371621
prescribed under a regulation. (4) If the information is given to the Registrar, the Registrar must give the information to the member for whom the Registrar made the application.
internal control, and the availability of persuasive rather than conclusive evidence. Therefore, an audit cannot guarantee that all material misstatements have been detected.
There were no capital expenditure commitments contracted for at 31 August 2009.
We performed procedures to assess whether in all material respects the financial report presents fairly, in accordance with the Queensland Industrial Relations Act 1999, including compliance with Accounting Standards and other mandatory professional reporting requirements in Australia, a view which is consistent with our understanding of the Union’s financial position and its performance as represented by the results of its operations and cash flows.
12. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
We formed our audit opinion on the basis of these procedures, which included:
11. CAPITAL EXPENDITURE COMMITMENTS
No matters have arisen since the 31 August 2009 that would materially affect these financial statements.
QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION CERTIFICATION BY ACCOUNTING OFFICER OF UNION I, Paul Giles, being the Officer responsible for keeping the accounting records of the Queensland Independent Education Union certify that 15805 persons were financial and 789 persons were unfinancial members of the Union at the end of the financial year to which the attached accounts relate.
a) examining, on a test basis, information to provide evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial report; and b) assessing the appropriateness of the accounting policies and disclosures used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by the Union and its accounting officer. While we considered the effectiveness of management’s internal controls over financial reporting when determining the nature and extent of our procedures, our audit was not designed to provide assurance on internal controls. INDEPENDENCE
I am of the opinion that in respect of the financial year to which this statement relates:
In conducting our audit, we followed applicable independence requirements of Australian professional ethical pronouncements and the Queensland Industrial Relations Act 1999.
1. The attached accounts show a true and fair view of the financial affairs of the Union as at the end of the financial year;
AUDIT OPINION
2. A record has been kept of all moneys paid by, or collected from, members of the Union and all moneys paid or collected have been credited to the bank account or accounts to which those moneys are to be credited, in accordance with the rules of the Union;
We, Morris & Batzloff have inspected and audited the accounting records kept by the Queensland Independent Education Union in respect of the year ended 31 August 2009, and we certify that in our opinion: 1. (i)
3. Before any expenditure was incurred by the Union, approval of the incurring of the expenditure was obtained in accordance with the rules of the Union;
(a) records of source and nature of income of the Union (including income from members);
4. Any payments made from a special account for a purpose, other than the purpose for which the account was operated, was approved in accordance with the rules of the Union; 5. All loans or other financial benefits granted to persons holding office in the Union were authorised in accordance with the rules or the Union; and
(b) records of the nature of and reason for and the expenditure of the Union; and (ii) The accounts for the year were properly drawn up so as to give a true and fair view of: (a) the financial affairs of the Union as at the end of the year; and
6. The register of members of the Union was maintained in accordance with the Act.
………………………………….... Paul Giles
There were kept by the Union in relation to the year satisfactory accounting records, including:
(b) the income and expenditure, and surplus, of the Union for the year. 2.
That information and explanations required of officers or employees of the union were provided.
3.
The accounts were prepared under the Queensland Industrial Relations Act 1999.
23 September, 2009 (c) Transactions with council members comprise payments by them of union fees on the same basis as other members of the union. 8. FINANCIAL REPORTING BY SEGMENTS The association derives its income predominantly from fees levied to members. The association operates solely within Queensland. 9. BANK LOANS
Land and Buildings Current Liabilities Non Current Liabilities
QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION INDEPENDENT AUDIT REPORT To the members of the Queensland Independent Education Union
…………………………………. Norman J Hoare Registered Company Auditor Morris & Batzloff Chartered Accountants 23 September, 2009 96 Lytton Road, East Brisbane
SCOPE 2009 $ 100000
2008 $ 300000
100000 100000
300000 300000
Bank loans are secured by registered first mortgage over the organisation’s Land and Buildings situated at Turbot Street, Brisbane.
10. INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED TO MEMBERS OR REGISTRAR In accordance with the requirements of the Queensland Industrial Relations Act 1999, the attention of members is drawn to provisions of Sub-Sections (1), (2), (3), & (4) of Section 556 which reads as follows: (1) A member of an organisation, may apply to the organisation for information that it must, under a regulation, give its members. (2) An application may be made by the Registrar for a member. (3) The organisation must give the member, or if the Registrar applies for a member, the Registrar, the information applied for in the way
The Financial Report and the Responsibility of Committee of Management and Accounting Officer. The financial report comprises the statement of income, balance sheet, statement of recognised income & expense, statement of cash flows, accompanying notes to the financial statements and the certificates of the committee of management and accounting officer for the year ended 31 August 2009. The committee of management and accounting officer are responsible for the preparation and true and fair presentation of the financial report in accordance with the Queensland Industrial Relations Act 1999. This includes responsibility for the maintenance of adequate accounting records and internal controls that are designed to prevent and detect fraud and error, and for the accounting policies and accounting estimates inherent in the financial report.
A copy of this document is available on our website: www.qieu.asn.au
REMINDER QIEU Annual General Meeting The general purpose financial statements for the year ending 31 August 2009 included here will also be tabled at the QIEU AGM at The Mercure Hotel, 85-87 North Quay, Brisbane.
AUDIT APPROACH We have conducted an independent audit in order to express an opinion to the members of the Union. Our Audit was conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards in order to provide reasonable assurance whether the financial report is free of material misstatement. The nature of an audit is influenced by factors such as the use of professional judgement, selective testing, the inherent limitations of
FRIDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2009 at 4:30pm All QIEU members are welcome to attend.
24
The Independent Voice
September 2009
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The Independent Voice
September 2009
5
Northern Territory News The Essington School see merit of collective bargaining
ABOVE: IEUA-QNT members at The Essington School have endorsed their log of claims for negotiation of a new collective agreement
IEUA-QNT members at The Essington School have endorsed their log of claims for negotiation of a new collective agreement. The log of claims details a range of significant issues for employees, including enhanced wages and conditions and the introduction of an improved structure and career progression for school officers.
Members have also asked for a school consultative committee to be established as a forum for staff and employers to regularly meet to discuss any issues of concern, as well as a range of policies to be produced to clarify the operational aspects of the school. The school is to be commended for already making an interim good faith wage increase this year to ensure wage relativity with
the sector. IEUA-QNT Organiser Nick Holliday recently visited the school, and believed members saw collective bargaining as an excellent opportunity to promote the importance of professional and industrial issues. “Members have put a lot of thought into the issues that need to be addressed in this bargaining round,
Darwin visit highlights
The Northern Territory members across 11 Catholic and Independent schools were visited by Nick and involved in engaged discussion on professional and industrial issues and the emerging issues that have come out of
recent negotiations. Members are energised by the bargaining process and continue to be excited by current negotiations. “It is also important that our Indigenous Education Workers (IEWs), Inclusion Support Assistants (ISAs) and early childhood professionals remain informed and engaged in the bargaining process as there are significant enhancements to wages
The Essington School members will continue to meet to consider these issues and discuss appropriate responses throughout the negotiation process.
RIGHT: Staff keep up-to-date with negotiations via a union noticeboard
News in brief.. brief....
importance of negotiations IEUA-QNT members highlighted the importance of collective bargaining negotiations across the sectors when union officer Nick Holliday visited Darwin recently.
and are committed to working together to achieve good outcomes,” Nick said.
and conditions being negotiated for them,” he said. During the visit new staff reps and Chapter Executive members were also established to put structures in place to keep members informed on the issues during collective bargaining. “Because of the continued efforts of Chapters in schools, membership and activism in the Northern Territory continues to grow.”
Early learning professionals negotiate enhanced conditions Members employed in Early Learning Centres attached to Catholic schools have finally received recognition of the important work they do through enhanced conditions in Catholic sector negotiations. Early learning professionals have negotiated enhanced wages, a fairer career progression system and enhanced parental leave for employees. Staff in Early Learning Centres are working hard to ensure that they receive fair outcomes in bargaining by building a strong collective culture within their sector.
Support for wages campaign at Gold Coast area meeting Lutheran and Catholic sector members were given the opportunity to raise issues and express support for the professional rates of pay campaign in collective bargaining negotiations at the recent Gold Coast Special Area meeting. During the meeting members in both sectors discussed at length the wage claim and upcoming industrial action, in particular with reference to school level structures and actions to ensure that members are informed of the need to vote in the ballot. ABOVE: Lutheran and Catholic sector members were briefed on the professional rates of pay campaign in collective bargaining negotiations at the recent Gold Coast Special Area meeting
The Lutheran sector members expressed their support for protected industrial action to be taken
by the Catholic sector members, as professional rates of pay is an issue for every school employee in Queensland, regardless of their sector. “Benchmarks rates of pay are a particularly sharp issue for members on the Gold Coast as, in many instances, they teach in schools only a few minutes drive from other schools over the state border who are already receiving these enhanced rates of pay,” QIEU growth team organiser Natalie Zemaitis said. The Gold Coast members have resolved to again reconvene as the member action draws closer.
6
The Independent Voice
September 2009
Assistant General Secretary’s Report
Catholic schools – Now Queensland leaders in positive parental provisions In the current round of collective bargaining negotiations, Catholic school employers have agreed to a number of key enhancements to parental leave.
leave arrangements, this 10 days paid leave is in addition to any paid school vacation time the employee would otherwise be entitled to.
Catholic employing authorities are to be congratulated on their preparedness to lead the way in delivering more positive parental provisions, making them the new ‘employer of choice’ amongst Queensland schools.
The facility for 10 days paid paternity leave is consistent with the Productivity Commission’s recommendations to the federal government, in their early consideration of elements of a new national paid parental leave scheme.
What’s new?
(c) Unpaid parental leave
(a) Paid maternity/adoption leave
Commonsense has also prevailed in that an employee and their employer may now mutually agree that the employee may interrupt their unpaid leave and return to work for a day or two – or even longer. Having a day or two (or more) of paid work on a casual or regular basis may be of great assistance to the family budget, especially where babysitting is easily accessed. The arrangement is also of great value to employers, particularly in regional, rural or more remote areas, where supply teachers are not readily available to cover staff absences.
The new collective bargaining provision will provide 14 weeks leave on full pay to eligible employees. This payment will commence at the time the expectant mother commences her leave. This provision is warmly welcomed, and brings the leave quantum into line with Queensland state school employees who have enjoyed this benefit since 1 July 2008. The enhanced benefits will operate from 7 September, 2009. (b) Paid paternity/adoption leave Of particular note, however, is Catholic school employers’ leadership in valuing and supporting the role of fathers. New facility for 10 days paid paternity leave (as a separate entitlement to sick leave) is now available, along with increased flexibility for eligible new fathers to access this leave anytime within one month of their child’s birth (or adoption). This means that employees now have the option to choose to take their 10 days paid leave after mother and baby return home from hospital, so they can provide much needed practical support in cooking dinner and changing nappies! As is also the case for paid maternity
It is important to note that this new opportunity is accessible only where there is mutual agreement that it occurs. It is not the intention of this provision that the end date of the parental leave be extended as a result of accepting work within the unpaid leave period. The introduction of the Fair Work Act, and the accompanying National Employment Standards operational from 1 January 2010, brings with it new rules for accessing unpaid parental leave. The new National Employment Standards will provide for maternity, paternity and adoption leave. It also provides both parents with the right to separate periods of up to 12 months unpaid parental leave. Alternatively, one parent will have
the right to request an additional 12 months of leave that employers can only refuse on ‘reasonable business grounds’. If extended leave is taken, it reduces the maximum leave available to the other member of a working couple. (As is currently the case, the employee taking leave must have completed 12 months of continuous service before qualifying for this entitlement). QIEU members should contact a Member Services Officer on (07) 3839 7020 to inquire about the possible impact of these new regulations on their intended leave applications after 1 January 2010. (d) Intersection with federal government’s national scheme The federal government has announced the details of a new national paid parental leave scheme. 18 weeks paid parental leave payable at the minimum wage (currently $543.78 per week) will be implemented from 1 January 2011. Any employer-funded paid parental leave (such as 14 weeks paid maternity/adoption leave in Queensland Catholic schools) will be ‘in addition to’ benefits payable to new parents under this national scheme. Addressing deficiencies in the federal government plan The positive parental leave provisions now agreed for Queensland Catholic school employees also address two key deficiencies in the federal government plan: paid paternity leave and continuing payment of superannuation. (a) Paid paternity leave In September 2008, the Productivity Commission released a model for a proposed 18 week scheme, after hearing months of submissions and evidence from unions, community
organisations and individuals. One element of that proposal recommended the federal government introduce two weeks paid paternity leave, as one of a raft of measures to support families upon the birth of a baby. Disappointingly, this recommendation was not part of the federal government’s announcement of a new national paid parental leave. However, Queensland Catholic employers have acknowledged the wisdom of a decent provision of paid leave for new fathers at this important time for families, as part of a broader social commitment to supporting active and inclusive roles for both parents in children’s care, wherever possible. In this sense, leadership by example best enables Queensland Catholic schools to signal to the community more broadly the important role fathers have in providing emotional and practical support to their families – beyond the traditional financial responsibility. (b) Superannuation The federal government’s paid parental leave scheme also neglected to include any compulsion on employers to continue to contribute nine per cent superannuation on the portion of paid parental leave to be funded by the government. While Australian unions will continue to campaign for these deficiencies to be remedied at a national level, it is pleasing to note that Queensland Catholic employers have agreed to continue to pay superannuation contributions to employees for the employerfunded period of paid parental leave. (This consideration has been made despite recent changes to superannuation legislation making it no longer compulsory for employers to pay superannuation contributions to employees on paid
parental leave). Why is it important? Whether you are likely to directly benefit from these new family-friendly provisions soon to be available in Queensland Catholic schools or not, all members would be supportive of the negotiation of any enhanced employment arrangement that helps ensure babies can get the best possible start, parents can be relieved of some financial stress and employers are assisted in retaining female staff who will ultimately again make an important contribution to delivering high quality Catholic education to Queensland students. These new arrangements practically model Catholic family values – and provide positive leadership to other schools in current employer best practice in this area. QIEU members in Catholic schools did much in support of our union and community campaign to achieve a national paid parental leave scheme for all Australian families in the early part of this year. It is most rewarding to see Queensland Catholic school employers acknowledging this as a critical issue for their employees – and being prepared to lead in this important area. The challenge now is to translate this positive leadership on parental leave arrangements into a further commitment to professional rates of pay for teachers commensurate with interstate benchmarks. Ros McLennan Assistant General Secretary rmclennan@qieu.asn.au
Management’s refusal to bargain results in FWA order
P O T S S S E PR
The refusal of ELICOS operator Kaplan Aspect management to negotiate a collective agreement has resulted in staff at the College applying for an majority support determination order from Fair Work Australia (FWA).
This refusal is particularly curious, given that the College’s other campuses interstate already enjoy enhanced wages and conditions afforded by a collective agreement.
If applied, the FWA order will compel the employer to negotiate a collective agreement in good faith with staff.
This position shows a lack of willingness to attract and retain high quality staff by offering industry standard wages.
QIEU members at Kaplan Aspect have been asking their employer for a collective agreement for over 12 months. However, the employer continues to refuse to engage with staff regarding wages and conditions.
Though the application of the orders do not guarantee staff an outcome, members are committed to working towards reasonable wages and enhanced conditions at the College.
The Independent Voice
September 2009
7
Assistant General Secretary/Treasurer’s Report
Enabling quality learning environments In previous editions of The Independent Voice, I noted that at the annual Council of the Independent Union of Australia (IEUA) the IEUA Quality Teaching Framework had been launched. This framework is based on the principle that the development, support and maintenance of quality teaching is the responsibility of teachers, the teaching profession, schools and systems and governments at state and federal level. Quality teaching is the shared responsibility of a number of education stakeholders. It was noted in that article that the framework identifies three interlocking, dynamic and synergistically related components, which together, establish quality teaching. The three essential and basic components of quality teaching identified are: • Building Quality Teacher Capacity; • Delivering Quality Career Pathways; and • Enabling Quality Learning Environments. The first two components – Building Quality Teacher Capacity and Delivering Quality Career Pathways were discussed in previous reports. The third – Enabling Quality Learning Environments will be discussed in this report. There exists a strong relationship between the capacity of teachers
to provide quality learning environments and the resourcing and enabling structures that exist and are the responsibility of schools, systems and governments.
The IEUA policy stresses that the principles of social justice and a genuine commitment to the dignity of all persons should characterise education.
Establishing quality learning environments is dependent upon such factors as:
School systems, schools, teachers and support staff have a vital leadership role and obligation to practice and promote the values of equity and inclusiveness.
• Adequate levels of resources and support; • Adequate levels of staffing and workforce development to meet the full needs of students including the provision of specialist support; • Flexible classroom environments appropriate for individualised learning and school structures that enable and encourage team work; • Fair and reasonable workload arrangements including adequate time release from face to face teaching, appropriate class sizes, access to professional learning and reduced administration duties; and • Inter-agency support. There are as well issues about equity and inclusiveness, special needs and “at risk” students, integration, assessment and reporting, national curriculum and information and communication technologies which need to be considered. The IEUA policy is founded on a belief that quality leaning environments are environments for both staff and students that are fair, safe, non-discriminatory and inclusive of all. The IEUA supports policies and programs that provide systemic and systematic practical strategies for improving student participation, retention rates and student learning outcomes.
In many situations the resourcing and funding arrangements for students with disabilities in non-government schools are inadequate and such schools are not only vulnerable to being in breach of legislative requirements but those students are not able to reach their full potential. The IEUA believes that the full costs of meeting the educational needs of students with disabilities should be funded by federal and state governments regardless of whether the student attends a government or non–government school. It is vital that every student receives highly professional assistance and that schools meet the needs of all students. The IEUA believes that support should be provided such that: • Each student with a serious intellectual and/or physical or emotional disability has access to an integration aide with appropriate expertise in the relevant area of disability; • Where there are students with serious developmental, physical or emotional disabilities class sizes are reduced; and • Time is allocated for teachers and aides to work together on curriculum
planning and to liaise with external agencies and parents. The IEUA policy acknowledges that many “at risk” students are not achieving well in various curriculum areas. The IEUA believes that designated funding, staffing and professional development should be focussed on curriculum and pedagogical practices and work structures to assist “at risk” students. While the IEUA supports work to achieve greater national consistency and comparability in curriculum, assessment and reporting, and certification this should not lead to national standardisation or uniformity of teaching approaches and subject curricula or a loss of quality teaching and learning conditions. The IEUA supports educational reform in curriculum that is based upon research, that ensures educational validity and integrity and importantly, that supports teacher professional judgement. Information and Communications technology are rapidly and radically changing the nature of schooling and education. As a general principle, enhancing learning and the learning environment should be the main focus in the development of ICT in the school environment. Too often the introduction of ICT into schools has been characterised by a neglect of training, professional development, technical
support and occupational health and safety information leaving staff with feelings of inadequacy and the technology under utilised. Encompassing and effective policies need to accompany the implementation and use of ICT in schools. The IEUA policy, Quality Teaching Framework, identifies a number of components and elements within those components, which need to be addressed in a nonpiecemeal way, to achieve quality teaching. These various components together create quality learning environments. It is when quality learning capacity is aligned with quality career pathways and quality learning environments that quality teaching can flourish. The full IEUA policy can be accessed through the IEUA website at www.ieu.org.au/214.html
Paul Giles Assistant General Secretary/ Treasurer pgiles@qieu.asn.au
Additional teacher qualifications recorded by QCT Queensland teachers can add additional qualifications to their registration; however, the onus is on the teacher to notify the Queensland College of Teacher’s (QCT) of this. Since the registration of teachers in Queensland began over 30 years ago, teachers have been able to add further qualifications to their records. All teachers may elect to have these qualifications listed on the publicly available Register of Teachers or may decide not to. However, as soon as an additional
qualification is added, an updated Certificate of Registration is sent to the teacher. If the qualification does not meet the QCT criteria for recording qualifications, the teacher will be informed. Criteria for recording qualifications 1. Australian qualifications requiring at least one year of full-time study (or the part-time equivalent) at undergraduate level or at least one semester of full-time study (or the part-time equivalent) at postgraduate level from:
• universities; • technical and further education colleges and institutes of technology; • former teachers colleges and colleges of advanced education; or • private institutions providing that the course has been accredited by the appropriate State accrediting agency.
to the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) provided that the course has been accredited by the appropriate state accrediting agency.
2. Australian qualifications of Associate Diploma level (or above) according to the former Register of Australian Tertiary Education (RATE).
How to have another qualification added
3. Australian qualifications of Diploma level (or above) according
4. Overseas qualifications assessed by the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) as comparable to any of the above.
A teacher must mail to the QCT a certified copy of the graduation parchment or a statement from the registrar of the awarding institution confirming all
requirements for the award have been met. The QCT website www.qct. edu.au provides advice to teachers not only about qualifications, but about other changes of details or circumstances. The website will soon establish a link to a form for teachers to complete and return regarding the recording of additional qualifications. In the meantime, teachers should follow the process outlined above to add additional qualifications to their registration.
8
The Independent Voice
September 2009
Sector Matters Guidance Counsellors: Guidance Counsellors (without teacher qualifications) in Catholic schools will now move from the school officer pay scale to the teacher pay scale in recognition of their qualifications. The shift from School Counsellor (without teacher qualifications) to Guidance Counsellor (without teacher qualifications) is to acknowledge employees who have a degree in psychology or another degree recognised by the employer, with remuneration that is comparable with Guidance Counsellor (teacher). Employees who fall into the provision of Counsellor (without teacher qualifications) as per their role description shall be remunerated according to the appropriate school officer pay classification set out within the agreement. The provisions for Guidance Counsellors (teacher), Guidance
Counsellor (without teacher qualifications) and Counsellor (without teacher qualifications), previously known as School Counsellors (with or without teacher qualifications), will take effect from January 2010. IEUA-QNT members currently employed as a School Counsellor (with or without teacher qualifications) will now be appropriately renumerated using the appropriate pay classification scale, and any existing employee will not have their current working conditions such as contract of employment or salary reduced due to these changes in these provisions. Guidance Counsellors (without teacher qualifications) who are employed on a full time continuing basis will not be required to attend work during the vacation period, except in emergent circumstances
Grammar schools sector: also consistent with the Guidance Counsellor (teacher) provisions. Agreement in principle for Guidance Counsellors (teacher) retaining the Teachers Award Non-Government Schools (TANGS) 2003 provisions which were moved into the Guidance Counsellor (teacher) clause to safeguard employee rights due to the award being superseded by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010. These provisions have been agreed to in principle by the employer in Catholic sector negotiations, subject to appropriate wording confirmation. IEUA-QNT commends the Catholic employing authorities for appropriately recognising the integral role of both teacher and non-teacher qualified Guidance Counsellors and Counsellors in our schools.
Australian Technical Colleges: In light of reduced federal funding for Australian Technical Colleges, ATC North Brisbane has sought negotiations to alter the school year and thence staff working conditions. The ATC proposes a reduction in the school year from 44 weeks to 40 weeks to allow greater access to Vocational Education and Training (VET) and other non-academic programs. In conjunction with this realignment to working hours, wages at the College will remain at 2009
levels in 2010. Though wages at ATC North Brisbane will be frozen at this rate, these wage rates are already significantly higher than other independent schools. Wages and conditions for administrative and school officer staff remain unaffected. This amendment to the College’s collective agreement is currently being considered by its QIEU members.
ELICOS
Southside Education:
sector:
QIEU are currently working with Southside Education staff to ascertain the issues that need to form the basis of an employee log of claims.
Queensland College of English GEOS International College (GEOS-QCE) members are committed to achieving long awaited enhancements to their wages and conditions as they continue to negotiate for a collective agreement. Matters under negotiation include wages parity with other ELICOS Colleges and the addition of paid preparation and correction time for staff. Clarity around hours of duty and role descriptions and improved consultative arrangements with the College are also under negotiation. The draft collective agreement continues to be discussed amongst QIEU members at the College.
Rockhampton Grammar Considerable improvements have been made to wages and conditions for members at Rockhampton Grammar School in current negotiations for a federal collective agreement. Wage increases of 4.5 per cent each year over the life of the agreement was proposed, together with a commitment that the Single Bargaining Unit would reconvene once state sector outcomes were known. It is worth noting that these percentage increases are a minimum as teacher wages will not be reduced if state sector outcomes were less. The school has also agreed to increase maternity leave provisions for employees to 14 weeks exclusive of vacation time. A commitment to ensuring superannuation and other entitlements would continue to accrue whilst staff are on paid maternity leave was also provided by the employer. Significant enhancements have also been achieved in the level of support provided to graduate teachers. Graduate teachers will now be provided with a formal induction program and receive
a reduced workload in their first year of employment. Time release will also be provided for accomplished teachers to provide graduate teachers with effective mentoring. The school has also committed in negotiations to a class size target of 26 students for all year levels. A further commitment to establishing a working party to examine and develop Accomplished Teacher guidelines was also established. Employees at the school now have the opportunity to review the claims and seek any clarification on matters before the balloting of the agreement commences on 5 November. Ipswich Grammar QIEU members at Ipswich Grammar have met to reconfirm that the employee log of claims still represents the best interest of all staff. Employees at the school have confirmed which members will form the SBU to take part in negotiations with the employer. QIEU are now urging the employer to commit to further SBU meeting dates this year to further progress negotiations for a collective agreement.
Islamic College of Brisbane: QIEU members at the Islamic College Of Brisbane are seeking a replacement state collective agreement. Members at the College have endorsed a log of claims which asks for wages parity with whatever outcome is negotiated with the largest non-government sector; in this case parity is being sought with the Catholic sector once outcomes are known.
Working towards a replacement federal collective agreement, staff at the school are hopeful that negotiations will soon begin with their employer that will go to enhancing wages and conditions.
The log of claims also asks for an immediate 4.5 per cent or $34 a week interim wage payment for all staff. Enhancements to paid maternity leave provisions, support for student learning and the establishment of a policy statement or process for staff on how to deal with complaints by parents, are also being sought in negotiations. Employees are determined to expedite negotiations with the view to balloting by the end of the year.
QIEU organiser Sherryl Saunders said: “Whilst the negotiations are in their infancy, we will still continue to work toward a quality agreement for employees.”
QIEU organiser Sherryl Saunders said: “Employees are prepared to ensure that employers know how staff are feeling for negotiations to continue in a timely manner.”
Independent sector - AIIC Durack: Providing comparability of wages amongst staff is of priority to negotiations for the first collective agreement at the Australian International Islamic College in Durack.
such as paid maternity leave as all employees are covered by the TANGS Award or School Officers Award and no provision of this is covered in either award.
QIEU members at the College have agreed to rotate membership of the Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) so everyone can see first hand the formal negotiation process.
Recognising the need to develop a collective agreement for all staff, both employees at the College and the employer approached QIEU to participate in negotiations for an agreement in the federal jurisdiction that will enhance wages and conditions.
Staff are asking for state sector parity of paid maternity leave in their log of claims to address this inadequacy.
QIEU continues to work with members in developing a Chapter structure and a sense of what the collective can do, together with continuing discussions on negotiations.
Currently staff can not access entitlements
The employee endorsed log of claims also asks for further quality conditions and enhanced rates of pay for all staff to be negotiated.
SBU meetings will continue throughout 2009, with a ballot to occur by the end of the school year.
The Independent Voice
September 2009
9
Key issues remain unresolved in the early childhood sector The early childhood sector continues to face many challenges. It is now appropriate for all of the major representatives to stand up for the sector. Specifically, QIEU calls on ACSEA to be a part of a collective argument for improved funding to the industry. The best interests of early childhood education will not be served by any representative meekly rolling over and accepting whatever funding the government offers. Quality early childhood education will be maintained by ensuring that staff are not lost to the industry due to inferior wages and conditions. Employees in early childhood education call on all industry representatives to fight to achieve and maintain wages and conditions which are comparable with Education Queensland. Any lesser approach will fundamentally threaten the future of community kindergartens and would not been in the interests of children, the community, kindergarten committees or their employees. Without the ability to attract and retain quality staff the provision of a quality education program for children is undermined. QIEU argues a collaborated approach involving QIEU, C&K and ACSEA so as to maximise the prospects of improved government funding. ROC member meetings The challenging issues the early childhood sector is currently facing were highlighted to QIEU members
at recent Queensland-wide Regional Organising Committee (ROC) meetings. During meetings QIEU early childhood members agreed that collective bargaining negotiations to achieve a new certified agreement covering early childhood education centres must now be ACSEA’s priority. Members are pleased to note that ACSEA has agreed that future negotiations for an agreement will not reduce existing conditions of employment. The opportunity now exists for ACSEA to demonstrate the value and worth of teachers in early childhood education by supporting the claim for comparability of wage increases. During the ROC meetings members were also informed on the commitment by the state government to universal access to a kindergarten program for all 3 ½ and 4 ½ year old children by qualified and registered teachers. The Minister for Education, Training and the Arts has stated that “offering programs run by highly trained teachers is a key aspect of this strategy because we know that professional early childhood teachers play a crucial role in preparing Queensland kids for school and life.”
ABOVE: Early Childhood QIEU members from the Gold Coast including Cherie Jenkins, Libby Power, Jane Hely and Mary Ann Palmer with QIEU Organiser Nick Holliday (right) attend their Regional Organising Committee (ROC)
the government.
decision still to be determined.).
After years of advocacy of this, QIEU looks forward to this commitment becoming a reality.
Whatever the AIRC decision, the important issue for early childhood members is to continue to hold their employer to account and ensure a collective agreement covering early childhood centres is achieved now.
Modern Awards The results of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission determination regarding the Modern Award to cover early childhood education was released on 25 September 2009 (at time of press
Early Childhood members will be given the opportunity to consider the AIRC decision regarding the Modern Award to cover early
childhood education, its implications for the employment conditions of employees and the responses necessary on behalf of employees at an information session on 2 October. Early childhood educators can contact QIEU on FREECALL 1800 177 937 for further information. QIEU will continue to represent its members by seeking to improve and protect their wages and terms and conditions of employment in negotiations.
A commitment to provide qualified teachers in early childhood centres the same recognition for teacher registration purposes as teachers in schools has also been provided by
ABOVE: Kawana Community Kindergarten members discuss the issues
ABOVE: QIEU members gathered at South Pine Kindy to discuss the important issues relevant to the early childhood sector at their recent ROC
ABOVE: Early Childhood members in Townsville attend a Regional Organising Committe meeting at Western Suburbs Kindergarten in Townsville
ABOVE: Emerald early childhood members attend their ROC
10
The Independent Voice
September 2009
Teach for Australia program: Six Week Wonders – A retrograde step The decision to put inadequately trained personnel in charge of the learning of already disadvantaged students in Australian schools is reprehensible. The ‘Teach for Australia’ (TFA) idea has been popular since Julia Gillard arrived home from the United States full of the wonder of their self-proclaimed successes. However, there is significant evidence coming out of the US to confirm our “common sense” suspicions that this model will not be the solution to the complex problems of educating disadvantaged students. The first intake to the TFA program will commence their training in November 2009 and be in schools in Victoria from the beginning of 2010. How does the TFA program work? University graduates from any discipline can apply to sign up for two years. The TFA website indicates that they are seeking those who have “gained ambitious, measurable results in school and university, extracurriculars [sic] and/or work.” They want people who are “eager,” “clear and confident communicator[s]” with the ability to “influence and motivate;” people
who are “able to think critically” and solve problems. They should be able to “plan and organise,” “meet deadlines,” be able to “overcome obstacles” and “show respect” to others. Once a graduate is selected there is an intensive six week training course, which is deemed to be sufficient to enable the professional delivery of an educational program to high school students in selected Metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victorian schools. The course is a reconfiguration of a Masters of Teaching program offered by the University of Melbourne. Once this is completed and schools have been allocated to the graduates, they will be required to teach a 0.8 teaching load and engage with further study for the remaining 0.2 of the teaching load for the duration of the two years with TFA. In essence they are doing some formal teacher training while on the job. They are supported with a guarantee of 90 minutes per week of mentoring from a suitably qualified teacher in the same school who is released from other duties for this purpose. They will also be visited “regularly” by TFA’s Professional Development coaches.
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Problems There are a number of very serious matters at stake here for Australian teachers and students. We have fought hard over many years to elevate the status of the teaching profession by having minimum educational requirements for teachers entrenched in legislation. QIEU understands that arrangements are currently being finalised to accredit the TFA’s six week program so that graduates can be granted a Permission to Teach classification from the Victorian Institute of Teaching (the equivalent of The Queensland College of Teachers). This movement towards enabling unqualified people to teach our students has the potential to undermine our high quality education system; a system which is built upon the foundation of our highly qualified, highly dedicated teaching profession. Research out of the US indicates that “students of TFA (Teach for America) teachers did not perform significantly different [sic] from students of other under-certified teachers” and that “students of certified teachers out-performed students of teachers who were under-certified.” Their conclusion was unambiguous: “Present policies allowing undercertified teachers, including
those from the TFA program, to work with our most difficult to teach children appear harmful. Such policies increase differences in achievement between the performance of poor children, often immigrant and minority children, and those children who are more advantaged.” Allowing the TFA program in Australia is dangerous. It will further undermine the professional standing of teaching by implying that it is not necessary to receive formal training prior to entering the classroom. Any diminution of the status of teachers will make it even harder to attract graduates to the profession or encourage experienced teachers to remain in a profession that is not valued in the community. The most confronting danger is that those students already struggling with disadvantage will be held back even further by well meaning people who do not have the critical basic knowledge necessary to begin a career in the classroom. If the federal government’s Education Revolution is to mean anything to disadvantaged students in this country, then governments in all jurisdictions must ensure only fully qualified teachers are in charge of student learning. To build the profession so that this can occur, employers must ensure that teachers’ working conditions
and wages are sufficient to ensure fully qualified professionals are willing to work where they are most needed. It is nothing short of a callus disregard for the needs of all concerned; the aspiring teachers, the students, their communities and ultimately our country, that this program has been allowed to win a toe hold in our country. In the Preamble to the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, we read: “In striving for both equity and excellence, there are several areas in which Australian school education needs to make significant improvement. “First, Australia has failed to improve educational outcomes for many Indigenous Australians and addressing this issue must be a key priority over the next decade. “Second, by comparison with the world’s highest performing school systems, Australian students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are under-represented among high achievers and overrepresented among low achievers. “Third, there is room for improvement in Australia’s rate of Year 12 completion or equivalent. We all agree that something must be done; however, “something” does not mean just whatever is at hand that meets the political expedient of being seen to be taking decisive action.
Visit the QIEU website QIEU members can keep up-to-date on: • the latest news; • legal issues; • resources; • campaigns; • events; • where QIEU has been in the media; • collective bargaining updates; • chapter and branch meeting dates; and • union submissions at the QIEU website!
Check out www.qieu.asn.au
The Independent Voice
September 2009
11
QIEU school officer profile St John’s School science technician Gill Swires was initially embarrassed to be recognised last year for the QIEU Ruth George Award, as she believed she had done nothing to deserve such an honour. However, on reflection and after talking with her lab technician colleagues via an internet discussion group, Gill realised that for four years she had continued to pursue her aim for school officer reclassification, which she now saw as “quite an achievement.” Gill’s courage to continue to fight for years for reclassification of her position within the school officer restructuring model shows her determination to stand up and pursue this important issue and to show a pathway to other school officers who may look at having their position reclassified. Gill began her role as a parttime science technician at the Roma school in 2001 and in the same year became a member of QIEU. “I have been a union member for most of my working life, so to
me joining QIEU was not so much an option as just part and parcel of working life.”
Gill Swires
She said in her previous jobs, which included working as a Human Resources Manager at the Roma Health Service District and in the United Kingdom in Human Resources for Thames Valley Police, she said she worked with unions on employee relations issues, and believes in “both management and union working together for the best outcomes for their staff/member and ultimately the organisation.” Though Gill admits she does not have formal qualifications in either science or laboratory work, she says she believes her previous roles has equipped her with the skills needed to carry out her current role with the more technical knowledge being gained on-the-job. Gill admits their are many factors that impact on the technicians role at a school level. When she first began her job science-trained teachers would take science classes. “I have noticed that, over time, we are getting fewer teachers with
Science Technician St John’s School Roma
science training coming into the department. Add to the fact that teachers are expected to do much more than their actual teaching load, making them ‘time poor’, and you now have a situation where the lack of planning, knowledge and experience impacts on the technicians role.”
done at short notice.”
Gill believes living in a small community can make it harder to order supplies and to “get things
Gill says in this litigious society it is important to be a member of a union for advice and support.
However, “there are many advantages to being in a small town, not least the fact that local businesses are often willing and supportive when I go and ask for materials, which I can often scrounge free of charge.”
“Also, benefits of employment are better dealt with collectively rather than individually; many voices make a bigger impact than a lone voice trying to be heard.” Gill likes that QIEU is the one union for all staff at her school. “So as a school officer I do not feel that I am treated any differently from a teacher,” she says.
Celebration day for school officers 18 November, 2009 Celebrate the valuable contribution schools officers make to supporting quality education in our schools on School Officer Day on 18 November, 2009. QIEU Chapters are encouraged to say ‘thank you’ to school officers for their efforts in enriching our school communities in this important week, celebrated this year in our union’s 90th anniversary year. School Officer Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the skills, professionalism and commitment of school officers. Chapter Executives are encouraged to hold a special ‘School Officer Day’ morning tea during the celebration week to recognise
the professional contributions of our school officer colleagues. Chapter Executive members are also asked to personally invite all school officers who have not yet joined with their colleagues in QIEU to become a member during School Officer Day. By joining with teachers and other school employees in QIEU, school officers have a strong and united voice on professional and industrial issues impacting on their work. Photographs of your Chapter holding celebration morning teas can be emailed to QIEU Publications Officer/Journalist Fiona Richardson at frichardson@qieu.asn.au for possible inclusion in the journal.
IE UA-- Q NT CO MM IT IEUA I T TEE TEES IEUA-QNT committees have direct input into IEUA-QNT and QIEU Council by helping to guide our unions’ policy development around member issues and devise strategies regarding the various industrial and professional issues and campaigns. You can join any of the following committees: Education; Equity; Industrial; Organising and Campaigning; and Publications. If you would like to be involved please contact the QIEU office on FREECALL 1800 177 937 or email enquiries@qieu.asn.au
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www.qiec.com.au 1300 360 507 This information is of a general nature and does not take account of your individual financial situation, objectives or needs. Before acting on this advice, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. You should obtain a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and consider the PDS before making any decision. If you require specific advice, you should contact a licensed financial adviser. QIEC Super Pty Ltd (ABN 81 010 897 480), the Trustee of QIEC Super (ABN 15 549 636 673), is Corporate Authorised Representative No. 268804 under Australian Financial Services Licence No. 238507 and is authorised to provide general financial product advice in relation to superannuation.
12
The Independent Voice
September 2009
90 thAnniversary 1919 - 2009
Awards for Excellence In Art Design 2009
Parents, teachers and students gathered at the Bardon Centre on 9 September to celebrate the artistic talents of Queensland school students at QIEU’s annual Excellence in Art Design awards night.
AWARD RECIPIENTS 2009 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN ART DESIGN
Guest presenter and Brisbanebased artist Banx (pictured right) offered helpful words of advice and encouragement to the award winners, who ranged in age from preschool students to teachers.
Section
Award
Name
School
Pre-school
Award of Excellence Highly Commended
Ashly Wright Claudia Child Alexander Davidson Luke Flaherty Hannah Taylor Kirsten Woolley
Calliope Kindergarten & Preschool Dalby Beck Street Kindergarten Association Proserpine Public Kindergarten Calliope Kindergarten & Preschool Association Stones Corner Kindergarten & Preschool Calliope Kindergarten & Preschool Association
Laura Gooding Hana Abdelhameed Jamie Finlay India-Rose Jolliffe-Martin Tom Leadbetter Jonty MacDougall Kate Read
St Joseph’s Primary School Caloundra City School Holy Family School St Peter’s Primary School (Rochedale) St Peter’s Primary School (Rochedale) Our Lady of the Southern Cross College Christ the King School
Prep – Year 2 Award of Excellence Highly Commended
Entrants let their imagination run wild as they put their creative mind to work to paint, print, photograph, sculpt or combine media to capture the ideas of the theme of the awards, Let’s Celebrate - Looking back to go forward.
Year 3 – 4
Award of Excellence Highly Commended
Jonathan Miranda Hunter Gapes Mathew Gatehouse Anna Hang Do Declan Kelly Michaela Winterstein Lam Vu
St Mark’s School St Peter’s Primary School (Rochedale) Ryan Catholic College St Mark’s School Holy Family School St Mark’s School St Mark’s School
Year 5 – 6
Award of Excellence Highly Commended
Clancy Enchelmaier Mikaela Coombe Grace Coubrough Julie Kim Madeline Pollard
Ipswich Grammar School St Peter’s Primary School (Rochedale) Christ the King School Christian Outreach College Holy Family School
Year 7 - 8
Award of Excellence Highly Commended
Sarah Godlee Russell Booysen Patrick Croker Alice Finlay Lachlan King Emily Hillard Morgan Lyons
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Seton College Ipswich Grammar School St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Anglican Church Grammar School Christ the King School Christ the King School
Year 9 - 10
Award of Excellence Highly Commended
Isabella Reynolds Elizabeth Claydon Suzie Golledge Michelle Lyons Natasha Marano Hannah Tilling-Grant
Cannon Hill Anglican College Seton College St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Mt St Michael’s College Mt St Michael’s College Mt St Michael’s College
Year 11 - 12
Award of Excellence Highly Commended
Romy Listo Hannah Brown Jack Dixon Emalyn Gooding Taehu Kwon Sheree Lynch Ashleigh Morgan
St Peter’s Lutheran College St Peter’s Lutheran College Seton College St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School John Paul College Seton College Mt St Michael’s College
Open
Award of Excellence
Sharryn MacDougall
Beck Street Kindergarten (Dalby)
Ashly Wright Calliope Kindergarten & Preschool Association “Ashly’s artwork exudes a great sense of celebration with her use of vibrant colour.”
Year 3 – 4 Prep, Year 1& 2
Laura Gooding St Joseph’s Primary School (Corinda) “This artwork expresses celebration superbly with its vibrant colour and gestural drawings.”
Jonathan Miranda St Mark’s School (Inala) “Jonathan’s artwork is a vivid, exciting celebration of form and colour that captured the spirit of the theme. A remarkable and outstandingly engaging painting.”