Newsmonth #7 2021

The newspaper of the Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch (vol 41 #7) October 2021 PP 100000871 ISSN No: 0728-4845

SAFETY IN NUMBERS Returning to classrooms after a 106-day lockdown in NSW (63 days in the ACT) will provoke mixed feelings in school staff, parents and students alike. Some will be pleased with the return to ‘normality’, others will be concerned about the risks involved.

The IEU is recommending that employers put a number of protocols in place to ensure the safest possible return to schools.

Members working in unison is the best way to keep employers on notice. Employers must consult with their employees and the union about work health and safety – it is a legal requirement.

Without such consultation, even setting the date to re-open schools proved problematic. We saw one Premier name it then change it; and a new Premier change it again.

School staff and their unions were frustrated by these sudden and repeated changes, announced without prior notice in press conferences.

The IEU spoke up in the media to express its dismay at such ad hoc decisions without consulting the people who make it all happen: teachers and support staff.

IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Acting Secretary Carol Matthews spoke on Sky News, Channel 10 News, Channel 7’s Sunrise and ABC’s The Drum on the issue.

“The IEU calls on the NSW Government to engage with teachers and support staff through their representative unions about any changes to return-to-school plans,” Matthews said.

“Consultation is always helpful. We urge the government to remember that schools are also workplaces, and the safety of all staff and students is our paramount concern.”

This pattern of policy on the run must not continue as we return to school. The union has written to employers in the sector, requesting they prioritise staff and student safety in the face of the highly contagious Delta strain by implementing the following measures: Consultation School leadership is currently consulting with staff about the measures schools are putting in place to minimise the risk of a COVID outbreak. Contact your IEU rep or organiser if this isn't happening. You could also organise a school chapter meeting to discuss work health and safety issues of concern. If you feel consultation is inadequate, the chapter could pass a motion asking leadership to consult more with staff.

Adopt a cohort model Classes should be allocated to a cohort and minimal intermingling should occur with students in other cohorts, including in learning spaces, common areas like halls and libraries, during breaks and at the school canteen and at drop offs and pickups.

Parents and carers Parents and carers should not gather at school gates and not enter the school – except for the parents of vulnerable or special needs students.

Audit of ventilation Schools should audit ventilation in classrooms and other

areas. Additional air filtration measures should be used if required. (For more on ventilation, see page 4.)

Cleaning There should be enhanced levels of cleaning, with daytime cleaning of high-touch areas (including in staff rooms).

Hand sanitiser should be provided, and soap should always be available in toilets.

Mask wearing Masks are required for all students in Year 7 and above and are mandatory for staff. Primary school aged children should be encouraged to wear masks.

Non-essential visitors Non-essential visitors should not be permitted on school premises.

Vaccination Any staff who are not vaccinated and are unsure whether they can attend school before 8 November, or who have been refused permission to work from home during this period, should contact the union. Staff having difficulties relating to contra-indication medical certificates should also contact the union.

The union is surveying members to find out if schools are applying adequate safety protocols. If your school has not responded yet, please go to: surveymonkey.com/r/9WLPBQW

2021 YEAR IN REVIEW

“May you live in interesting times”, as the ancient blessing (or is it a curse?) goes. In 2021, IEU members, elected officials, organisers, industrial officers and staff certainly lived in more than their fair share of “interesting times”. In a special four-page extract from the IEU’s 2021 Annual Report, IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Acting Secretary Carol Matthews reflects on the breadth and depth of the union’s work over a year like no other (well, except perhaps for 2020). We’ve included some of the year’s best photos.

In an uncertain year, one thing is for sure – it makes for “interesting” reading. See pages 9-12.

Tell us about Term 3

(vol 41 #7) October 2021

Contents

News

1

Features 4, 5, 8, 9-12, 13, 17

Reports 3, 4, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16

Member stories 2, 14

Member benefits 7, 13, 18, 19, 20 Newsmonth is published eight times a year (two issues per term) by the Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch.

Executive Editor: Mark Northam, Secretary for and on behalf of the IEU Executive and members Managing Editor: Monica Crouch Journalist/Sub editor: Sue Osborne Graphic Design: Chris Ruddle Contributions and letters from members are welcome. These do not reflect endorsement if printed, and may be edited for size and style at the Editor's discretion. They should be forwarded to: Newsmonth 485-501 Wattle Street ULTIMO NSW 2007 GPO Box 116 SYDNEY NSW 2001 Tel: 8202 8900 Toll free: 1800 467 943 Email: ieu@ieu.asn.au www.ieu.asn.au

ieunswact ieunswact ieunswact This publication was produced on the unceded lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.

The IEUA NSW/ACT Branch acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners of the lands where we live, learn and work, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

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We asked, you told us. In September, we put out a call on Facebook for you to tell us about your Term 3: the highlights, the lowlights, what worked and what didn’t. Here are your responses, compiled by Katie Camarena and Monica Crouch.

I work in a small special needs school with students who are disengaged from learning with a wide range of mental, physical, and intellectual difficulties. Many have drug addictions and unsafe home environments. With a large number of socioeconomically disadvantaged families with no ability to email or Zoom, we went the paper and phone call path for Term 3, focusing on keeping everyone afloat as much as possible. Productivity for everyone was squashed under the weight of anxiety and fear [with] increased drug use as family bonding or conflict resolution. I worry for our return to school, the work completed (or not) but mostly for the mental state of the cohort, and the behaviour that will arise from ‘weaning’ them off their current lifestyle and back into ‘school mode’. Term 3 was a major bump in the road for what we were building (in terms of personal health, happiness, and empowerment) for our students.

Some things I valued about my work community were really brought into question. Other aspects absolutely shone. What worked? Reaching out, and not backing away because it’s easier or we're just so unbelievably busy. Remembering that school is a 13-year marathon, and this stage will pass.

As a Learning Support Officer, it has been a steep learning curve.

We have been more like teachers, we've worked on site all term, working one-on-one. It has been challenging, with Zoom meetings, coping with network issues and helping kindy kids come to grips with computers. It has also been rewarding, seeing how all our students stepped up to the challenge, with care packages from parents and an amazing team to work with.

“Term 3 took the best part of the job, screwed it up and threw it in the bin.”

Try teaching a practical PE class online with Zoom – doesn’t happen!

As an Italian teacher I was able to cook ‘spaghetti al pomodoro’ live via Zoom with all my students – something I would not have been able to do at school.

I’m a teacher of the deaf and online learning has been even more challenging for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. We continue to innovate and stay connected with a vulnerable group of children. Going back to face-to-face will not be easy if face masks are mandated, as many students need to lip read. We continue to advocate for them and their families.

I love Zoom lessons to teach maths. I use a Wacom tablet and teach the same way I do in the classroom. I have found it exhausting however and I don’t get 100 percent attendance. It is demanding and sometimes the technology lets me down.

I joined the teaching profession because it is relational. I thrive off the daily interactions I have with my students, and the staff at my school, many of whom I am blessed to call friends. Term 3 took the best part of the job, screwed it up and threw it in the bin. I felt for the students in our preliminary and HSC classes, who didn't get the full experience of the final term in their particular courses, or the all-important experience of sitting a big exam. So many learning gains happen as you wander around the classroom while students work and offer a suggestion here and a redirection there. I was grateful to have reached the end of Term 3 and to have had the opportunity to offer the best possible learning experience under the circumstances.

Last year was like the practice run. This year we were a bit more prepared and able to keep communication happening more often with families and with each other.

Exhausting, no doubt, but also uplifting, finding new and unusual ways to keep the connections and resilience going.

Aides to teachers have really stepped up this term. Praise and thanks.

Term 3 was my last term of teaching before I retired. Who would have thought my last lessons would be from the spare bedroom in my own home? An odd end to a long time of teaching. I’ll miss my teacher friends and my students, but I won’t miss Zoom lessons.

Teaching music had its challenges but with mainly well-resourced families, most students were engaged. We found some amazing cup, bucket and body percussion resources last lockdown and used them again, often getting other family members to come and join in.

Term 3 was long and relentless but our school was well organised. Many changes from NESA made things hard for Year 12, including dates shifting and online Trial exams. But we still managed to get the HSC artworks in, and I was pleased the students had that chance of completion with each other due to the two-hour blocks allowed. Online learning amplifies the need for differentiation and flexibility in your classes.

You can’t win with remote learning: it’s too much work for some families, not enough for others, and too hard to engage for some.

The workload is intense and exhausting. The younger students still need a human there with them. We won’t be replaced with robots anytime soon. Despite the flaws we innovate and learn with our students. At times I felt like a performing monkey, dressing up and playing silly games, but we did what we could to keep the connection alive and make our kids smile. To all my fellow teachers out there, juggling, like everyone else, hang in there.

GET BEHIND THE STUDENTS Mark Northam Secretary

A strong initial teacher education experience is critical to establishing the groundwork for a long and successful teaching career, yet many final-year students are struggling to fulfill the requirements of their fourth-year professional experience. Current staffing shortages will be exacerbated if 2021 final-year students are not encouraged and supported.

Concerns raised Concerns around fourth-year Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students being able to undertake their final practicum were raised at the IEU August Council meeting.

The IEU has also been made aware from student members that a number of universities have been seeking to defer their professional experience placements.

While we understand this might be an appropriate course of action for non-

graduating cohorts, the union believes it is essential that final-year students are given every opportunity to complete their courses on schedule.

Universities can be flexible The union met with the Council of Deans of Education and was informed that each university has the capacity to exercise a degree of flexibility which should allow for students to meet the final practicum requirements.

The union has also been advising its members that schools should continue to accept practicum placements even though classes are operating online. From discussions with our colleagues at the NSW Teachers Federation, we are aware that practicums are still being conducted online in government schools.

Let them Zoom!

While it is understandable teachers might be reluctant to accept the responsibility of supervising a prac student while teaching online, the fundamentals of preparing

and presenting an engaging lesson remain the same.

Experienced members who regularly undertake supervising teacher roles should make it known to their school leadership team that they are willing and confident to accept ITE students who, it is fair to say, might even be more at home in the online environment than they are.

Professional experience negotiations The IEU and the Teachers Federation have had several meetings with the Council of Deans to negotiate the next Professional Experience Supervision Agreement.

The union has pressed the point that the daily rate is well below what it should be given the increasing demands and expectations placed on supervising teachers. Matters could be improved if all parties convened a round table with the intention of enhancing the practicum.

The union believes it is time to make industrial improvements to both the professional placement process and the accreditation pathway of a beginning

teacher and the federal government has the levers to attract and retain teachers.

What should the Prac look like?

Such improvements would involve a significant increase in the time release and remuneration for professional experience supervising teachers.

It would also entail graduate teachers being allocated a maximum of 0.8 of a full-time teaching load until they achieve their Proficient teacher status, while their mentors would also receive time release to work with them.

We need to draw a line in the sand with the endless round of reviews in education.

The teaching profession knows what needs to be done and these improvements need to be built into their industrial agreements.

With planning for 2022 well under way, it’s imperative that the 2021 cohort enter the teaching workforce supply line.

Developing a claim for Catholic systemic schools Carol Matthews Deputy Secretary

Members will be aware that the current enterprise agreements covering principals, teachers and support staff in Catholic systemic schools expire at the end of 2021. This is in line with the state award applying to teachers in NSW government schools that also expires at the end of 2021.

A professional pay rise Research by Professor John Buchanan of the University of Sydney Business School shows teachers' wages have not matched pay increases for other professionals. He found that in 1986, female teachers earned 102 per cent of the female professional average, and their male counterparts earned 99 percent of the men’s average. This fell to 93 percent (women) and 84 percent (men) in 2018. A 1015 percent increase would “restore the historical relativity” according to Professor Buchanan.

There is also a problem in that the pay structure for teachers is compressed and, at the top end, experienced teachers are paid less than experienced lawyers, engineers and information and communications technology professionals.

The NSW Teachers Federation has used Professor Buchanan’s research to support their pay claim for increases of 10% to 15% over two years.

Significant pay increases would also help address the issue of teacher shortages, which the federal and state governments acknowledge (see, for example, the Quality Initial Teacher Education Review Discussion Paper, released by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Learning (AITSL), and briefing papers prepared for NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell (reported in the Sydney Morning Herald).

An IEU survey conducted in February and March this year of 377 Catholic systemic schools found shortages were already evident throughout NSW. On average, about 44 percent of secondary schools had a temporary or permanent teacher vacancy, while 23 percent of primary schools were in the same position. Some reported they were unable to fill up to 70 percent of casual vacancies, while some regions, such as Armidale, were experiencing even more severe shortages.

More effective strategies are needed to deal with teacher shortages in both metro and regional areas.

Policies giving greater job security to casual teachers should also be implemented.

“Significant pay increases would help address the issue of teacher shortages, which both the federal and state governments acknowledge.”

Support staff pay parity Support staff in the school administrative services and classroom and learning support services streams in Catholic systemic schools are paid less than employees in corresponding classifications in government schools.

These groups in government schools received increases in 2019 because of a pay equity case brought by the NSW Public Service Association.

The union will strongly urge Catholic systemic employers to rectify this disparity. This issue was outstanding from the last pay round and the union considers it must be fixed now.

Time to do the job The union has been calling for some years for a reduced teaching load to give teachers more time to plan, prepare and consult with colleagues. Teaching hours in Australia are high by world standards and Australian teachers are working harder each year. Release time should be increased for both primary and secondary teachers by two hours each week.

Let teachers teach Teachers are calling for an end to the paperwork and data collection and analysis that gets in the way of teaching and learning. In some cases, dioceses unnecessarily layer additional compliance measures on top of federal and state government requirements. The IEU will be consulting with principals, teachers and support staff members to identify the tasks that do not support teaching and learning outcomes and should be removed.

Updating the enterprise agreements Parental leave conditions in Catholic schools should match those applying in government schools, including the new model of improved parental leave for fathers in the public sector.

Rates of pay and conditions applying to new promotions positions should also be clearly covered in the enterprise agreement.

Next steps The union will consult with members in Term 4 about developing our claim for finalisation before the end of the school year.

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Fair, safe and supportive workplaces Pam Smith

Assistant Secretary

A major continuing focus for the IEU is fair, safe and supportive workplaces for our members, especially during the uncertainties of COVID. Each year Australian employers with more than 100 staff, which includes all NSW/ACT Catholic dioceses, most charities and major early childhood sector employers and many independent schools, are required to report to the national Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) about their equity policies, procedures and practices. These reports are provided to the relevant unions and placed on the WGEA website (wgea.gov.au) for public access.

Employer reports to WGEA include updates about how they are ensuring that workplaces provide equal pay for work of comparable value, that there are no

barriers to the full and equal participation of women at all levels, and that there is access to flexible work arrangements for women and men who are carers for babies and children, for family members with illness or disability, and for those with elder care responsibilities.

Employers are also required to report on their policies and practices to prevent and address gender-based harassment and discrimination and to support workers who experience family or domestic violence.

An important role of WGEA, utilising the data from employer reports, is to monitor the national gender pay gap and the pay gap in employment sectors such as education. The question is often asked – if there has been ‘equal pay for work of equal value’ since 1972, how can there be a gender pay gap in Australia of 14.2 percent?

The gender pay gap measures the difference between the average earnings of women and men in the workforce and

reflects the social and economic factors that can reduce women’s earnings over a lifetime and lower their superannuation balances in retirement.

For example, the historic undervaluation of ‘women’s work’, such as in early childhood education and in school support staff roles, has resulted in lower pay rates, which the IEU has sought to address in its Fair Work Commission case for early childhood teachers and in the joint IEU/ Catholic employers working party to seek pay parity for support staff.

Another factor in the gender pay gap is that many women do not progress on salary scales, or access leadership roles as quickly as male colleagues, due to family and carer responsibilities, with this having a cumulative effect on earnings and ultimately on retirement incomes. It is estimated that Australian women continue to retire with about 40 percent less superannuation than male workers. Within this context,

the union movement is campaigning for superannuation to be paid on the 18 weeks of the national Paid Parental Leave scheme.

Annual reports to WGEA are an important aspect of employer accountability for workplace equity and provide a valuable source of information for the IEU, its reps and members, about employers’ commitment to fair, safe and inclusive workplaces.

All IEU members deserve to be treated with dignity and respect at work and for their pay to reflect contemporary standards, not historic gender-based anomalies. Together with collective workplace engagement and activism by members, the accountability framework of WGEA reporting provides a basis for enhancing workplace equity for women and men and for the students in our schools as they enter the future world of work.

School ventilation audits overdue Good ventilation in classrooms is a vital tool in the fight against COVID, along with mask wearing, social distancing, rapid antigen testing and, of course, vaccination, writes journalist Sue Osborne.

The IEU Executive called on NSW Health to develop guidelines concerning ventilation, air filtration and other health measures to make the re-opening of schools as safe as possible for staff and students.

The union urges schools to carry out audits of their ventilation and consider improved filtration and air purifiers as students return to the classroom.

Audits were carried out in public schools before the return to class, with a plan to buy 10,000 air filters for schools where ventilation is inadequate.

Speaking on Channel 7’s Sunrise on 30 September, IEU Acting Secretary Carol Matthews said she was disappointed by the State Government’s lack of consultation with the union prior to the return to school.

“I don’t know whether our employers were consulted, I suspect they weren’t. It’s one thing for teachers to be ready for classes – I’m sure they will be – but quite another for the buildings to be ready for the students,” Matthews said.

“One thing we’ve learnt with the Delta variant is that good ventilation and filtration are really important, and you can’t do that overnight.”

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Speaking with Ashleigh Gillon on Sky News’s NewsDay on 7 October, Matthews said: “We’d really like to see government guidelines apply to the nongovernment sector in terms of issues like ventilation, carbon dioxide monitoring, all those measures.

“Groups such as OzSAGE are putting out recommendations, but the government hasn’t actually even adopted those or strongly recommended them.”

Speaking on ABC’s The Drum on 30 September Wenona School Principal Dr Briony Scott said air filtration is “not going to be happening in most schools – or any school that I know of – before students start coming back”.

She also raised the NSW Government’s lack of consultation, saying she only found out about schools re-opening a week earlier via Twitter.

The union has written to school employers drawing their attention to this issue and asking them to act quickly.

Viruses such as COVID are spread by air droplets when infectious people cough or sneeze. They can stay in a room’s air for up to eight minutes.

Opening a window and increasing air circulation is a good way of reducing the risk of further infection.

When this is not possible, air conditioning, air purifiers and CO2 sensors, which indicate when the air in a room is becoming stale, are also important. Germany

is spending €500 million ($A800m) on improving ventilation in public buildings (BBC, 6 September).

UNSW air pollution expert Donna Green wrote in The Conversation recently that for $50 million, all Australian schools could be provided with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) purifiers, which can minimise the risk of COVID spread, as well as mitigating health risks from bushfire smoke.

Green notes that while this may sound like a big investment, it pales in comparison to the cost of lockdowns ($220 million a day in Sydney).

In New York, all classrooms needed to have two air purifiers installed before schools could re-open.

In Australia, a new group of public health experts called OzSAGE, along with federal Labor, back a plan for improved ventilation in classrooms (SMH, 5 September).

Labor’s National Disability Insurance Scheme spokesman, Bill Shorten, said in the SMH that the federal government should do its homework on school ventilation, particularly for special schools.

OzSAGE member and ventilation expert Professor Lidia Morawska said improved ventilation in public buildings could reduce the number of people infected in outbreaks by 50 percent. Ventilation measures would be particularly useful in schools and early childhood centres, she said.

IEU Organiser elected President of Hunter Workers IEU Organiser Carlo Rendina was recently elected President of Hunter Workers, the peak body representing union members in the Newcastle region, journalist Sue Osborne writes.

Hunter Workers has been around in one form or another for 152 years. The Eight Hour Day Committee was formed on 21 November 1869 and in 1895 became Newcastle Trades Hall Council (NTHC). In 2017, NTHC changed its name to the more inclusive Hunter Workers, but NTHC remains the governing body. Hunter Workers represents 27 affiliated unions and about 70,000 union members.

Rendina takes over as President at a time of considerable flux. Manufacturing still plays a vital role in the area, but it is on the wane and Hunter Workers, along with other organisations, are lobbying all levels of government for support for new enterprises, such as an expanded international airport.

Hunter Workers is also exploring new ways of supporting and communicating with union members and the wider community. It has recently appointed a social media coordinator.

“We used to be able to march on the streets, and the police would cheer us on, but we live in different times. We have to find new ways of reaching people, especially the younger generation,” Rendina said.

The future of coal in the area, and the diverse opinions on that issue, even within the labour movement, is another issue that Hunter Workers must grapple with.

Rendina taught mathematics and was Studies of Religion Coordinator at St Francis Xavier's College in Hamilton for many years before taking a role with the IEU in 2007 to cover an organiser's maternity leave. In 2011, he joined the IEU as a permanent organiser in Newcastle.

“We believe all workers have a right be safe at work, receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. They should enjoy working conditions that allow them to support their families and productively contribute to the community they live in,” Rendina said.

“How this is achieved has changed from the days of the Rothbury Riot* and the protest marches and green bans of the ‘70s. Working within current legislative restraints, Hunter Workers supports union members by assisting in affiliated union campaigns, having a strong traditional media and social media presence, engaging with political leaders, supporting local social justice groups and working with Unions NSW and the ACTU on state and federal campaigns.

“Working collectively produces better results for all involved.”

“Like being a member of a union, unions working collectively produce better results for all involved. I hope in my time as President, Hunter Workers can work with all affiliated unions, seeing past any differences and focusing on working together for the greater good of all Hunter Valley workers.”

He was a delegate on NTHC for about 25 years, a member of the executive since 2013, a trustee since 2020 and elected President on 2 September.

He said Hunter Workers' vision has not changed from the Eight Hour Day Committee of 150 years ago.

Standing up for the south coast

*In 1929, 5000 Hunter Valley miners protested loss of pay and conditions. Police fired on the crowd, killing one and injuring 45 others.

Since 2019, the IEU has also been represented at the South Coast Labour Council by its President, IEU Organiser Tina Smith, journalist Sue Osborne writes.

Smith has been an IEU Organiser on the south coast for 13 years. Before joining the IEU she worked in several early childhood centres in the Illawarra region.

Smith supports Secretary Arthur Rorris’s efforts to amalgamate the region’s unions in the fight for better wages and conditions for all workers. The council also supports the community through activities to help south coast towns devasted during the bushfires of 2019-2020 and COVID. Under her auspices, the council has reinstated its women’s committee, which is planning activities in support of the We Won’t Wait campaign for paid domestic violence leave. The constitution of the council demands a 50 percent representation of women on its executive.

The council often collaborates with the University of Wollongong in research projects. Its work on wage theft affecting young people working in hospitality and retail garnered significant media coverage.

The council is currently involved in a research project looking at how wage increases, particularly in the public sector, would impact on the communities of the south coast. “Everything Arthur does has to be fact based, all our statements are strong and meaningful,” Smith said.

Like Hunter Workers, the Wollongong area has a strong industrial heritage, with mining and steel works dominating for many years.

The council is now a broad church, with teachers’ unions playing an important role.

Smith is not shy about flying the IEU flag at council events.

The council evolved from Illawarra District Trades & Labour Council, formed in 1943, which itself evolved from miners’ lodges of the 1870s.

The council issued the following statement in response to the public disorder on the streets of Melbourne at the end of September:

The right to a safe workplace: Free from infection The South Coast Labour Council notes its extreme concern and disgust at the events in Victoria and elsewhere that represent a crude and deplorable attempt by extreme right-wing elements to hijack and derail the efforts of the union movement including nurses, doctors and all frontline workers putting in endless hours and risking their own lives to keep union members, their families, communities and their workplaces safe.

The South Coast Labour Council notes that there can be no greater right or freedom for any worker than the right to return home from work to their families alive and free from injury, serious disease and illness. Our region has learnt this the hard way in our mines and heavy industry, with some of the worst ever industrial disasters this country has seen. No one has the right or freedom to increase the risk of infecting their workmates and their families with the coronavirus or otherwise putting them in harm’s way.

Workplace safety is not a choice.

The Labour Council further notes: • Our voice and strength as a movement comes from our unity, our common purpose and our collective action not from the liberal principles that opportunistic politicians rely on for their own power.

• The crude and ugly attempts by extreme right-wing forces to destabilise our communities at a time of crisis reflects a critical failure in the discharge of primary responsibilities by the Federal Government. The failure extends beyond the utter bungling of the vaccine rollout and can now be clearly seen as “leadership hesitancy”.

Accordingly, the South Coast Labour Council calls on the Federal Government to do its job and clean up the mess it has created through its neglect, incompetence and political opportunism.

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Your health, safety, wellbeing and employment at the heart of our work As the challenges of Term 4 and the return of students unfold within the ongoing COVID context, as always, the IEU thanks principal members for their great support and for their advocacy on behalf of their IEU principal colleagues.

Regarding the evolving COVID situation and the safe return to school of students and staff, the union is continuing to engage with employers, with the NSW and ACT governments and in the media to ensure a voice for our members about issues such as vaccinations, ventilation and air quality in schools.

The health and safety of principals, teachers and support staff is the key focus of the IEU and the union

looks forward to working with our members to provide information, advice and support.

Enterprise agreements (EAs) for Catholic systemic principals (Sydney Archdiocese and the other 10 dioceses) are due for renegotiation and principals’ input is invited to assist in the development of the union’s claims for these two EAs. The IEU met with Sydney principal members on 14 October; with Wilcannia-Forbes principals on 20 October; and Parramatta principals on 21 October.

We welcomes opportunities to meet via Zoom with other diocesan principals or face-to-face when possible.

In the independent schools sector, the IEU is working towards finalising the multi-enterprise agreements

(MEAs) for teachers and support staff in Term 4, noting that the salary and conditions of many independent school principals are based on the teachers’ MEAs. A Zoom meeting with IEU independent sector principals is scheduled for 28 October.

The Term 4 IEU Principals’ Sub Branch meeting will be held via Zoom on 6 November and the union always welcomes the input of principals at this and other forums and via phone or email contact. Your health, safety, wellbeing and employment rights are at the heart of who we are and what we do at the IEU.

Pam Smith Principals’ Organiser

Present tense

Opening up at last

Sydney’s long lockdown is over at last. One of the many changes will be a gradual loosening of the tight restrictions around Australia’s international borders.

The nation’s borderes have been locked tight since March 2020, and even Australian citizens have found it difficult to get in, let alone international students.

For now, the easing of restrictions applies only to residents, but it is only a matter of time until students are allowed back in greater numbers, offering a ray of hope for an industry that has been pushed right to the brink over the last 18 months.

The first students to arrive will be part of a pilot program of returnees, comprising of several hundred fully vaccinated students from various Asian countries, who will quarantine in specially designated accommodation in inner Sydney. These arrivals will be in addition to the normal arrival caps, though presumably limits on residents will soon be a thing of the past anyway.

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These changes cannot come soon enough for an industry that has faced its greatest ever crisis. Many colleges have closed their doors, most others have had to make massive cutbacks to even stay open, and all teachers and students have had to get used to mostly exclusive use of online learning.

A recent report from the industry body English Australia has laid out the damage done, with ELICOS enrolments in 2021 down over 60 percent on last year, which of course was itself a year of crisis in the sector.

Meanwhile, ELICOS-specific visas were down some 82 percent in 2020, a horrifying statistic for those who rely on the sector.

The industry has been through some tough times in the last two years, but maybe, just maybe, the worst is now over, and the sector can cautiously look forward to a slow improvement in 2022.

Taylors College One provider hit hard is Taylors College in Waterloo, which operates the Foundation Studies program for the University of

Sydney. Taylors has long been an IEU stronghold, and for a long time, it looked like it was weathering the storm. In October, however, the college announced a massive round of redundancies, the implications of which were still being felt as this column went to press.

Taylors was hit early by the pandemic, with its China-heavy student population caught unawares when the Australian government closed the border to Chinese nationals in February 2020. The college moved quickly to online learning, and due to the long course-time for much of its delivery, it was able to maintain numbers through much of 2020.

But this year those numbers have declined, to the point where student enrolments are now 40 percent down on where they were pre-COVID, with the 2700 students in 2019 now sitting at 1100, many of whom are soon due to finish up, presaging a further decline in 2022. Consequently, Study Group, the College’s parent company, has felt it had no alternative but

to institute many redundancies, with 40 staff due to lose their jobs.

While the state of the industry no doubt has made some job losses inevitable, members at the college argue that the process has not been handled well. Many staff, a lot of whom have been with the college for up to 20 years, felt ambushed by the announcement on 6 October, with little or no opportunity to make alternative suggestions. There was no offer of voluntary redundancies in the first instance, and the criteria used to select those being redundant was opaque at best.

As a result, the excellent IEU Chapter at the college met and passed a resolution calling on the college to pause the process and offer voluntary redundancies at first instance.

At deadline, it’s unclear how successful this fightback will be, but it serves a cautionary tale of how not to run a redundancy process, with even those staff who remain now distrustful of their employer.

Kendall Warren Organiser

EARLY CHILDHOOD SECTOR UPDATES Elections for Early Childhood Services (ECS) Council members Elections of three ECS Council positions for country sub branches opened in October. Biographies of each candidate have been sent to early childhood members with voting instructions. The three members successfully elected will join ECS Councillors Amy Martin, Michelle Thompson, Natalie Leeson and Jane Courtney. Gabrielle Connell remains the ECS Vice President.

Teacher accreditation NESA has advised the IEU that all teachers who are overdue or due to complete their Proficient Teacher or maintenance of accreditation requirements in Term 3 or Term 4 2021 have been granted an extension until 4 March 2022. This includes teachers who were due to finalise their maintenance on 17 July 2021. Please disregard the current due date in your NESA eTAMS account as this will not be updated to reflect the extension.

For further information, please see NESA’s Coronavirus Advice page: educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/ nesa/about/news/covid-advice

Confronting workplace violence and aggression Learn what to do when confronted by aggression or violence in the workplace. IEU Organiser Lisa James contributed to an article published by Community Early Learning Australia (CELA) on 19 August on this topic. We publish extracts below with CELA’s permission.

In the article, James said the IEU regularly receives calls about workplace aggression directed at educators from families and children which have included parents verbally abusing staff and making threats to their personal safety.

Aggression is often triggered by circumstances that have led the person to feel threatened or frustrated.

The following signs may indicate that a parent or other individual could become aggressive: • restless, agitated, pacing, hostile facial expressions with sustained eye contact • appears angry, irritable, tense, stressed or is having difficulty controlling their emotions.

In these instances, we must understand that neurologically, the person we’re encountering is not using the rational, problem-solving part of their brain, so trying to rationalise with the person to de-escalate the behaviour may not be possible, and harm may occur before the threat can be defused.

What constitutes workplace violence or aggression?

Workplace violence and aggression covers a broad range of actions and behaviours that create a risk to health and safety, for example: • physical assault such as biting, scratching, hitting, kicking, pushing, grabbing, throwing objects • intentionally coughing or spitting on someone • sexual assault or any other form of indecent physical contact • harassment or aggressive behaviour that creates a fear of violence, such as stalking, sexual harassment, verbal threats and abuse, yelling and swearing • hazing or initiation practices for new or young workers • violence from a family or domestic relationship

when this occurs at the workplace, including if the person’s workplace is their home. (Source: Safe Work Australia) Ensuring a safe working environment is the law How your team should react in these situations needs to be addressed in your policies. All team members need to know their rights and who they can call on should someone behave abusively or aggressively towards them.

The model Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws require the Approved Provider of a service to: "Take care of the health, safety and welfare of your workers, including yourself and other staff, contractors and volunteers, and others (clients, customers, visitors) at your workplace." (Source: Safe Work Australia) In education and care services, the employer is often referred to as the Approved Provider. Just as an employer would assess other risks in the workplace, they must also assess risks to the health and safety of employees relating to violence and aggression.

Approved Providers should use risk assessments to determine the level of risk relating to workplace violence and aggression — this will enable control measures to be implemented to ensure the health and safety of educators. These systems, processes, and procedures can minimise the frequency of workplace aggression and violence and can also enable educators and other employees to manage incidents as they arise and know what needs to be done afterward.

The full article can be found at: cela.org.au/ publications/amplify!-blog/august/what-to-do-whenworkplace-violence Community Early Learning Australia is the peak body for Australia’s early childhood education sector, advocating quality education and care for all Australian children. It is a member-based organisation supporting early education professionals through resources, consultancy, training and events.

National Workforce Strategy The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) recently surveyed staff in the early childhood sector and received 3800 survey responses. This sounds like a lot but Australia-wide there is a workforce of 150,000. Regional and remote areas were over-represented – while 73 percent of services are located in major cities, just over 56 percent of the respondents indicated they worked in cities. Some 95 percent of respondents were female and over 40 percent of respondents were aged 46 or older. Long day care was over-represented, with 67 percent of respondents, less than 18 percent from preschool, less than 10 percent from outside school-hours care and less than 5 percent from family day care.

Unsurprisingly, the focus area (FA) 1 Professional recognition was nominated as the most important focus area, closely followed by FA 2 Attraction and Retention and FA 4 Wellbeing; then FA 3 Leadership and Capability and FA 5 Qualifications and Career, with FA 6 Data and Evidence a distant last. The most important overall actions were: 1 investigate options for improving professional standing, and workforce pay and conditions, including examining the associated barriers and constraints 2 promote the importance of a career in children’s education and care through a national communications campaign, including highlighting career opportunities in a growing sector 3 agree and consistently use contemporary terminology to describe the children’s education and care sector, and its workforce (eg from ‘childcare’ to ‘education and care’) 4 investigate options for improved wellbeing supports, including affordable and coordinated access to an employee assistance program, supporting service providers to have a strong mental health, resilience building and wellbeing culture, and examining the associated barriers and constraints to accessing wellbeing supports.

Pay and conditions were raised as important issues when asked to provide feedback on focus areas (FA) 1, 2, 3 and 4, even though these were only officially part of FA 1 – demonstrating how vital it is to address these issues in an expedited manner.

Respondents were asked to rate how likely they would be to recommend a career in early childhood education and care to friends or family. Promoters are those who give a rating of ‘extremely likely’ (9 or 10). Detractors give scores from ‘not at all likely’ (0 to 6). Passives sit between these groups (6 to 7). A combined score of 10 to 30 is considered good and over 50 is considered excellent. A score of minus 10 should be seen as a warning sign. The results were disturbing, with an already very poor ‘net promoter’ score of minus 25 in 2019 falling to an even more shocking minus 39 in 2021.

I’m sure you will not be surprised to read teachers and educators were unlikely to recommend a career in the sector because of pay, working hours and conditions, training, responsibility, wellbeing, lack of respect, stress and heavy workloads.

Working in early childhood education and care contributes significantly to the lives of children, families and wider society.

However, there needs to be a balance between the important work staff do and appropriate remuneration and recognition.

If you’re looking for a new position in the sector, ask about pay and working conditions before you accept an offer of employment.

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What you need to know about vaping Students vaping at school is a growing problem for teachers and support staff, journalist Sue Osborne writes.

Students often believe they are indulging in a habit that is relatively safe, but new studies have shown vaping is dangerous.

Figures from the Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey have shown a rise in the use of e-cigarettes among young people. Lifetime use of those aged 14-19 jumped from 12.5 percent to 14.5 percent from 2016 to 2019.

The Lung Foundation Australia is calling for a nationwide ban on over-the-counter sales of vapes and e-cigarettes due to this rise in youth vaping and increasing concerns about the impact these devices have on respiratory health.

A recent study by Curtin University researchers revealed potentially toxic substances in e-liquids or vape juice.

The study tested the chemicals and toxicity of 52 flavoured vape e-liquids available for sale over the counter in Australia and found that 100 percent of the products were inaccurately labelled and contained chemicals with unknown effects on respiratory health.

Almost a third of the products also contained chemicals that are likely to be toxic if inhaled repeatedly, while 21 percent contained nicotine, despite the substance being banned in the country.

The chemicals found in these e-liquids were known to cause respiratory disorders, including severe irritation when inhaled, and contribute to the development of lung cancer.

The researchers also found other chemicals safe for use in other consumer and retail products but untested for shortand long-term respiratory health impacts when inhaled.

“With the unregulated, untested, and unknown nature of the vape industry, we knew the research into the chemicals and toxicity of e-liquids would uncover strong findings, but we never expected such alarming results,” Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke said.

“Along with the concerning risks to lung health and the inclusion of nicotine, the ingredients within many of

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these e-liquids include those that are commonly used in household disinfectant, petroleum, cosmetics, paint and even eugenol which is commonly used to euthanise fish,” Brooke said.

“While these may be safe to use for these specific purposes, they haven’t been tested or determined to be safe as an inhalant.”

Brooke said that a nationwide ban was vital to protect Australians, particularly young people, from the known and unknown risks of vaping.

Youth vaping on the rise “The inclusion of fruit, alcohol, and confectionary flavours, along with deceitful marketing, has meant these products are purposefully positioned as appealing to our younger generation, including school-age children, and in turn, most detrimental to their futures,” Brooke said.

“The damage caused by the continual use of these products could be costing a generation their freedom to healthy lungs and have our hospital respiratory units facing patients with respiratory issues and even lung disease or cancer.”

Uncovering the real dangers Dr Sukhwinder Sohal, a clinical respiratory scientist who has extensively researched the impact of e-cigarettes, said many users might not realise that any combination of fluid can be placed into these devices, whether stipulated by the manufacturers or not, which meant users were often unaware that they might be inhaling harmful chemicals.

“This is most concerning in young vape users who, by naively experimenting with a combination of inhalants, could end up with ongoing respiratory distress and longterm lung damage,” he said.

Fact sheet The Lung Foundation has produced a fact sheet for teachers and support staff on vaping. It recommends teachers and support staff be patient, avoid criticism and be open and honest when confronting young people about vaping.

There should be an emphasis on easy discussion and mutual receptivity in a safe, caring and understanding space. Stick with the facts, steer clear of overreaction and keep the emotion out of it, it said.

A good method is to assist young people to make their own informed decisions around the issue. Emphasise the way in which the tobacco industry covertly manipulates them through glossy imagery and savvy marketing. If nicotine addiction is involved, work with them in an open and honest healing space and build rapport to start getting them the help they need.

Above all, always deal with the facts, be sure to underline the health issues and demonstrate authentic care in a nonjudgmental setting.

Information campaign Lung Foundation Australia has also launched an education campaign to raise awareness on the effects of vapes and e-cigs on respiratory health.

The Unveil What You Inhale campaign offers educational resources to support young people, parents, caregivers, teachers, and educators in empowering young people to make informed decisions about their health.

“With the current climate shedding little to no light on these concerns, young vape users are left in the dark about the potential dangers,” Brooke said. “In launching this campaign, we are hoping to change this by arming users, parents, and schools with the resources they need to have those difficult but very important and potentially life-saving conversations.

“That is why we are calling on the country’s teachers and school leaders to take opportunities to have those difficult, but very important and potentially lifesaving, conversations, and share our latest resources that shed light on the concerning risks to lung health, as well as inclusion of nicotine and dangerous chemicals within many of the country’s vape e-liquids to support young vape users in their decision making.”

Lung Foundation resources: bit.ly/3kZTwRd

IEU members and friends attend the School Strike 4 Climate on 21 May 2021.

Acting Secretary Carol Matthews looks back over a turbulent year in a special four-page excerpt from the union’s 2021 Annual Report.

I am delivering this report on behalf of the Branch Secretary, Mark Northam, who is on leave. The last 12 months have seen unprecedented interruption to daily life in all countries of the world.

Without doubt, Australia has escaped the worst of the pandemic. However, the Delta variant of the COVID virus proved challenging in the second half of 2021, with schools in many parts of NSW effectively closed for nearly four months from late June until late October. ACT schools have also been closed from mid-July until late October.

Residents of 12 Sydney Local Government Areas suffered particularly onerous restrictions as the NSW Government struggled to limit transmission of the highly contagious variant. There has been an atmosphere of fear and trepidation only starting to dissipate as vaccination levels have approached 80 percent of the eligible population and the NSW Government launched its roadmap out of lockdown from 11 October.

Virus, vaccination, Public Health Orders and push back One measure used by the NSW Government to control the spread of the virus has been Public Health Orders (PHOs) requiring employees in particular sectors to be vaccinated against COVID, including health and aged care. A PHO was also made requiring early learning centre and disability staff who lived or worked in one of the 12 LGAs to have had at least one dose of the vaccination or have a medical contraindication certificate. Similar provisions applied to other authorised workers, such as school staff, who had to leave one of the 12 LGAs for work and those workers also

required a government permit. Keeping up to date with the changes and understanding who was caught became a full-time occupation.

In late August, the NSW Government dropped a bombshell when it announced its intention to require all school and early learning centre staff to be double vaccinated by 8 November. There was a considerable delay in the making of the PHO causing confusion and doubt as to whether the government would implement its policy and whether a broader range of exemptions would be available than foreshadowed by the government. The union was flooded by complaints about the government policy, including by people who were not members or who had only joined the union shortly before. Finally, a PHO was made on 23 September 2021 in line with the August announcement. A week later a new timetable was announced for the re-opening of schools across Sydney and many regional areas. And a few days later, the Premier and Deputy Premier of NSW resigned.

Public Health Orders were also made in Victoria requiring school and early learning centre staff to be fully vaccinated, but the ACT Government resisted the trend – until 13 October when Chief Minister Andrew Barr mandated vaccinations for staff in early childhood education and care services, primary schools and out-of-school hours care for the remainder of 2021.

Given the highly contagious nature of the Delta variant, IEU offices have been closed for much of the period from late June with skeleton staff assisting with the switch and doing other work that was difficult to perform from home.

All union activity in the past year must be seen against this backdrop. The unique circumstances of 2021 have affected some union functions more than others.

Industrial One impact of COVID on the industrial work of the union has been that for much of the year, court, tribunal and Fair Work Commission appearances and hearings have been conducted online rather than face-to-face.

In the Catholic systemic school sector, a two-year enterprise agreement was bedded down in late 2020 for teachers and support staff in NSW and the ACT. Enterprise agreements for principals (one limited to Sydney Catholic Schools and the other covering principals in the remaining dioceses) were made at the same time. Pay rises reflected those in the public sector with the notable exception of increases for support staff where we were still unable to achieve the increases the NSW Public Service Association obtained in August 2019 for support staff in NSW public schools as a result of their pay equity case.

Nevertheless, a joint IEU/Catholic Employment Relations (CER) Working Party was agreed to and has met five times this year to consider the comparability of positions in the administrative and classroom and learning support streams in government and Catholic systemic schools. A report is due shortly. New agreements were also made for teachers and support staff in NSW Model B and Model C Catholic independent schools, largely reflecting the settlement in NSW Catholic systemic schools. NSW Model A Catholic independent schools paid their staff an increase of 2.28% in newsmonth - Vol 41 #7 2021

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IEU members and officials at the 2021 Activists’ Conference in April at Leura.

Unionists celebrate International Women’s Day in the Domain on 8 March 2021.

2021 but refused to make new agreements because of the delay in bargaining in independent schools represented by the Association of Independent Schools (AIS). In late 2020, a new Multi-Enterprise Agreement (MEA) was made to cover support staff in the three ACT Catholic independent schools and a Teachers MEA should be made shortly.

In the independent school sector, uncertainty caused by COVID in 2020 totally disrupted bargaining with the AIS for new MEAs to replace the Teachers and Support Staff MEAs that expired in January 2021. The AIS refused to recommend a general pay rise for 2021 so the union campaigned school by school for increases, achieving pay rises in the overwhelming majority of schools. A settlement has now been reached on almost all outstanding issues and new MEAS will be made in coming weeks.

Fortunately, negotiations in relation to Christian schools, including those represented by the AIS, have proceeded without delay. A new MEA was made for teachers in NSW in Christian schools represented by Christian Schools Australia (CSA) and Christian Education National (CEN) and a separate MEA was made for teachers in NSW Christian schools represented by the AIS. An MEA to cover support staff in three Christian schools in the ACT is also close to finalisation.

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A major part of the union’s work over an eight-year period has almost come to an end with the decision in April 2021 in the union’s long-running case for pay rises for teachers in early childhood services. Although the Fair Work Commission rejected the union’s application for an Equal Remuneration Order, the Commission accepted that there has been a significant increase in the work value of teachers employed in schools and early childhood services since the pay relativities for teachers were first set in the federal system. Following hearings in August 2021, a draft modern award variation was released for comment by the Commission on 11 October, adopting almost all of the drafting submissions by the union.

Enterprise bargaining has also continued in the early childhood sector but the difficult state of the ELICOS industry due to the closure of Australia’s international borders because of COVID has made bargaining with English colleges almost impossible.

roles and participated in consultations conducted by the federal early childhood regulatory authority, the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), in relation to a National Workforce Strategy.

We also engaged in the Thrive by Five campaign, lobbying to improve access to early learning. We participated in a delegation to meet the federal Minister for Education and Youth, the Hon Alan Tudge MP.

Early childhood education and care The IEU undertakes a great range of our work on behalf of members employed in early learning centres. In 2021, we were actively engaged in lobbying and representational

Principals Another group of members who have remained closely engaged with the union is principals. Principals have faced particular challenges this year and, as in 2020, have been

Support staff Support staff were a major focus of our program in 2021.

The work of IEU members and Officers on the IEU/Catholic Employment Relations Working Party has been groundbreaking. The Support Staff Advisory Committee has continued to support work in this sector, providing input in relation to publications, events such as Support Staff Day in May and advice in relation to the planned 2021 Support Staff Conference (unfortunately postponed due to COVID).

From left: Early childhood teacher and ECS Council member Amy Martin; IEUA Acting Federal Secretary Christine Cooper; and Organiser Lisa James visited Parliament House, Canberra, to meet with Federal Education and Youth Minister Alan Tudge on 16 June 2021.

Protesting salary caps: from left, NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns; Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey; and IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Mark Northam.

IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Mark Northam delivers the keynote address at the 2021 Palm Sunday march and rally. on the front line of planning how to guide their school communities in the face of the COVID challenge. Principals have continued to meet on a regular basis by Zoom when face-to-face meetings were not possible.

Recruitment and organising The area of our work most heavily impacted by COVID has been our recruitment and organising. Notwithstanding these difficulties, IEU membership over the period of the last 12 months is in a strong position, although we have not been able to retain all the members who joined at the start of the COVID outbreak in early 2020.

Organisers have developed new techniques to meet with members by Zoom, either at Chapter meetings or on occasion in “huddles”, that is, meetings involving Reps and members across a number of schools.

However, without doubt, our ability to recruit new members has been hampered, particularly in the areas subject to the longest lockdowns. In recent months, the IEU, along with other unions, has been targeted by antivaccination campaigners who have encouraged union members to resign as a way of trying to force the union to oppose mandatory vaccination.

Although some members have resigned, others rejoined when an organiser approached them. Our administrative staff in general and our membership team in particular have done an outstanding job in chasing unfinancial members and improving the information we have about members and our general efficiency.

Professional engagement We renamed our educational issues agenda to professional engagement in 2021 to reflect the broad range of issues in which the union operates.

Our professional engagement team has been active in representing the union in a large number of forums, both at the state and national level.

Staff have represented the union on the NESA Board and on the NESA Policy Advisory Committee. We have participated in the NSW Curriculum Reform Stakeholder Roundtable Forums. At the national level, we have engaged with the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL)’s Teacher Practice Reference Group in relation to online formative assessment. A highlight has been the work we have done on the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD), from the initial establishment

of an IEU working group, the conduct of the survey, to the negotiations with employers and ultimately, the achievement of substantially improved guidelines for the process that will be released by the federal Department of Education, Skills and Employment.

The union has lobbied on behalf of teachers in relation to accreditation issues and has continued to provide support for teachers undertaking Proficient Teacher accreditation.

As in previous years, we have provided outstanding support for members seeking Experienced Teacher accreditation in independent schools.

The union’s professional development program has struggled in 2021, because of the change to NESA policy requiring that in order to be accredited, PD must focus on one of the four designated priority areas. However, members have still been able to access the large number of courses stored on the IEUZone.

Union training Our trade union training program has been another casualty of the COVID lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. Only a limited number of training days could be conducted with Reps being understandably reluctant to attend Zoom newsmonth - Vol 41 #7 2021

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ACTU President Michele O’Neil with IEU Executive member Kylie Booth-Martinez during the Uluru Statement from the Heart Delegation to Parliament, Canberra, in March 2021.

IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Mark Northam and Acting Secretary Carol Matthews.

Palm Sunday Rally and March on 28 March 2021.

training when face-to-face training was not possible.

Notwithstanding the long periods of lockdown, the Activists' Conference proceeded in Leura in April and was a great success.

Media and communications One of the areas of our work that has not been negatively impacted by COVID has been media and communications.

Our team has done an outstanding job in producing a full suite of vibrant publications, in maintaining a strong social media presence and has at the same time kept our website up to date. Press coverage of the union’s agenda has been unprecedented in the past 12 months. The breadth and detail of our activities reflect great credit on our team.

Women and equity A host of activities have been organised at the Branch and national levels of the union by the union’s NSW/ACT Women and Equity Committee. The concepts of gender, respect and consent were especially topical in 2021 and delegates and others who attended the June IEU Council particularly enjoyed the panel session on this theme with great guest speakers. Many attended March4Justice.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee The union’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee continued its work in 2021 but was unable to progress the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) due to difficulties in consulting with the community due to COVID restrictions.

Environment Unfortunately, the hard work of the union’s Environment Committee was unable to come to fruition because COVID caused the postponement of the three exciting events planned for August and September. These will now be held next year. Nonetheless, we ran a successful grants process 12

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in 2020-21 with winners' projects coming to fruition. Further winners have been announced on our website (ieu.asn.au).

Child protection Responding to child protection allegations on behalf of members is a core function of the union. The IEU undertakes vital work on behalf of individual members, raising issues with government about the child protection schemes in place in NSW and the ACT. Social justice The union does important work in participating in the organisation of Palm Sunday and May Day 2021 rallies (both held in person). Other activities have been providing support to APHEDA (the ACTU international aid organisation), assisting in the development of resources to support gender-diverse students in schools and the campaign against the Parental Rights Bill. The union Executive has also supported a number of causes by donations.

Member benefits Our teacher exchange program was unable to continue in 2021 due to COVID and is also suspended for 2022.

However, there were considerable logistical difficulties for exchangees stranded overseas in late 2020 who had difficulty returning with the borders closing. The IEU provided support to affected members.

The union has continued to support Union Shopper as a key member benefit (see the Member Benefits Annexure).

We also are affiliated with the Workers Health Centre and the Welfare Rights Centre which provide services accessible by members. We continue to have partnerships with Teachers Health, Teachers Mutual Bank and NGS Super.

NGS Super Superannuation is always a topic of interest to IEU members. The 2021 Annual Report contains a detailed report on the fund's investment performance and explains the failed merger with the Australian Catholic Superannuation Retirement Fund.

National and international The IEU participates in federal consultations and campaigns on behalf of members and, althought to a lesser extent in 2021, solidarity work at the international level. NSW/ACT officers have been involved in much of this work which is also supported financially by payment of capitation fees to the federal union by our Branch.

The union has continued to work closely with the ACTU, under the inspired leadership of Sally McManus and Michele O’Neil, and Unions NSW under the strong leadership of Mark Morey. We remain active in regional union organisations including Hunter Unions, the South Coast Labour Council and Unions ACT.

Regional offices Our regional offices in Canberra, Lismore and Newcastle continue to provide a high level of service to members.

Although the Lismore office moved to new premises from the start of 2020, the official opening of the office was delayed until Term 1 this year. The long-delayed event was very enjoyable. Our Canberra office is also facing a move with the finalisation of the sale of the building in which we are presently located on 13 October.

Thank you Finally, on behalf of Mark and myself, I would like to thank the Executive and Council for your continuing support of the union's work – this support and engagement of members in decision-making is crucial to our success. To the staff who have done their very best during a difficult year, also our special thanks. I extend my thanks for the exceptional job done by Mark, Pam, and Liam, as the leadership team over the past year. Thank you.

Australia’s broken wages bargain Have you noticed your once-adequate salary has fallen behind? ACTU Secretary Sally McManus, in conversation with economist Dr Jim Stanford, explains how it happened and what needs to change.

No matter how you slice or dice it, the picture for salaries in Australia is bleak. “Wages are utterly stuck in the mud,” said Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Secretary Sally McManus.

In a special online event in July, attended by some 750 unionists and academics, McManus and Dr Jim Stanford, Director of the Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute, traced the nation’s trajectory to wage stagnation – and the path out.

Salaries haven’t always been so stymied. “For most of the past few decades, wages did allow gradual improvements in the real standard of living for most workers,” McManus said. “But the data tells us something changed around the end of 2013.”

Let's cast our minds back. In 2013, the Liberal/National Coalition, led by Tony Abbott, came to power. “Since late 2013, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Wage Price Index, nominal wages across the whole economy have grown at an annual average rate of 2%,” McManus said.

“Wage growth in the private sector has been even weaker.”

Just two years before, in 2011, NSW employees had maximum annual increases of 2.5% imposed upon them when the NSW Liberal government, under Premier Barry O’Farrell, stripped the NSW Industrial Relations Commission of its autonomy: the IRC could no longer award pay rises above the state government’s salary cap. In the same year, the state government legislated a 2.5% salary cap on public sector wage increases. The course for many teachers and support staff was set.

Now, let's cast our minds back to when teachers’ unions could take work value cases to the IRC. They only did this every decade or so, and they won substantial gains. In 1970, they were awarded a 21% to 24% salary increase; in 1980, it was 9.5% over nine months; in 1991, it was 9% to 13% and for principals and deputy principals it was 20% to 29% over seven months. In 2003-04, it was 12% to 19.5%.

These cases became impossible in 2011. And from 2013, the 2.5% trend (sometimes 2.28%, sometimes just 2%) set in.

“It has been the case for eight years now,” McManus said.

“Eight straight years of very low wage growth.”

Not caused by COVID The COVID-19 pandemic has not caused wages stagnation, but it has intensified it. It has also expanded an already wide wealth gap. While working people in south-western Sydney and regional Wilcannia struggled with stubborn Delta outbreaks, an exclusive group grew richer.

“The wealth of Australia’s billionaires doubled during the pandemic, and corporate profits rose 10 percent despite the recession and mass unemployment,” McManus said.

World stock markets, including Australia’s, hit record highs.

Some businesses kept JobKeeper subsidies intended to support employees, despite recording rising profits.

“We will never see stronger proof that wealth does not trickle down,” McManus said. “In Australia, for the last generation, wealth has been trickling up. And during the pandemic, that trickle up became a torrent.”

For those who may feel guilty about pay rises in a pandemic, McManus crunched some pre-COVID numbers – specifically, the labour share of gross domestic product (GDP). Economists calculate the cost of labour, including superannuation contributions, as a percentage of GDP. In 2019, labour costs fell to a record low of 47 percent of Australia’s GDP. The peak was in 1975, when labour costs were 57.4 percent.

Here’s what it translates to. “That loss of 10.4 percent of GDP is worth $208 billion in today’s terms,” McManus said.

“That works out to a stunning average of almost $20,000 in lost income for each and every waged worker in Australia.”

Done deliberately McManus calls for all of us to face up to the simple truth.

“The wage crisis for workers, the destruction of the fair go, the creation of a working underclass, the betrayal of the great Australian bargain, is the deliberate outcome of conscious policy,” she said. “It was caused by policies designed to weaken the bargaining power of workers.”

Australia’s bargaining system has become unfair through years of restrictive legislation and employers winning legal precedents, including the Aurizon decision in 2015 that enabled the employer to cancel enterprise agreements when the bargaining got tough.

“It is like being tied to a chair and asked to stand up,” McManus said. “We can only take lawful industrial action in a very, very narrow timeframe, according to complicated laws,

with motions and votes rubber stamped. It’s like you’ve got to wait until Venus is in this part of the sky and the moon’s rising at exactly this point, then you can do it.”

Stanford, a Canadian, agrees. “In the years I lived in Australia, it was a galling experience for me to learn about all the hoops you have to jump through and all the hurdles you have to overcome and all the incredibly micromanaging details in the Fair Work Act and all the other legislation and regulations governing unions, to do things that unions in other countries just do as a matter of course.”

The irony is that when working people have the right to strike, they use it relatively rarely. But when employers know staff can withdraw their labour, they are strongly inclined to bargain reasonably.

“We have low wage growth because we have policies that deliberately suppress it,” McManus said.

Rebalance required “With all the power in the hands of employers, wages no longer move in a way that fairly shares the gains of productivity, of profits, of our nation’s wealth,” McManus said. “Our collective bargaining system needs to be updated and rebalanced to give all workers the ability to access the system to deliver fair pay increases.”

Rising productivity resulting from skilled staff using new technology is unrewarded. “Australian workers produce more with each hour of their labour than at any time in history,” McManus said. “But their compensation has not remotely kept up with their productivity.”

Teachers and support staff, with their ever-increasing workloads, know this only too well.

But there are solutions. “We need options to bargain across sectors and industries,” McManus said. “Our award system needs to be adjusted so it operates as a proper industry floor that can be adjusted as wages in industries are adjusted.”

First to go should be the “permanent casual” fiction and unending fixed-term contracts. ‘Gig economy’ jobs need to come with rights such as sick leave, annual leave and superannuation; and labour-hire rorts need to be axed.

And the right to strike needs to be reinstated.

Perhaps keep all of this in mind when your enterprise agreement next expires.

Monica Crouch Journalist

“In Australia, for the last generation, wealth has been trickling up. And during the pandemic, that trickle up became a torrent.” newsmonth - Vol 41 #7 2021

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APRA’s

super performance test On 31 August, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) published the results of its performance test for superannuation funds that was implemented as part of the Your Future, Your Super legislation. This legislation was designed to guide the super industry to improve its efficiency, transparency and accountability, allowing members to have a clear view of whether their fund is meeting their needs.

What was the test?

This was the first iteration of what will be an annual performance test, measuring performance, fees and costs of the MySuper (default) products provided by superannuation funds. You can find more details about the test on the APRA website (apra.gov.au). Your super represents a significant investment over your working life, and it is vital that it is well-managed, to ensure that your retirement savings are adequate for a comfortable life post-work.

letter, you may decide to move your money to a different fund. If so, you would want that fund to have passed the performance test and you may prefer a fund that has been designed for educators. If you are interested in exploring other super fund options, you can use the ATO YourSuper Comparison tool on the website (ato.gov.au).

What should I consider?

There are several things you should consider before changing your super fund, including what insurance cover you have in your current fund.

We’re not licensed to provide financial product advice, so we have asked NGS Super (the IEUA NSW/ACT Branch appoints three directors to the Board of NGS Super) to help union members with their enquiries. NGS is licensed to provide general and limited personal advice about superannuation, you don’t have to be a member to get assistance and there’s no obligation to join.

To make an appointment for an NGS Super specialist to call you about your superannuation options, call the NGS Helpline on 1300 133 177, 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.

Registrable Superannuation Entity (RSE)

MySuper product

AMG Super

AMG MySuper

ASGARD Independence Plan Division Two

ASGARD Employee MySuper

Australian Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund

LifetimeOne

Which funds have products that failed?

The table included here shows the funds with products that failed the performance test.

AvSuper Fund

AvSuper Growth (MySuper)

BOC Gases Superannuation Fund

BOC MySuper

Christian Super

My Ethical Super

What happens next?

The funds whose products failed the performance test are required to contact their members and advise them. Those products will be tested again next year, and if they again fail, they will no longer be able to accept new members.

Colonial First State FirstChoice Superannuation Trust

FirstChoice Employer Super

Commonwealth Bank Group Super

Accumulate Plus Balanced

Energy Industries Superannuation Scheme-Pool A

Balanced (MySuper)

Labour Union Co-Operative Retirement Fund

MySuper Balanced

What if I get the letter?

If you’re a member of one of the funds and have money invested in a product that has failed the performance test, your fund will write to you advising of this, and suggesting that you investigate other options. When you receive the

Maritime Super

MYSUPER INVESTMENT OPTION

Retirement Wrap

BT Super MySuper

The Victorian Independent Schools Superannuation Fund

VISSF Balanced Option (MySuper Product)

Teacher Paul O’Brien receives his 40-year membership compendium (on the table in the background) from long-standing IEU Rep Margaret O’Donnell. A founding teacher at CathWest Innovation College, where he teaches at the Emu Plains campus, Paul was also a founding teacher at McCarthy Catholic College (now Penola Catholic College) also at Emu Plains. He played first grade rugby league for South Sydney in his younger days.

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MUSTSHOULDCOULD

What to do if you are offered a temporary contract ‘I’ve been offered a temporary contract . . . again. Why is it not permanent’?

As the year draws to a close our thoughts turn to opportunities for the coming year. For teachers on temporary contracts, the number one question at this time is: ‘Will I finally be offered permanency?’

Teachers working on temporary contracts often call the union during Term 4 questioning the ongoing nature of a temporary contract and the lack of clarity as to why the position is temporary at all.

Members are often worried that if they raise their concerns with their employer they will not be re-employed.

Temporary appointments play a vital role in the running of schools in that they allow teachers access to various leave entitlements as well as providing opportunities for schools to introduce a range of short-term programs and initiatives.

For teachers and support staff, having a temporary contract rather than being employed on a casual basis also provides greater access to leave entitlements including personal leave and long service leave.

What temporary contracts don’t provide is a sense of job security for the people filling these positions.

To fully appreciate the role of temporary staff in our schools it is important to understand the rules around these contracts.

For this reason, the union has ensured that enterprise agreements (EAs) and multi-enterprise agreements include clauses that protect those members employed on temporary contracts.

Must Before a temporary contract is offered, certain conditions must be met. The Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 clearly sets out the minimum circumstances under which temporary or fixed term contracts may be offered.

For a contract to be legitimately temporary, it must be limited to a fixed period of at least four weeks but not more than 12 months on either a full-time or part-time basis, and be for one of the following reasons: • to replace an employee who is on leave, performing other duties temporarily or whose employment has finished after the commencement of the school year; or • to undertake a specified project for which funding has been made available; or • to undertake a specified task which has a limited period of operation.

In addition to the reasons contained in the award, the unionnegotiated NSW/ACT Catholic Systemic Enterprise Agreement allows a position to be temporary when a school’s staffing is to be reduced in the following year overall or in a department (in a secondary school) or the school has not been able to fill an ongoing position using normal selection criteria and the teacher has been informed of this in writing prior to the appointment.

The NSW/ACT Catholic Systemic EA also states that teachers cannot be employed on a temporary basis for the purpose of probation. It also says the advertisement for the position

should clearly state that it is temporary; and on accepting the position, the teacher must be advised in writing the reason the position is temporary and the length of the engagement.

If your workplace agreement is silent about temporary appointments then, in addition to the award conditions which will apply as a minimum, the additional EA conditions outlined above should also apply as an accepted minimum standard.

Should The following information should be included on the temporary contract: • the reason for the position being temporary • if the position is related to someone taking leave – the name of the teacher you are replacing • the start and finish dates of the contract.

You should receive a new contract each time you are employed in a temporary capacity, even if it is because the reason has been extended.

While working as a temporary teacher you will be entitled to leave conditions in line with those provided to permanent employees and your day-to-day working conditions should be the same as those of permanent employees with the same duties and responsibilities.

Could ‘I’ve accepted the temporary position, what if I get offered a permanent position elsewhere’?

While holding a temporary position you could continue to look for permanent work. The nature of temporary contracts is that while they are vital to the effective running of schools, they do little to provide job security to those who are filling these positions. As such, you could continue to look for a permanent position and accept an offer while filling a temporary role.

While on the temporary contract you have the same notice requirements as permanent teachers. This means that if you are offered a permanent position elsewhere you are within your rights to accept the new position and submit a resignation from the temporary contract if the minimum notice requirements are met.

We are often asked about a ‘rule’ that says a temporary position must be made permanent after two years. This is not correct. We all know of someone who has been at a school so long they are viewed as being permanent. The agreements allow for this if each contract is for a legitimate reason as stated above.

Preparations for 2022 have already begun so if you have any questions about your temporary status, please contact your IEU organiser now for advice specific to your circumstances.

In the next issue of Newsmonth (December) we will discuss temporary contracts for support staff.

Thanks

A big thank you to more than 250 casual and extended casual members who contacted us to participate in the three-month COVID fee exemption.

Thank you for your kind words, good humour and gratitude. We sincerely hope the exemption helps during these uncertain times.

Just another reminder that union fees are tax deductible. If you are paying via payroll deductions your union dues will be included on your payment summary issued by your employer and accessible via your MyGov account. For those members paying via credit card, direct debit or BPAY, please email membership@ieu.asn.au to seek a statement for the 2020-2021 financial year.

As we move into the final term of what has been another tumultuous year, we will email a renewal notice for 2022 to all members in mid-November.

If there are changes for you in 2022, please return the renewal or advise us via email: membership@ieu.asn.au If you are already aware of the change you can advise us now via email. If you are currently on an automatic payment, this will continue into 2022 unless you advise us otherwise.

Thank you for your support and take care.

Membership Team: Jody Clifford and Syeda Sultana; phone 8202 8900 (press 1)

NSW WWCC extended for three months A NSW Working With Children Check clearance is valid for five years. Due to COVID restrictions, persons requiring a clearance may be prevented from attending a Service NSW centre to finalise their renewal application.

As a result, the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) has advised that Working With Children Check clearances due to expire between 27 September 2021 and 26 January 2022 have been extended for a further three months.

People who are granted an extension will be advised by email and the system will be automatically updated.

Union members holding a NSW Working With Children Check clearance are reminded to ensure that all contact details are up to date with the OCG. This includes email contact details, which the OCG frequently uses as its method of communication.

Russell Schokman Policy Advisor

Donna Widdison and Jackie Groom Organisers newsmonth - Vol 41 #7 2021

15

Rostering delays

Freedom comes Support staff need with challenges job security too Chris Wilkinson President

We are almost there. Term 4 and freedom time. After a term of home-based learning, I am sure that, like me, you will be pleased to return to face-to-face learning in the coming weeks.

As teachers, we must be sure that every precaution has been put in place for the safety of staff and students.

I know that this is going to be a challenge in many schools, with the number of students crammed into classrooms, double desks, minimum ventilation and the problems of keeping year cohorts apart.

In secondary schools, this is almost impossible at the change of lessons, with stairwells and verandahs in high demand and overcrowded. Wearing masks while trying to teach will also be a challenge.

However, teachers can and will do whatever it takes to continue the task at hand, educating students and making sure that each one is given the opportunity to excel and improve their learning.

We should all be proud of what we have achieved during the past term, going over and above to bring

consistency, opportunities and challenges to all.

Creative learning has gone ahead on Zoom: cooking classes, science experiments, art and music lessons, drama, PE lessons as well as English, Maths and Religion.

This has all been possible with the help of our wonderful support staff, who have been present and assisting every lesson. A huge thank you for your ongoing support and assistance.

Term 4 sub branch meetings are scheduled for the coming weeks. They will all be Zoom meetings. I encourage you all to register and contribute during these meetings.

I would like to thank all our wonderful IEU Reps who continue to do a fantastic job keeping you informed with the latest news.

The IEU Facebook page and website are also filled with up-to-date information, so if you have not visited these sites, I would encourage you to do so.

I wish you well for Term 4. Keep up your amazing work, it is much appreciated by both students and parents.

Thank you for your ongoing support, assistance and efforts throughout 2021.

The upside of remote learning Bruce Paine

Vice President Non Systemic We’ve all just about had it with the trials and tribulations of remote learning.

We’ve whined about lockdowns, examinations, difficult parents, poor internet, and pedagogical frustration.

Yes, we have had Trial HSC examinations to stress over, and we have worried about the poor class of 2021 who must drag themselves through seven weeks of student vacation, remain motivated, revise content and prepare for a HSC which, for them, seems a world away.

However, we know that young Australian men and women are a resilient bunch, and, in a couple years, they will hardly remember what all the fuss was about.

I have dug a little deeper to see what remote learning has really been about for teachers and support staff. It seems that many, even most of us, have found our own way not only to cope, but to make the whole experience a rewarding one.

Contacting a dozen schools has revealed that many teachers caught in the remote learning net have found ways to improve their personal and professional engagement and to seriously consider ‘self-care’.

Being forced to learn about the ‘ins and outs’ of Microsoft Teams (to deliver content) became a valuable tool for professional engagement (and to add to our NESA hours).

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newsmonth - www.ieu.asn.au

Many found solace in music and art while others found the extra time at home, away from morning tea, as an opportunity to lose a few kilos.

Those of us who have gym equipment at home or like to walk found time to exercise and to ‘build a better body’ away from the screen.

Reading for pleasure was possible without the ‘hum-drum’ of commuting or driving to work and, would you believe, some of us found time to watch Sunrise each morning and have a go at Cashcow.

However, one reccurring theme was the notion that we had some control of our own lives. Yes, we were busy, but we did have more time for ourselves, even if it was just to escape the perils of ‘screen trauma’. We were, in essence, performing for ourselves and no one else.

Lockdown and remote learning gave me the opportunity to get more exercise, to fine tune a garden which this time of year gets out of control, to meditate, to read things I wouldn’t normally pick up and to reconnect with people (albeit over the phone).

Painting and patching around the house were slotted in and I even started taking online guitar lessons.

There was an upside to remote learning and some of us embraced it with gusto.

Carolyn Collins

Vice President Support Staff

The past two years have been distressing for support staff, with the challenges of lockdowns and vaccinations, along with the uncertainty around infection within the workplace.

However, at this time of year, many support staff are hit with the worry of job insecurity: whether they will retain their usual hours, or even any employment at all, in 2022.

Many employers have made staff wellbeing a focal point, particulary during the pandemic. Surely then, notification of employment for 2022 should be addressed sooner rather than later, meaning one less worry for suport staff.

A stressed employee will be less productive, and may experience problems

such as depression. Duty of care from our employers is paramount.

Allocating hours for school support staff is often not done before the end of Term 4 and is sometimes left until the following year. This lack of job security influences all aspects of our daily lives. It affects our ability to plan ahead; to pay bills; to get a loan; to spend money on our families and friends. It interferes with our holiday plans and our capacity to enjoy Christmas and the holidays.

This rostering delay leaves little time for us to look for employment elsewhere.

Happy staff means happy students and happy parents and carers. Contact your union organiser if you have concerns.

Stay safe everyone!

A stable force despite turbulence and heavy workload Bernadette Baker

Vice President Catholic Systemic Schools

Over the past 18 months, teachers and support staff have been a stable force for the community despite the turbulence of COVID regulations.

Public Health Orders have impacted on all staff. The changing government ‘road map’ rules have impacted on us personally and professionally.

Across NSW, teachers and support staff keep providing excellent educational support for their students and families.

Teachers and support staff are on the frontline of their communities, a stable force to rely on.

Our workload has not eased. In fact, in many cases it has increased and become more demanding and complex.

It is important that we do not allow ourselves to keep taking on more without asking ‘what do I not do’?

Allow yourself reflection time to critically assess the important over the urgent, and how best to address it.

Talk to your IEU rep or organiser if you need to clarify issues or concerns.

Remember the IEU is active, ensuring teachers and support staff have a voice.

Check out the IEU Facebook page or website to keep up to date.

VACCINATION

PRIORITY For Teachers and Support Staff

VACCINATION VACCINATION www.ieu.asn.au

TY ITY OIROIR PRPIR For Teachers For Teachers and Support and Support Staff Staff www.ieu.asn.au www.ieu.asn.au

Bringing dignity to the dinner table

“Mum and dad will choose not to eat dinner, feed their kids and tell them they had a big lunch at work, so the kids don’t feel guilt.”

Former NSW Labor leader and Unions NSW Secretary John Robertson is now CEO of Foodbank, Australia’s largest food relief organisation, journalist Sue Osborne writes.

Even while he was NSW Opposition Leader, Robertson was regularly picking and packing food parcels for Foodbank, as well as lobbying for financial support and liaising with other charities.

“I was blessed to be offered the opportunity to run the organisation, because it’s been around for 29 years, making a real impact on people’s lives in some of the most difficult circumstances, not just during COVID,” Robertson said.

He likes that Foodbank is self-sufficient and free of government influence, although it does receive government support, especially since the advent of COVID. But most importantly, Robertson said the organisation gives people dignity.

“People get to choose their food with Foodbank and that’s important because a lot of people find themselves in a situation where they can’t put food on the table through no fault of their own. They shouldn’t be denied dignity,” Robertson said.

A voice for the powerless “I feel like I’m continuing the work I started as an organiser for the Electrical Trades Union years ago. All my work has been about giving a voice to the powerless.”

Food is donated to the charity through grocery retailers, manufacturers and farmers, often when it is nearing its use-

by date. Foodbank also purchases food to distribute.

Volunteers at a large warehouse in Glendenning, in Sydney’s west, sort food into hampers for various charities.

The organisation spends $1.5 million trucking food out to rural and regional areas. Since the end of July, it’s been providing 660,000 meals a week, and that figure keeps growing.

Foodbank provides hampers for people that are in quarantine in large apartment blocks and unable to afford online deliveries.

Last year, Foodbank also supported 1500 international students who were no longer able to find work in tourism or hospitality and had no support from the social security system.

Since COVID, Foodbank has received support from the State Government and assistance from paid workers and defence force personnel for this frontline work.

Doing it tough Apart from those in lockdown and reliant on Foodbank’s daily deliveries, COVID has seen more and more people simply doing it tough.

“It’s very hard to believe that there could be 20 percent of the population in Australia in this situation, but people get thrown a curve ball by life,” Robertson said.

The casualisation of the workforce and the gig economy meant some workers never knew if they would have a shift the next day (see “Broken wages bargain”, page 13).

“There’s a medical incident, their work dries up or they run out of sick leave. All these sorts of things have an impact, let alone those living on social security. There’s a

growing cohort of working people struggling.”

In 2020, 38 percent of food-insecure residents in NSW and the ACT were accessing food relief at least once a week compared with 16 percent in 2019.

“People will make choices like two meals a day rather than three, or mum and dad will choose not to eat dinner, feed their kids and tell them they had a big lunch at work, so the kids don’t feel guilt.”

Robertson is keen to get the message out there that there is no shame in asking for help when it’s needed.

“There’s a significant stigma associated with having to admit you can’t afford food. It stops people reaching out. I had an email from someone who said, ‘if it hadn’t been for your hamper, I was contemplating stealing, just so I could put food on the table’.”

He said teachers and support staff in schools were often in touch with their communities and families and could direct families to Foodbank if they sensed a need.

Foodbank runs the School Breakfast 4 Health program, providing students with a nutritious breakfast at school.

Prior to COVID, school student volunteers were a significant part of the workforce at the Glendenning warehouse, and Robertson hoped this would resume as soon as possible.

For more information or to make a donation: foodbank.org.au/?state=nsw-act newsmonth - Vol 41 #7 2021

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Misleading commentary on the Australian Curriculum by self-styled education experts dismisses the professional voice of teachers and undermines community faith in education, writes Professional Officer Pat Devery.

The usual suspects have rounded on the recently released draft syllabus with the conservative Institute of Public Affairs declaring it an assault on Western civilisation that “cancels the teaching of freedoms that underpin Australian democracy, including freedom of speech, association, and religion”.

Elsewhere, shock jocks and other commentators variously described it as a threat to students’ education, a threat to the future of the nation and a “woke agenda” intent on teaching children to hate Australia.

The Federal Minister for Education and Youth, Alan Tudge, decribed the syllabus as “not positive enough”. Mr Tudge believes history should “teach children to love their country”, echoing the ultrapositive “Three Cheers” notion of history espoused under former prime minister John Howard.

But any fair-minded and professionally informed reading of the K-10 history syllabus would conclude these claims are false.

Primary syllabus The K-6 areas of the syllabus still explore the traditional historical inquiry topics of family, local community, contributions of individual and groups, recognition of significant events including Australia Day and Christmas and investigating the origins of Australia’s various flags and coats of arms.

Primary students still learn about Captain Cook and Joseph Banks. The First Fleet is still on the list, as is the colony’s first Christian Chaplain, the Reverend Richard Johnson. Where is the cancel culture?

Settlement in the 1800s, the gold rushes, the impact of European Law, Federation, democractic

systems of government with specific reference to the Magna Carta, the Snowy Mountains Scheme, and even the ‘Ten Pound Poms’ all get a run. Where is the hate?

Secondary syllabus Western culture is no less present in the secondary syllabus, the traditional battleground of the culture warriors. The growth of Christianity, the Crusades, the Black Death, Trial by Ordeal, the Renaissance are named, along with exploring Australia’s belief in social and political equality, including the right to vote, the eight-hour day, and universal education.

The familiar topics of Federation, the White Australia Policy, the Anzac tradition with specific reference to Gallipoli, the arrival of television and American culture, are all there.

Unfair impact If all this content, representing classical and western civilisation, is still listed in the syllabus, what is it that so alarms the critics and, more importantly, why are they so misleading when discussing the document?

When politicians and public figures deride the work of teachers, casting doubt on their professional judgement and integrity, they effectively diminish the teaching profession in the eyes of the community.

This also serves to undermine community faith in a cornerstone of our democracy, public education.

We are already witnessing the dangerous consequences of undermining community confidence in science and health experts, the media, and law-enforcement officers by ill-informed populists. If we allow this ignorant and deliberate trashing to extend to public education, we are being set on a trajectory with a bitter end.

A nation’s trust in its institutions is the essence of a free, liberal democracy. If “experts” are to criticise this syllabus, they should at least do it honestly.

Opinion

Syllabus critics sabotage teachers Thanks for the support

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18

newsmonth - www.ieu.asn.au

This year I have been on long service leave and have paid IEU fees quarterly. As I will no longer be teaching, I am resigning from the union.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the union team and executive during my past 45 years of teaching for their efforts in both maintaining and improving the wages and working conditions of teachers.

I believe there still is a long way to go for the government and general public to become aware of the tremendous time, talent, inspiration and passion that is required of teachers to assist students to open themselves up to learning in all its fullness. COVID has helped parents to peep into the education world in a small way and maybe appreciate the work of teaching more than they did in the past.

I am constantly amazed by the inventiveness, motivation and digital skills I see reflected on the education and teacher Facebook pages and it makes me wish I was still in mid-career rather than the end.

Thank you for the support offered to teachers, for fighting for a say in educational matters rather than leaving it all up to politicians, for raising the professional status of teaching and for attempting to gain financial recognition and award conditions that reflect justice and the worth of the worker.

Kind regards, Dianne Belcher-Mozes

IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Executive

Secretary Mark Northam Eora Nation Deputy Secretary Carol Matthews Eora Nation Assistant Secretary Liam Griffiths Eora Nation

Have you checked your insurance lately?

Insurance through super is a true member benefit and due to the purchasing power of 100,000+ members, NGS Super can provide it to members at a wholesale rate. The automatic provision of default cover through industry superannuation funds has gone a long way to remedy the chronic problem of underinsurance in Australia.

In the early days of compulsory super (1988 for NGS Super) insurance, like investment, was a simple matter. The fund provided Death and Total and Permanent Disability insurance only for a premium of $1 per week. And as with investments, the range of choices was limited.

Default cover was provided for eligible members and thousands of families received the benefit of payouts in the case of a death in the family or a total and permanent disability. In some cases, the affected families did not even know that insurance was attached to the account until they were advised by a lawyer, a family member or the Fund.

As the membership grew and funds under management continued to build, the Trustee sought to improve the insurance offering so that members could customise their insurance to suit their individual needs. In 2001, Income Protection insurance was introduced to enable teachers and support staff at that time to have 75 percent of their salaries protected for a period of two years.

Customised insurance With the passage of time, the Trustee was able to add features to assist members customise their insurance further. In 2007 fixed cover was introduced. This allowed members to fix death cover at the current level for the rest of their working lives. So rather than facing the declining age-based benefit payments, a 40-year-old could fix their cover until age 65 with the premium increasing with age every year.

Members were also able to obtain higher levels of insurance without underwriting in the case of certain life events such as marriage or the birth of a child.

As the pool of savings and the membership grew, the NGS Super Trustee was able to improve the quantum of payments for Death cover and Total and Permanent Disability insurance and

significantly, Income Protection insurance increased to a five-year payment period after a three-month waiting period. These enhancements provided members with greater peace of mind knowing that bills would continue to be paid for up to five years in the case of illness or accident.

In terms of the quantum increases in Life cover, a 40-year-old’s benefit (NGS Plus) is $550,000 for a premium of $5.97 per week; a 50-year-old’s benefit is $390,000 for a weekly premium of $8.26 per week. It is prudent to consider the level of cover you need as it is possible to dial-up or to dialdown subject to underwriting.

Wide palette So now the palette of insurance options is wide, and it is up to members to customise it to suit individual needs. Large mortgage?

Large family? No family? Grown up children? Is the default cover best for me?

And another important fact to consider – Death and TPD payments can be paid from multiple funds, but Income Protection (IP) payments will usually be paid from only one fund. Let’s say you have $4000 per month cover with Fund A and $2000 per month cover with Fund B. If you have a valid IP claim, Fund A will usually offset (deduct) the payment you’re entitled to from Fund B, so your maximum benefit would be $4000 per month (not $6000 per month) from both funds.

So if you’re in more than one fund and paying income protection premiums in both it’s worth checking with both funds – you may be wasting your money paying for the lower amount of IP cover.

It’s worth reviewing your insurance to know what you are covered for and what you are paying. You can download the ‘Insurance Guide’ from the NGS Super website or phone 1300 133 177 for any queries you may have. As a Fund with members as a core value, we will be able to assist you with any questions you may have and any adjustments you may want to make.

Bernard O’Connor NGS Super

(Important information: The information in this article is general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a financial decision, please assess the appropriateness of the information to your individual circumstances, read the Product Disclosure Statement for any product you may be thinking of acquiring and consider seeking personal advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Any opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS Super.)

Assistant Secretary Pam Smith Dharug Nation President Christine Wilkinson St Joseph's Girls High School East Gosford Ku-ring-gai Nation Deputy President Tina Ruello Catherine McAuley Westmead Dharug Nation Vice President Non Systemic Bruce Paine Kinross Wolaroi School Orange Wiradjuri Nation Vice President Systemic Bernadette Baker St Mary’s Cathedral College Sydney Eora Nation Vice President ECS Gabrielle Connell NESA Accreditation Officer Wiradjuri Nation Vice President Support Staff Carolyn Collins St Michael’s Primary School Nowra Yuin Nation Vice President ACT Angela McDonald St Thomas Aquinas Primary School Charnwood Ngunnawal Nation

Financial Officers Denise McHugh NESA Liaison Officer Kamilaroi Nation Peter Moore De La Salle College Cronulla Tharawal Nation General Executive Members John O’Neill Carroll College Broulee Yuin Nation Anna Luedi Marist Catholic College North Shore Eora Nation Suzanne Penson Mackillop College Port Macquarie Biripi Nation Helen Templeton Presbyterian Ladies College Armidale Nganyaywana Nation Phoebe Craddock-Lovett Marist Catholic College North Shore Eora Nation Simon Goss Holy Spirit Primary School Lavington Wiradjuri Nation Libby Lockwood St Joseph’s Primary School West Tamworth Kamilaroi Nation Kylie Booth-Martinez Assumption Catholic Primary School and St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst Wiradjuri Nation Glenn Lowe St Joseph's Catholic High School Albion Park Dharawal Nation

with Professional Development and Reps Training

www.ieu.asn.au Our locations

Sydney 485-501 Wattle Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 8202 8900 Parramatta Level 2, 18-20 Ross Street, Parramatta NSW 2150 8202 8900 Newcastle 8-14 Telford Street, Newcastle East NSW 2302 4926 9400 Unit 4 Lismore Professional Centre 103-105 Molesworth Street, Lismore NSW 2480 6623 4700 ACT Unit 8, 40 Brisbane Avenue, Barton ACT 2600 6120 1500 newsmonth - Vol 41 #7 2021

19

The Furphy Anthology 2020

Authors: Various Publisher: Hardie Grant Books

Joseph Furphy wrote the Australian literary classic, Such is Life, in 1903, under the pen name of Tom Collins, slang for a tall story. His brother John, a blacksmith, created water carts used by Australian troops during the First World War. Around these carts, stories were told, legs were pulled, rumours gathered momentum, and the term ‘furphy’ became part of the Australian lexicon.

The Furphy Literary Award, established in 1992, became a national competition for the first time in 2020. More than 800 writers – from the established and experienced to first-timers – took up the challenge to tackle its topic of ‘Australian Life’.

This anthology includes well-known writers such as Cate Kennedy, Jenni Marazaki, Mira Robertson, Ruby Todd and Jean Flynn, along with emerging writers including Ya Reeves, Thomas MacAllister, Luke Martin and the IEU’s own journalist Sue Osborne.

Hello and Welcome

Dr Karl’s Short Back and Science

Feel the welcome as we celebrate Indigenous culture, Elders and future generations. Join the corroboree in the traditional Gamilaraay language of the Kamilaroi people as we listen and learn together.

In Short Back & Science, Dr Karl combs through some of the greatest scientific conundrums of our age, such as what is killing half the bacteria on Earth every two days and why don’t mole rats get cancer? Why would anyone pay $40 million for a cup of tea, and how did a toilet seat help to end the First World War?

Author: Gregg Dreise Publisher: Magabala Books

A wonderful companion to Gregg Dreise’s highly acclaimed My Culture and Me, this joyful picture book celebrates Australia’s Indigenous heritage and the diversity we enjoy today.

Hello and welcome to our corroboree.

Hello and welcome to our gathering.

Father Sky, Mother Earth, together here with me.

Different colours, different people, together in harmony.

Author: Karl Kruszelnicki Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Are bananas slippery, radioactive and loaded with potassium? What do clouds weigh? And why are there scientists running around naked in the Antarctic?

Brushing aside any hype about coconuts and antioxidants, there is no one better to trim down to the facts than Australia’s most trusted scientist, Dr Karl.

Email entries to giveaways@ieu.asn.au with the title of the book you would like to receive in the subject line. Write your name, membership number and postal address in the body of your email. All entries must be received by 1 December 2021.

INVEST A LITTLE TIME FOR MORE SUPER CONFIDENCE The right advice can make all the difference.

Your financial goals are likely to change over time, but whatever life stage you’re at, talking to a financial planner can help you achieve them.

NGS Super is dedicated to providing for our members, not just through our super and insurance products, but also through the finance education and advice we’re proud to offer. We understand that making financial decisions can sometimes feel daunting — but it doesn’t have to.

NGS Super helpline can be contacted on 1300 133 177 Monday to Friday, 8am–8pm (AEST/AEDT).

Issued by NGS Super Pty Limited ABN 46 003 491 487 AFSL No 233 154 the trustee of NGS Super ABN 73 549 180 515

ngssuper.com.au 1300 133 177

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To explore some of the questions you might be asking about your super and your financial future, or to book your complimentary session with an NGS financial planner, visit our website at ngssuper.com.au/voa