Newsmonth #8 2021

The newspaper of the Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch (vol 41 #8) December 2021 PP 100000871 ISSN No: 0728-4845

NSW Government backflips on COVID Workers Comp

The IEU joined with numerous other unions at Parliament House on Tuesday 23 November, to protest the NSW Government’s proposed change to Workers Compensation laws that will make it much harder for employees who contract COVID to access workers comp.

The several-hundred-strong crowd included representatives from the NSW Teachers Federation; the Nurses and Midwives Association; the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association; the Public Service Association; the Transport Workers Union; the United Workers Union; the Rail, Tram and Bus Union; the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union; the Maritime Union of Australia; and the CFMEU NSW. NSW Labor was also there in force, including Opposition Leader Chris Minns, Shadow Education Minister Prue Car, Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis, Shadow Transport Minister Jo Haylen, Shadow Ministre for Customer Service Yasmin Catley and the Vice-President of the Australian Labor Party, Mich-Elle Myers.

Since mid-2020, Section 19B of the Workers Compensation Act 1987 has meant that if teachers and support staff (as well as workers in other frontline services including health, aged care, transport, hospitality and retail) caught COVID-19 and needed to access workers comp, they were automatically assumed to have contracted the virus at work.

Staff in these fields either deal with countless people during the course of a working day or, like school staff, work in crowded environments where social distancing is difficult if not impossible.

But now the NSW Government wants to repeal this provision, meaning staff will have to prove they caught the virus at work to access workers compensation. The government is siding with business to prevent a small rise in insurance premiums.

Yet we know already that contact tracers struggle during intense outbreaks; for example, in schools, contact tracing has largely been delegated to school staff. Further, as QR code check-ins are set to be phased out, proving how a case was acquired will be almost impossible.

“It’s not easy going back to work teaching face-to-face with hundreds of unvaccinated children,” said IEUA NSW/ ACT Branch Acting Secretary Carol Matthews, addressing the crowd. “We’ve got people who’ve been told they have to stay home because there’s been a case at work, but they have to take their long service leave. This is outrageous.

“So workers comp is part of the picture. It’s really important that it’s there because it’s so hard to prove where a case came from. We need at least some protection, and to provide some certainty for what are really unclear circumstances.

“There’s been terrible stories of the number of cases that would spread through an early learning centre from one infection – we’ve heard of 80 cases associated with one infection.”

Union leader after union leader pointed out that their members – from nurses and midwives to food and parcel delivery drivers, staff in supermarkets and food preparation, as well as cleaners and garbage collectors – were the ones

who turned up to high-risk environments every day to keep NSW running during outbreaks and lockdown.

Labor Leader Chris Minns also addressed the protest, saying that while NSW Parliament “wasn’t required to sit for months and months because it was deemed too risky”, the government still expected essential workers to turn up so supermarkets were staffed and hospitals didn’t collapse.

“And the implied bargain was that if you’re unlucky enough to get COVID-19 through no fault of your own, simply by virtue of the fact that you turned up for work, we will have your back,” he said. “So it is hugely distressing to hear the government now say, ‘we actually are not all in this together and we don’t have your back’.

“It’s a straightforward bargain. It's our responsibility to stand up for the people who stood up for us during the COVID-19 pandemic. The frontline workers in the private sector, in the government sector, right across NSW did the right thing by us, and it’s our responsibility to do the right thing by them.”

The day after the protest, the amendment narrowly passed the Lower House, 46 votes to 45. All Labor members voted against it, as did the Greens, Independents and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers – a strong result in itself.

The Bill will now go to an Upper House Committee with a hearing due to be held in January 2022. The IEU will make a submission supporting school staff and opposing the change.

Monica Crouch Journalist Pictured above: IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Acting Secretary Carol Matthews addresses the protest at Parliament House.

TIME FOR EMPLOYERS TO TALK SERIOUSLY ABOUT SUPPORT STAFF The IEU has been seeking additional pay rises for support staff in Catholic systemic schools since 2019.

The pay claim is based on the increases negotiated by the NSW Public Service Association for its members in government schools in settlement of its pay equity case before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. This settlement occurred in August 2019.

Catholic dioceses refused to match these increases as part of the current

2020-2021 enterprise agreement but did agree to participate in a working party to review the pay rates. This work has now finished but there has been no commitment by employers to address the pay disparities found by the working party.

Employers do not have an excuse to drag their feet any longer.

The union’s claim for the next enterprise agreement (the current agreement expires at the end of

December 2021) also seeks to increase long service leave for support staff to remedy the disparity in long service leave after 10 years’ service between teachers and support staff. The temporary nature of many learning support positions is also a major concern.

The union will need to demonstrate strong support from members for our claims in order to get employers to the bargaining table. Our support staff members will have to take a leading role

in this campaign if we are to be successful in our claims on their behalf.

Please encourage your support staff colleagues to join the union and encourage them to be actively involved in chapter meetings and planning of our campaign for the next enterprise agreement in 2022. We thank our support staff members for their support in getting us this far.

Carol Matthews Acting Secretary

Tell us what you think

November 17 was “Go home on time day”. A new report from the Centre for Future Work (part of the Australia Institute) reveals that the average number of unpaid hours Australian employees are putting in is on the rise, with many doing 6.1 hours a week of additional unpaid work. We know teaching and support staff workloads are heavy. We asked what’s required of you and here’s what you told us.

Working in education you cannot possibly do the documentation required in paid face-to-face hours. Children require engagement and connection which is where you learn most about them. Add reporting to class prep and yes it becomes much more at some times of the year.

(vol 41 #8) December 2021

Contents

News

are used to mummy working from after dinner until way past their bedtime because there is always something that needs doing. I have made a conscious effort for no work on weekends so put in the extra time during the week.

Hybrid learning (in class and online while students are home) is taking extra hours to prep for classes. Some weeks I think I could work an extra 10-15 hours outside school hours.

It’s not just the extra tasks, it’s the things that are now considered ‘core’ which are eating into our lives with our families. There is no time for a life outside teaching, but we are only paid to work seven hours a day for five days.

I just spent three hours planning for my sick day tomorrow only to be told they can’t find a casual and I have to go in!

So much for ‘wellbeing’!

[I work] at least 10 hours extra every week. At least! Some weekends can be eight to 15 hours of marking – just over the weekend!

Right now it is extra data analysis for end-of-year prize giving.

No time during the day to do this as there are classes to teach, students to engage with and colleagues to interact with. My kids

So, according to the website (Go home on time: bit.ly/31923Lg), I’m losing 1040 hours a year. How about you guys?

1, 2, 9, 11, 13

Features 7, 9, 12

Reports 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14

Member stories 2, 5, 11

Member benefits 10, 12, ,13, 14, 15, 16 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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Happier holidays for three members

Some early childhood members will have a bit more to celebrate this year after the union helped them gain their full holiday entitlements.

All the members working at a Central Coast preschool were part-timers, but had worked extra days throughout the year on an ad hoc basis.

Under the terms of the enterprise agreement (EA), they were entitled to additional Christmas pay for those extra days.

However, the management committee of the preschool, a communitybased centre run by volunteers, decided that under the terms of their employment they were only entitled to leave hours based on their regular roster, and additional days were not included.

Realising they were not getting the same entitlements they had in previous years, the members lodged a dispute with the Fair Work Commission. As they were not IEU members when the dispute started, the IEU was not representing them at the Commission. However, acknowledging that the outcome of the case had the potential to set a precedent affecting many other members, the Commission asked the union to step in and represent the three teachers anyway.

After the IEU lodged submissions in July, Commissioner Leigh Johns noted he was “greatly assisted by the intervention of the IEU”.

Concluding the case in October, the Commission deciding that according to the pro rata salary formula used for teachers’ EAs and the modern award, the extra hours worked by the three members entitled them to extra Christmas pay. A happy outcome for them.

Read: the full judgement: fwc.gov.au/documents/decisionssigned/ html/2021fwc6098.htm Sue Osborne Journalist

Members in Catholic systemic schools: Cast your vote!

Has your Chapter voted to endorse the union’s 2022 pay and conditions claim?

(Your enterprise agreement expires on 31 December 2021.)

Hundreds of schools have voted to endorse it already. If your school hasn’t voted, we urge you to do this as soon as possible.

The union has written to Catholic dioceses calling on them to start negotiations.

The IEU is claiming: substantial pay rises; strategies to stem teacher shortages; reduced teaching loads; support staff pay rises and long service leave equality.

What you need to do: Ask the rep at your school to hold a Chapter meeting and vote to endorse the claim, then email the result to us.

Download the full claim and motion to endorse: bit.ly/nxcss2022

Changes to teacher accreditation

NESA MUST GET THIS RIGHT Mark Northam Secretary

Key points • Develop nationally consistent provisions for information sharing between jurisdictions when determining a person’s suitability to teach, as recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse • NESA to become the sole accrediting authority – employer Teacher Accreditation Authorities (TAAs) to go • NESA to maintain a public register of accredited teachers on its website • NESA can require teachers to undertake a health assessment to determine their suitability to teach.

The IEU cautiously supports the Teacher Accreditation Amendment Bill currently before the NSW Parliament.

The IEU also supports the NSW government adopting the recommendation from the Royal Commission about nationally consistent provisions for determining a person’s suitability to teach – albeit belatedly. This will ensure minimum requirements for assessing a teacher’s suitability and the seamless flow of information related to child safety between jurisdictions.

There is an important and welcome intention to make NESA the sole accrediting authority. The current system, which empowers employers as the Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA), has proven problematic. There have been

frequent disparities around the interpretation and application of the professional teaching standards commonly occurring. Some employers have also elected to use teacher accreditation as a de facto performance management process, which further complicates the process.

The NSW Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee, said the Bill would streamline the cumbersome teacher accreditation process, ensuring “that accreditation requirements are communicated and applied consistently for all teachers across NSW, and there will be a reduced administrative burden on schools and school systems”.

Relieving school principals of this administrative burden would allow them to focus on increasing their support for supervising and mentoring beginner teachers. The union has been calling for this for many years.

However, if NESA is to become the sole accrediting authority, it will need adequate resourcing to ensure a timely and equitable process. A funding failure will once again see NESA resort to outsourcing this important function to various employer bodies, with each applying differing expectations and complicated layers of compliance.

Lee advised parliament that NESA would consult with the teaching profession, “in developing the new accreditation policies and procedures to implement this important change”.

So the IEU, as a representative of the profession, looks forward to being included in this consultation process.

The union will closely monitor the Bill’s development and any subsequent NESA policies or guidelines to ensure employers are not tempted to reassert themselves unnecessarily into the new accreditation process.

Independent schools vote on multi-enterprise agreements Carol Matthews Deputy Secretary

Staff in 250 independent schools voted on multi-enterprise agreements (MEAs) to cover both teachers and support staff during the week finishing 24 November. As we go to press, the union understands only one school has voted “no”.

The Association of Independent Schools (AIS) will now lodge the MEAs for approval by the Fair Work Commission in respect of those schools where staff voted “yes”.

Pay rise The pay rise over four years (including the increase in 2021) will be just over 8% for teachers and support staff. This was a substantial improvement on the offer made by schools in June this year of 5% over four years (inclusive of the 2021 increase).

Superannuation will also increase in July 2022, July 2023 and July 2024. The IEU considers the final pay outcome to be the best we could achieve and broadly in line with anticipated inflation over the period.

More than 100 schools paid increases of 2% to 2.5% this year. For 2022, the pay rise under the MEA of 3.28% in 2022 may be inclusive of the 2021 increase, leaving only a small additional increase at the start of 2022. However, many schools have agreed to pay in excess of the MEA rates in 2022 so that staff receive a reasonable pay rise. This will occur either by an over MEA pay rate (for example by paying 2% at the start of 2022 and maintaining the differential above the MEA pay rates throughout the MEA) or by paying above the MEA in 2022, but scaling the differential back during the life of the MEA. The union understands that members in some schools were disappointed with the pay rises on offer. This is particularly the case where their school is in a strong financial position with booming enrolments. We would urge members in those school to hold a Chapter meeting and

invite their Organiser to attend to discuss the options going forward.

Comparison with public sector rates Members may be aware of the current pay claim by the NSW Teachers Federation on behalf of teachers in NSW government schools. The IEU will pursue the same claim on behalf of our members in Catholic systemic schools.

At press time, the NSW Government had not agreed to the pay claim and had instead indicated it would be determined by the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.

The timeline and likely outcome of this process is unknown but if significant pay increases are awarded, the IEU will seek either to re-open the current MEAs for independent schools or seek catch-up increases in the next round.

The Band 3 (Experienced Teacher) MEA rate in 2022 in Hybrid schools will be $114,921 and in Standards schools $117,009. For teachers on Band 3, this is still well above the current top of the pay scale for teachers in NSW government schools of just under $108,000. However, Band 2 rates are less competitive.

Accessing Band 3 Experienced Teacher Members in Standards Model and Hybrid Model independent schools are strongly urged to apply for Band 3 Experienced Teacher as the pay rates are significantly higher than Band 2 and the classification is portable to other Standards and Hybrid schools.

If your school does not publicise or provide support for this process, please contact the IEU Organiser for your school. The union expects the date for the next round of applications will be in Term 1, 2022 – check with your school for the precise dates.

Other improvements in the MEA There were several important improvements in conditions in the MEAs, many of which were summarised in the November NewsExtra sent to members. The union will write to members early in 2022 setting these out in more detail.

There are several concerning aspects of the Bill that will require closer scrutiny once it reaches the committee stage.

One of these is the requirement that the accreditation authority maintain a public register of accredited teachers on its website. This would include the name and accreditation level of every accredited teacher in NSW. Given there is already a statutory requirement on schools to employ accredited teachers only, this provision appears unnecessary. The union is concerned about how this will operate in practice, with the potential for the data to be misused to create league tables purporting to compare the staffing experience or expertise between schools.

Another concern is the provision allowing the accreditation authority (NESA) to require a teacher to undergo a health assessment. In determining a teacher’s suitability to teach, the authority is empowered to consider a wide range of information, including a “relevant complaint” made by another party. However, there is no indication as to what constitutes a “relevant complaint”, or what would be the threshold for triggering a health assessment, and who would bear the cost.

The union’s experience is that employers have struggled to deal with child safeguarding issues in a timely fashion in recent years and this is an area that would require significant and ongoing consultation.

This proposed legislation is significant and NESA must consult closely with the unions that represent the teaching profession to ensure any emerging processes and guidelines reflect the outcomes NESA is trying to achieve.

Better conditions on the way The multi-enterprise agreements covering 250 independent schools include the following improved conditions.

Progression on attaining proficient status: The new Standards and Hybrid Teacher MEAs provide progression to the next pay band on attaining Proficient status will occur immediately in the next pay period rather than only occurring in February and July each year.

Emergency disaster leave (all MEAs): The IEU claim for emergency disaster leave of two days per year has been agreed. The leave would be available if an employee was unable to attend work because of a declared natural disaster, such as bushfires, severe storms or flooding.

Notice of meetings and PD (all Teacher MEAs): Schools are required to advise teachers of the term dates and teacher attendance dates by the end of Term 3 in the preceding year. Any PD and meetings must occur on the advised attendance dates. Reasonable notice must be provided of all other meetings and PD, etc, with schools being required to give the maximum possible notice of such commitments and, where practicable, include such commitments in the annual school calendar.

Promotions positions – payment of allowance to part-time teachers (all Teacher MEAs): Payment of leadership allowances to part-time teachers holding such positions may be paid pro rata if the teacher is not carrying out the full leadership role. The union considers this change will assist part-time teachers to attain leadership roles.

New protections for part-time teachers (all Teacher MEAs): The new Teacher MEAs require part-time teachers to be told in their letter of appointment the percentage of a full-time teaching load they have been given. The school can only vary the teacher’s load or days of attendance by agreement or in certain other limited circumstances.

Flexible working arrangements (all MEAs): For the first time, all new MEAs contain detailed provisions applying if an employee requests parttime or other flexible working arrangements, including a requirement that the school consider if there are other options available to accommodate the employee’s circumstances.

Reduced penalties if insufficient notice of resignation is given (all MEAs): The new Teacher MEAs provide that a maximum of two weeks’ notice will be owed to the school if the teacher resigns without giving the required four weeks’ notice. In the case of the Support and Operational Staff MEAs, the maximum that will be owed by an employee is one week’s pay.

Support staff hours of work (NSW and ACT SAO MEA): Casual staff will be paid overtime if they work additional hours outside of ordinary hours; and the unpaid meal break will only apply to staff who work more than five hours per day – this means part-time staff working less than five hours will not be required to take an unpaid break. Hours of work are much clearer for boarding house staff and ensure they are not in effect working more than 38 hours for which they do not get a benefit. On-call recall and sleepover allowances (payable to nurses and boarding house staff) has been reworded so the employee gets the allowance unless they are entitled to accommodation for their exclusive use all week and all year. newsmonth - Vol 41 #8 2021

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A year of celebration and challenge Pam Smith

Assistant Secretary

As the end of a year draws closer, it is usual to reflect on both achievements and challenges and to look forward to the coming year.

Given the impact of COVID during 2021, such a reflection has its complexities and IEU members understandably have a range of views about the past year and what 2022 may bring.

In the IEU’s Term 4 sub branch meetings, all held via Zoom, members have described the challenges of lockdowns, of online teaching, and the return to school in Term 4 amid ongoing COVID issues in many communities.

The transfer of COVID contact tracing from NSW Health to systems and schools has also had a major workload impact on some schools in Term 4.

Among the frustrations, however, members have acknowledged their own resilience and that of their colleagues in responding to the learning and wellbeing needs of students and families.

Principals, teachers, counsellors and support staff have indicated that a significant part of their work has been in supporting students and families experiencing mental health issues associated with the social and economic impacts of COVID. Digital divide In some areas, COVID has exacerbated the ‘digital divide’ and students and communities have not enjoyed equality of access to devices and the internet.

Staff shortages At the same time as these COVID challenges, growing concerns about a teacher shortage have become a reality in some schools, with principals and teachers sharing with the IEU the difficulties of attracting and retaining staff in metropolitan, regional and remote schools.

One principal member in suburban Sydney told the union that during Term 4 she had regularly taught classes because of the lack of casual staff, as had her leadership team and specialist teachers. Another Sydney principal said he had two ongoing unfilled permanent vacancies which were impacting heavily on workload.

A regional principal member argued that for the future of the profession, governments, employers and unions must work collectively to increase teachers’ pay, improve their working conditions and ensure more secure employment, citing research from the University of Sydney (see Newsmonth #7, October 2021, page 3) showing that teachers’ salaries have not kept pace with increases for other professionals.

Within the context of these challenges, it is also important to celebrate the ongoing work of the union in 2021 for our members. These include: • ongoing bargaining for enterprise agreements (EA), including the Term 4 voting for the independent sector MEAs and for counsellors in the Parramatta Diocese, the current EA negotiations in the Adventist sector and for Life Education members, and the upcoming campaign in the NSW/ACT Catholic systemic sector; bargaining has also continued in the early childhood sector for new and renewed agreements • support for members individually and collectively in relation to workplace concerns and disputes • important gains in the IEU’s case in the Fair Work Commission for pay equity for early childhood teachers that will result in substantial pay rises for teachers employed under modern awards • a focus on support staff through the joint IEU/ employer working party in the Catholic systemic sector to seek pay parity with NSW government sector support staff • continued engagement and advocacy with NESA and TQI in relation to teacher professional development and accreditation • improving the NCCD process through the development of an agreed Factsheet in conjunction

with the Federal Department of Education, Skills and Employment • ongoing IEU involvement with the social justice, women and equity and environmental agendas.

The heart of the IEU’s role is working collectively with our members to protect and enhance their industrial and professional interests and their wellbeing.

As 2021 draws to a close, the union thanks all members for their engagement and support and we all hope for a safe and healthy year ahead in 2022.

Present tense

International students return

After 18 months of bad news, finally a ray of hope!

On 22 November, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that some international students will be allowed to return from 1 December [at press time pushed back to 15 December owing to the Omicron virus variant]. Initially this will be limited to existing student visa holders, but perhaps these numbers will ramp up during 2022, which will hopefully bring the industry back from the brink.

There is little doubt that 2021 has been one of the toughest years for the international student sector in Australia, even harder than 2020. Last year, there was probably the hope that the crisis would be relatively short-lived, and that students would start to come back in 2021, but as we now know, that has not been the case.

Multiple colleges have closed their doors for good, as many again have gone into self-described ‘hibernation’, and all colleges have had to greatly reduce their offerings (nearly all of which have been online), while staffing

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numbers have plummeted. Many excellent teachers have now left the industry, never to return. The most recent market analysis from English Australia lays bare the crisis. ELICOS commencements in August were 60 percent down on 2020, which was itself of course a shockingly bad year. There were only 178 ELICOS-only visa applications in August – a far cry from the 2842 lodgements made in August 2019. However, these monthly numbers are edging up, providing a faint silver lining to an otherwise dark cloud.

December’s student arrivals will hopefully be the start of a big upswing, though of course it will take a while to get the pipeline flowing again. We probably won’t see significant numbers until well after the Australian summer, but hopefully by late 2022, the sector will be well on the way to recovery.

UK summer schools Summer language schools in the United Kingdom and elsewhere are a well-established part of the schedule for the well-travelled ELICOS teacher. Typically, these schools rent out university and residential school premises during the northern summers, and host groups of international students who balance English lessons with sightseeing tours. Most staff live onsite, and it can be a great way to get through the English summer between contracts somewhere more exotic.

News from Britain this week is good for teachers interested in such employment, with changes in the UK

minimum wage meaning salaries have risen by up to 23% since the last pre-COVID summer of 2019.

In the UK, the minimum wage (called the ‘Living Wage’ in Britain) is for anyone over 23, and it is based on every working hour. In summer schools, requirements for staff can often be onerous, with teachers expected to live onsite, and to assist with getting students to bed in the evening and to get out of bed in the morning, supervise them on tours and complete airport runs to welcome them and to see them off. Working hours can often be up to 60 or 70 per week.

Employees working the standard 60 hours a week can expect to earn around £500 (about $A930) per week plus accommodation in 2022, a figure that could be as high as £600 ($A1100) for those working the maximum 72 hours.

Not a princely sum, to be sure, but it can be a fun way to work through the British summer, and with finding staff proving to be a headache for employers in post-Brexit Britain, it may be an opportunity for those Australian teachers with the necessary visas and passports.

Season’s greetings This will be the last edition of Newsmonth for 2021, but we will be back with all the latest from the international student sector in 2022. All of us here at the IEU wish all of our members a great festive season and summer.

Kendall Warren Organiser

d e t a c i d e d r o f e c a p f o e g Chan s e t a g e l e d l i IEU Counc Mark Anderson

in Chatswood. “Joining seemed the same as getting your keys, it just went with the gig,” Anderson said.

Soon after, some colleagues invited him to an after-work union meeting at the Gordon Rugby Club. “I remember a large room packed with teachers,” Anderson said. “The tone was serious, there were speakers, and a vote was taken. At the time I knew nothing about industrial issues – it’s not something you looked at in a teaching degree. After the meeting I felt I had to deal with these deficiencies.”

Anderson set about finding other unionists at work to learn from, including Geoff Taylor and John Quessy (who went on to became IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary in 2012). Some years later, Anderson became a Chapter rep.

Attending a training weekend not long after, he says the skills he gained during those two days have served him ever since, including: • Call the union – they know what to do (and if they don’t, they’ll find out).

• Learn about negotiating – be informed, know what outcomes you want, offer reasonable solutions.

• Learn good timing – know when to be patient and when to let go.

As he retires from his long career at St Pius X College Chatswood, teacher Mark Anderson reflects on his 35 years of active union membership.

Mark Anderson joined the Independent Teachers Association (now the IEU) in 1986 when he was “fresh from art school” and in his first teaching job, at St Pius X College

Strength and successes “When I think of our successful campaigns since the late ‘80s, they are many and significant,” Anderson said. “Not least the recent gains for the early childhood education and care sector [this year the IEU won pay rises for early childhood teachers ranging from 3.3% to 13.6%]. This was a case of knowing when to hang on. When I’m asked why join a union, this is the example I give.”

Yet the occasional disappointment may come your way, Anderson says. “Know that some solutions will fall short,”

he said. “Union membership is a great strength but not a silver bullet.”

While teacher shortages are now making the headlines, “the union has always said decent pay and workloads are needed to encourage enough of the right people to the profession”, Anderson said.

He is adamant that a strong union is vital for defending teachers against the shifting sands of education policies.

“The union is the only link between education workers and those who design and deliver policies and it can only be effective with strong membership,” he said. “The union’s role is crucial in making changes in education work for staff and students.

Active and involved Anderson has served as President of the IEU’s Northern Suburbs Sub Branch, and he considered it an honour to represent members at Council. “It is encouraging to see the involvement of younger members particularly,” he said.

He’s a big advocate of getting involved in the IEU. “Sub Branch and Council meetings have greatly broadened my view of teaching – I value the discussions with other reps and union staff over the years.”

Anderson ends on a note of thanks: to Organisers Patrick Devery, Marilyn Jervis, Megan Bruce, Ann-Maree McEwan, Jackie Groom, Gloria Taylor and Sandra Wright, as well as to both union leadership and administrative staff for getting the big picture and the small details right over the years.

“I am also forever thankful to my colleagues who took me to that first meeting at the Gordon Rugby Club,” he said.

Monica Crouch Journalist

Mary Murtagh Long-time delegate for the Mid North Coast Sub Branch, English and history teacher Mary Murtagh is off on long service leave next year and will not be attending IEU Council so regularly, although she will still look in occasionally. Here Mary reflects on her many years attending Council.

“Attending Council meetings has afforded me the opportunity to really see how well the IEU functions as a union, which always works for the benefit of its members.

“The professionalism of those employed to represent members’ interests in negotiations with employers, and to advocate on their behalf with government authorities regarding curriculum and legislation, has been more than evident in the reports presented at every meeting that I have attended. These are matters that impact members in their professional and personal lives.

“The depth of the expertise of those people who have held these positions over the years has always filled me with confidence that members are well served by their union.

“The fact that the constitutional structure of the union provides for input from members at Chapter, Branch and Council levels on matters that impact upon members’ industrial and professional rights makes the IEU a highly

effective representative organisation.

“Having been a delegate to Council since the 1990s I am able to attest to the professionalism and integrity of the officers and executive who have served the IEU over all that time.

“All members should have confidence in the transparency of the financial dealings of the organisation and be assured that the union advocates for and supports its members interests in an ethical and inclusive manner.

“I am proud of the positions taken by the IEU in respect of human rights issues over the years and feel that this broader engagement in issues that impact our society has always been considered and purposeful.

“I have been coming to Council since ‘The Gazebo’ and have enjoyed the opportunities presented to me to have input into this wonderful union on behalf of the members of the Mid North Coast Sub Branch.

“Hope to see you at the March Council.”

Regina Bryan, who also retired this year after many years of loyal service to the IEU, preferred not to be interviewed. We wish her all the best in her retirement.

Sue Osborne Journalist newsmonth - Vol 41 #8 2021

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IL C N U O ION C ECS LECT E

Elections to the three Early Childhood Services (ECS) Council positions for country branches were held in October. We extend our congratulations to the three members from country branches who were successfully elected: Melinda Gambley, Phillipa Maher and Melinda Morris.

They will join ECS Councillors from Sydney metropolitan branches Amy Martin, Michelle Thompson, Natalie Leeson and South Coast branch member Jane Courtney. Gabrielle Connell remains our Vice President, ECS. The ECS team extends our congratulations and thanks all our ECS Councillors and we look forward to working with you to advance the interests of the sector over the next two years. For more information: https://www.ieu.asn.au/news-publications/ news/2021/10/early-childhood-services-ecs-councilelection-results Proficient teacher maintenance of accreditation On 1 July 2016, it became mandatory for all early childhood teachers in NSW to be accredited. In recognition of prior experience, teachers who had already commenced teaching prior to 1 July 2016 were accredited at Proficient Teacher. NESA has extended the deadline due to COVID-19, and full-time teachers in this cohort now have until March 2022 to finalise their maintenance of accreditation. Proficient teachers are required to maintain their accreditation by: • demonstrating how their practice continues to meet the Australian Professional Standards for teachers: educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/ wps/portal/nesa/teacher-accreditation/meeting requirements/the-standards • completing at least 100 hours of professional development: educationstandards.nsw.edu. au/wps/portal/nesa/teacher-accreditation/meeting requirements/maintaining-accreditation/ maintenance-transition-arrangements • holding a current Working with Children Check: educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/ portal/nesa/teacher-accreditation/meeting requirements/wwcc-clearances

• paying the annual fee to NESA: educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/ teacher-accreditation/manage-your-account/ annual-fee

The IEU is aware that a number early childhood teachers due to finalise their maintenance of accreditation by 4 March 2022 have not yet done so. We encourage members to log into their e-TAMS account and ensure you have met the requirements in order to submit ahead of the deadline. For more information about extensions see: • educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/ nesa/about/news/covid-advice/teacher- accreditation If you have not completed your 100 hours of PD please take advantage of free access provided to IEU members to workshops available on TLN: tln.org.au and The IEUZone: theieuzone.org.au/ If you are confused or need further information on the maintenance requirements, we recommend you log into your IEU Zone account and select Professional Development from the dropdown menu to access our workshop Early Childhood Teacher: Finalising your Maintenance of Accreditation with NESA. If you have any specific questions about finalising your maintenance of accreditation or if you have any difficulty accessing TLN or IEU Zone, please email pd@ieu.asn.au Don’t forget your own health National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) data showed that between 31 July to 19 August in NSW, there were COVID cases occurring in 91 educational settings, including 45 ECEC services.

Transmission rates during the Delta outbreak in NSW were 5.2 times higher than those seen throughout 2020. The highest transmission rate occurred in ECEC services between staff members (16.9 percent).

The spread between children was low. According to paediatrician Dr Jacqueline Small, COVID-19 remains a mild illness for children.

Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws require you to take care of the health, safety and welfare of workers, volunteers and visitors as well as the children at your workplace. This includes minimising the risk of exposure to COVID-19 as far as is reasonably practicable.

In addition to vaccinations, wearing masks and physical distancing between adults, ventilation should be reviewed. The Australian Infection Control Expert Group (ICEG) has advised that COVID-19 viral particles are airborne and are more highly concentrated and thus spread more freely indoors than outdoors. Utilising outdoor areas for activities/experiences wherever possible is recommended. Use large and well-ventilated indoors spaces, open windows and doors and avoid crowding in spaces by splitting children into groups using different areas in the centre. Limit fan oscillation, maintain ventilation and air conditioning systems and consider the introduction of HEPA filters.

Teachers and educators have been working directly with children throughout lockdown. Increased vigilance and safety precautions – including cleaning requirements, concerns regarding the health and wellbeing of their own families, supporting families and children at the centre through an extremely stressful and uncertain time, facilitating learning at home via online interactions with families, providing activity packs to families – have taken a toll on mental health and resilience.

The return of increasing numbers of children into services will place more burdens on staff. Fostering a supportive team culture is vital. What measures do you have in place to facilitate the wellbeing of teachers and educators? Is adequate non-contact time for documentation provided? Do staffing levels enable teachers and educators to support all children to participate in the program? How are positive and supportive relationships between employees fostered? We are so focused on the wellbeing of children and families we sometimes neglect our own needs.

Lisa James Organiser

A perfect example of why you should join your union A recent case before the Fair Work Commission provides a perfect example of why everyone needs to join a union.

Despite winning their case for unfair dismissal, two early education workers ended up out-of-pocket even though they received 21 weeks’ pay as compensation.

They had to pay for barristers to represent them during their three-day appearance at the Fair Work Commission.

Legal fees sucked up all their compensation payout.

Having a union representative to negotiate on their behalf might have meant the matter could have been resolved out of court, avoiding the hefty fees.

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Considering and ultimately rejecting the workers’ application for costs, Fair Work Commissioner Ian Cambridge observed that “very sadly . . . the cost of the litigation appears to have exceeded what should have been assessed to be a likely potential outcome”.

The commissioner in March found that the two longserving Amity College workers were unfairly dismissed following a flawed misconduct investigation, Workplace Express reported.

“Sadly, with some realistic, conciliatory approach to negotiation of settlement, the applicants would have been likely to have moved the employer from its initial

15 weeks to an amount close or equal to what was eventually achieved, but without the costs associated with the hearing.

“In simple terms, a realistic assessment of a settlement of 15 weeks may have been considered to have produced a better outcome for the applicants than 21 weeks at arbitration,” the Commissioner said.

For more information: Asiye Oz v Amity College Australia Limited; Yildiz Kosaroglu v Amity College Australia Limited [2021] FWC 5041 (20 August 2021)

Clockwise from main: Unionists launch a new report into public sector employment outside Keira High School in North Wollongong on November 15; IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Acting Secretary Carol Matthews, centre, with IEU Organiser Tina Smith, right, and teacher Rebecca Roth; South Coast Labour Council Secretary Arthur Rorris speaks to the media at North Wollongong Beach.

How the public sector impacts your pay A new report explains how public sector employment can be the upside of a regional downturn. When governments constrain public sector wages, they constrain everyone's. Here’s why.

During the past two years, as regional NSW experienced a sharp economic downturn resulting from drought and bushfires then the COVID-19 pandemic, which employment sector provided much-needed economic input and stability? Mining? Manufacturing? Agriculture? None of these. It was the public sector.

On 15 November, the IEU attended the launch of a new report into the surprisingly deep impact of public sector employment on the South Coast, Illawarra and Capital regions of NSW. The report was commissioned by the South Coast Labour Council.

“We’ve sought to measure just how much of an impact these workers, from nurses and teachers and public service workers and firefighters and many others have actually had on our local economy whilst everyone else has essentially been frozen out of the economy,” said the Secretary of the South Coast Labour Council, Arthur Rorris.

Sustaining the south coast The report found that public sector jobs in regional NSW represent a greater proportion of the labour market compared to the cities. “In Greater Sydney, public sector employment consists of about 13 percent of the labour market; in Wollongong and Kiama it’s over 20 percent of employment,” said the report’s author, Associate Professor Martin O’Brien of the Centre for Human and Social Capital Research at the University of Wollongong, at the launch.

Importantly, the report found that public sector employment is countercyclical. “The impact or contribution of public sector employment to regional economies

increases in size, importance and dimension in times of economic downturn and crisis,” the report says.

O’Brien pinpoints the direct effect: “Public sector employees on average spend about 80 percent of their income in local areas, so that’s going to local businesses, which has a stimulus effect,” he said.

On the flipside, when the business cycle and private sector are in an upswing, providing more employment and economic activity, the relative importance of the public sector subsides. But in regional NSW, the private sector has been in a downturn for more than two years.

Stability over cycles In a nutshell, public sector employment is economic stability provided by government policy and it is not subject to the vagaries of the business cycle.

“Schools don’t close. Hospitals don’t close. Police stations don’t close. We’re always there. It’s a constant. And our wages, obviously, are a constant in the community,” a school teacher from Shellharbour says in the report.

Even when school grounds were closed, teachers and school staff adapted quickly, and learning continued online.

Pay caps and staff shortages What does this mean for the independent education sector? Public sector conditions have a knock-on effect.

“Public sector wages have been constrained by a 2.5 percent pay increase cap,” said IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Acting Secretary Carol Matthews. “In 2020, many public servants were shocked to find their pay rise was going to be 0.3 percent, and that is just unfair given the work those employees have done during COVID. It reflects abysmally on the NSW Government.”

Matthews noted that when public sector wages are

constrained in one area it impacts related areas. “And that’s where our union comes in,” she said. “If there’s an artificial ceiling of 2.5% on public sector teachers’ wages, our members really have to struggle to get past that as well.

It’s not just an academic theory, our members face those constraints.”

One effect is teacher shortages. As NSW Teachers Federation Deputy President Henry Rajendra said at the launch, “If nothing is done about salaries and working conditions now, schools will run out of teachers in the next five years.”

Matthews agreed. “All sectors of education are currently facing teacher shortages for a few reasons,” she said. “One is wages. Clearly wages must move. And the IEU supports the Teachers Federation campaign for significant increases.

We too will be having a major campaign early next year and expect to see industrial action over wages. The other main reason for shortages is the overwhelming workloads.”

Importance of early learning Matthews also emphasised the role of IEU members in early learning centres, many of which are government funded.

“Our teachers in early learning centres have kept working during a really difficult period and kept everyone else at work,” she said.

“There are still COVID cases in early learning centres and schools. The difficulty of this work and the contribution these employees are making must be recognised by us all.”

And that recognition must come not just in the form of thanks, but in fair wage rises that reflect the increasing workloads, skills and professionalism throughout the entire education sector.

Monica Crouch Journalist

COVID tracing a heavy burden for schools The IEU Principals’ Sub Branch met via Zoom on 6 November with appreciation to principal members for their engagement and support during the ongoing challenges of COVID. The union has also valued opportunities to meet via Zoom with principals in the Sydney Archdiocese, in Parramatta and Wilcannia-Forbes, and with independent sector principals.

Other IEU meetings have been arranged with principals in the dioceses of Broken Bay, Wollongong, Bathurst, CanberraGoulburn and Armidale.

Principals have raised concerns with the IEU about the major workload associated with the transfer of COVID contract

tracing from NSW Health to systems and individual schools. Some principals have informed the IEU that even with diocesan office support, they and their staff have spent up to 40 hours undertaking the tracing, with the often stressful follow-ups with families and communities.

The IEU shares these concerns and believes consultation about the workload implications of this shift of responsibility to schools was inadequate.

Recent IEU principals’ meetings have also raised issues about staffing shortages, dealing with increasing mental health needs of students and families, and a range of other workload and wellbeing issues for principals, including the

importance of induction, mentoring and other support arrangements for principals and school leadership.

These meetings have also been valuable in identifying specific issues for the Catholic Systemic Principals’ Enterprise Agreement (EA) claims. While the principals’ EA claims for the Sydney Archdiocese and the other NSW/ACT dioceses will be informed by the claims being developed for systemic teachers and support staff, there will also be issues in relation to principals’ salary structures, contracts, and conditions of employment.

Association of Independent Schools In the AIS sector, voting for the teacher

and support staff agreements was held from 18 to 24 November, with the IEU aware that the salary and conditions of many principals in independent schools are based on the teachers’ rate.

Multi-enterprise agreements The IEU thanks principals again for their membership and participation and looks forward to being of support in progressing their industrial, professional and wellbeing interests. Everyone hopes that 2022 will be a better year for schools and their communities.

Pam Smith Convenor, Principals Sub Branch newsmonth - Vol 41 #8 2021

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MUSTSHOULDCOULD

Support staff in Catholic schools: How do you gain permanent work?

Support Staff Working Party identifies pay disparities

Increasingly, students and teachers rely on support staff who work within the classroom and Learning Support Services Stream of the Catholic Systemic Schools NSW/ACT Enterprise Agreement.

Support staff work has evolved to include a requirement for a formal qualification in Education Support. Yet many support staff positions are subject to temporary contracts.

The reality is that many positions are dependent on annual funding for students identified as requiring additional classroom support and the position is only guaranteed for the life of that funding. This means most positions are kept as fixed-term contracts only.

So how do you secure core permanent hours and move out of insecure work?

For those working in Catholic systemic schools across NSW and the ACT, the first step is reviewing your contracts and Clause 12.3 of your enterprise agreement (EA).

Must If you have been employed under an unbroken and continuous series of fixed-term contracts over a three-year period (or more), for a specific purpose program, then your employer is required to offer to convert a proportion of your temporary hours to permanent hours. These hours become your ‘core’ permanent hours.

The offer must be made to you upon the conclusion of three years of continuous eligible service. To be eligible for this conversion, your employment must relate to duties within the Classroom and Learning Support 8

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Services stream or School Administrative Services stream of the EA. Should When determining how many permanent hours should be offered, your employer will need to: • calculate the average number of weekly hours you have worked over the preceding three school years; and • offer you the equivalent of 65 percent of the average weekly hours, rounded to the nearest hour.

These hours become your ‘core’ permanent hours.

Once you have been offered core permanent hours, any additional hours you accept to work above the core hours will be classified as temporary only and are not guaranteed year to year. If your employer, with your agreement and the union’s, puts in place arrangements that are more generous than described above, then those arrangements will prevail.

It is important to note what is considered a ‘year of service’. Often these contracts may go over a school year. This is particularly common for support staff employed in a learning support capacity as funding may be tied to February school census dates.

In these circumstances, your contract may be from March to March. Four school terms of employment are regarded as equivalent to a year of service. This service is regarded as continuous except where there is a break in service of 10 or more term weeks.

Could If you are offered a conversion of your temporary hours to deemed permanent, you could elect to decline the offer. If you decline the offer, your employer will not be required to make any further offers. You might think that permanency of 65 percent of the average hours over three years may not be worth it, but it does come with added entitlements to redundancy compensation if those hours are lost.

If, after a period of 14 days, your employer has not received a response in relation to an offer made, you will be regarded as having accepted the offer.

If you accept a reduction of your core permanent hours of six hours or more per fortnight, you will be eligible for compensation for loss of hours in accordance with the redundancy provisions in the EA. This will only apply to the loss of permanent hours.

As you can see, your industrial rights are as complex as your work. To be on the safe side, always ensure your union membership is current in case any issues arise for you in the workplace. And as ever, encourage your colleagues to join the union so they too know and understand their rights and entitlements.

If you have any ideas for future Must Should Could articles, please let us know. email: ieu@ieu.asn.au Donna Widdison Organiser

Over the past nine months, a Joint Working Party on Pay and Classification Issues for General Employees under the NSW and ACT Catholic Systemic Schools Enterprise Agreement has been undertaking a review of the classification structure and comparative wage rates for employees in Catholic systemic schools.

It compared support staff in Catholic systemic schools to support staff in NSW government schools covered by the Crown Employees (School Administrative and Support Staff) Award 2019.

The working party was not tasked with making any recommendations.

We acknowledge that comparisons only provide limited information and cannot capture the full range of duties, skills and competencies of any individual job. But the working party also considered information regarding more specific aspects of a range of roles.

The working party has identified that the following roles in Catholic systemic schools and NSW government schools are comparable: • Clerical and administration (excluding business managers) • Classroom and learning support • Aboriginal education support However, due to the inherent differences in the classification structures, not all classification levels of these roles in the Catholic systemic schools enterprise agreement have a corresponding classification within NSW government schools.

The working party also identified the differences in wage rates and classification structures between identified comparable role classifications. The extent of the wage differences vary greatly depending upon the incremental salary step and classification level, with differences ranging between 3.13 % and 32%.

The working party was due to conclude its work by 31 July 2021, but due to COVID lockdowns, the report has been delayed.

The union is now seeking to have the pay disparity identified by the working party addressed. The union’s proposal will be put forward during the upcoming enterprise agreement negotiations.

This will require both a flat percentage salary increase to bring the rates up to a comparable level for most employees, as well as a nuanced rework of the current classification structure throughout the life of the upcoming agreement.

The union Executive and officers thank Carolyn Collins, Belinda McRae and Kylie Booth-Martinez for their work as member representatives on the working party.

Gender equality

Rapid COVID tests rolled out to schools Following trials of Rapid Antigen Home Testing (RAHT) at schools in Albury and Newcastle in November (including Newcastle Grammar School), the NSW Government has started distributing the kits.

If unvaccinated primary students in NSW have been exposed to a case of COVID-19, they will only have to isolate for seven days if they return a negative Rapid Antigen Test at the end of that time.

The government will supply the tests to schools where there has been a positive case, focusing on primary schools where students are too young to get vaccinated.

Parents administer the tests at home and send the result to the school, allowing quarantine time to be reduced.

Unvaccinated students who are close contacts of a positive case will also be able to reduce their isolation time by using the kits daily.

“I want to see disruption to our students’ education from COVID reduce, while still keeping schools safe places to learn. This requires us to deploy every tool available to balance the risk,” NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said.

“People with a positive result would need to follow up with a regular (PCR) test at a NSW Health testing centre and those who test negative will go on with their normal day-to-day routines assured that they are not infected or at risk of spreading the virus.”

The IEU knows that closing schools is frustrating – for staff, for students, for parents, and welcomes this testing as a way of minimising disruption to teaching and learning.

“However, we are aware that each COVID case creates a potential workload for staff as NSW Health has largely delegated contact tracing to schools,” said IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Acting Secretary Carol Matthews.

“There is also a workload associated with rapid antigen testing.

Staff must be given paid time to monitor the tests along with all the other tasks involved should there be an outbreak in a school.”

Speaking to the Newcastle Morning Herald on 9 October, Newcastle Grammar School Director of Strategy and Performance Philip Fielden said the school was keen to participate in the trials. “We didn’t have to think too long about it, we’re well aware of the harmful impact of COVID on schools”.

He said 18 teachers were participating in the tests, with participants completing an online survey.

Mitchell said: “This is about living with a virus and getting back to normal life while ensuring the community is confident in their safety on school sites.

“Our best line of defence against this pandemic remains vaccinations, and until all students are eligible for one we must continue using measures like RAHT kits to keep schools safe.”

Unions NSW launches strong plan for action 2021

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The IEU joined Unions NSW at the launch of its 2021 Gender Equality Position Paper on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This brief paper defines the problem; provides evidence; and lists actions for change.

While speakers expressed exhaustion that the gender pay gap and violence against women persist, they also shared their determination to make measurable progress.

Natalie Lang, Secretary Australian Services Union NSW/ACT (pictured, speaking): “I'm not tired from the pandemic. I’m tired that after decades of struggle, we still have a considerable gender pay gap. And that’s why this paper is going to turn into action and outcomes. It’s important that we come together and get over ‘the tireds’. We have a gender pay gap because our country’s not good at valuing those industries that are dominated by women. I get that burning fire in my belly that says, ‘we’re not going to accept the gender pay gap anymore’.

As trade unionists, we’re demanding that paid family violence leave is a universal automatic right for every single worker and we won’t rest until we achieve it. It is unacceptable that a woman’s right to safety is dependent on who her employer is.”

Judith Kiejda, President, Unions NSW (pictured, seated): “We are tired. We'd love to enjoy a bit of downtime. Unfortunately, the things that should change, over many years, haven't –

we’ve made inroads, but we're not there yet. And people don't understand the incredible impact this stuff [harassment and assault] has on people.

It comes into your family relationships and raising the kids and all sorts of things. So we have to make sure that we really do something about it.”

Nicola Roxon, chair of HESTA, Australia’s first female Attorney-General (2011-13): “Gender equality is the unfinished business of our time – and it does indeed feel like that. I commend you for launching this paper and the action you plan to take. When I reflect on my time in government I know change is possible. Change can happen. It needs vision and passion and insight, but also grit and determination and planning and a million dull other things to go with it too. It’s really important that these issues are being brought together and Unions NSW is shining a light on them.”

Angela Priestley, founding editor, Women’s Agenda: “The reality is that 44 percent of Australians work in small businesses that don’t have any policies or procedures or complaints processes around sexual harassment. But there have been businesses that have experienced moments where they’ve ended up on front pages and I’ve seen boards having to respond.”

Read the position paper: unionsnsw.org.au/ wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gender-EqualityPosition-Paper-online.pdf Monica Crouch Journalist

College faces floodwater

Major flooding caused extensive damage to agriculture in the Forbes region recently and forced Red Bend Catholic College students back to online learning.

“Flooding in the town of Forbes has been significant, but less so than in 2016,” a College spokesperson said on 19 November. “In anticipation of the rising water, a decision was made for students and staff to transition to online learning.

“Our school is surrounded on three sides by the Lachlan River, which peaked at 10.53 metres and is holding steady.

“We are currently awaiting an ‘all clear’ from the SES so that we can return to face-to-face learning on site’.”

See drone footage of floodwater surrounding the school: youtube.com/watch?v=FxnrlRxHs0w

The Lachlan River rises in Forbes in mid-November newsmonth - Vol 41 #8 2021

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Professional engagement update

Curriculum review

The response to the final report of Portfolio Committee No 3 – Education Review of the NSW School Curriculum – Chaired by Mark Latham, was delivered to NSW Parliament in late October.

While the NSW Government noted the inquiry recommendations, it indicated strongly that it did not intend to adopt any of them. This is a positive outcome as many of the terms of reference for the inquiry were clearly politically motivated.

Professional development NESA recently released the process for nonemployer organisations to run accredited professional development courses.

We have commenced the process of reinstating courses that the IEU previously ran as registered PD. The application procedure is far more time-consuming, and is confined to PD in the four priority learning areas of: • delivery and assessment of NSW Curriculum/Early Years Learning Framework • student/child mental health • students/children with disability, and • Aboriginal education and supporting Aboriginal students/children.

Since approval must be gained for each individual course, the IEU will not be running accredited (previously known as registered) PD until 2022.

The union is aware that casual teachers are experiencing issues accessing sufficient low-cost professional learning. The union will keep monitoring the impact these policy changes have on the availability of suitable accredited professional development.

We have provided feedback to NESA about the unnecessarily cumbersome nature of the application process.

Members can find the union's elective professional development online and ondemand courses on theieuzone.org.au 10

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All courses have been reclassified as elective PD in line with NESA’s interim policy announcements. The popularity of these courses suggests the IEU is still catering to the professional development needs of teachers.

We remind pre-2004 teachers who are close to completion to finalise their 100 hours during this calendar year. Pre-2004 teachers who complete their 100 hours of PD this year will not be required to undertake any learning in the four priority areas in 2022. To be counted, accredited PD must be evaluated, and elective PD uploaded to eTams.

NESA Accreditation: Due date extension NESA has advised that, to help manage the volume of accreditation decisions and assist pre-2004 teachers to finalise their first maintenance period, they will be given a one-off extended timeframe to submit their maintenance from: • the start of Term 2 2022 to 31 December 2023 (for teachers due in 2022-23).

• the start of Term 2 2024 to 31 December 2025 (for teachers due in 2024).

NESA has written to all teachers to whom these arrangements apply.

Teachers who have completed their PD hours will have the option to submit at any point during these periods. Teachers may wish to consider the impact of resetting their due date from the point of submission, perhaps considering their career stage or courses of study they may wish to undertake.

As an example, since professional development hours in excess of the 100hour minimum cannot be rolled into the next maintenance cycle, teachers planning to undertake a significant course of study in 2022 that would satisfy the criteria in one of the four priority areas may wish to

submit in Term 2 2022, in order to be able to count the course hours in their next maintenance cycle.

IEU meets with AIS The IEU sought a meeting with the Association of Independent Schools (AIS) regarding Experienced Teacher and Proficient Teacher status to make recommendations regarding the current Experienced Teacher Evidence Guide, with a view to securing improvements in the next edition. The IEU recommended that: • Any requirement for explanatory notes be removed. Line of sight between documents should be sufficient.

• Supervisors should be strongly encouraged to attend AIS training, so as not to exceed evidence requirements.

• A streamlining of the testimonial requirements, similar to the modifications made to the Head of School Report, would reduce the workload significantly, particularly for those acting as supervisors for more than one teacher.

• Alternative forms of verification should be acceptable if references are inadequate.

• Better clarity around program and professional development requirements.

The IEU also raised ongoing concerns about the Proficient Teacher process overseen by ISTAA, with regards to: 1. Requiring excessive documentation Teachers are being asked to supply documentary evidence for every descriptor.

NESA’s Proficient Teacher Accreditation Policy states (section 4.2.2) "While a teacher’s practice must meet all the Standard Descriptors before they can be accredited at Proficient Teacher, teachers are not required to submit evidence that addresses every Standard

Descriptor to finalise their accreditation.

Nor are teachers required to generate documentary evidence for every Standard Descriptor in preparation for finalising accreditation, or to annotate documentary evidence prior to finalising accreditation."

The IEU is concerned that this practice creates an inequitable situation for teachers engaging with ISTAA to become Proficient, since it differs markedly from the expectations in schools with TAAs complying with the NESA guidelines.

2. Delays in classroom observations There appear to be ongoing delays with carrying out the mandatory classroom observations for teachers ready to finalise their accreditation at Proficient. Delays cause significant anxiety among teachers and may result in financial loss.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data Work has continued with the Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) to produce an agreed fact sheet that clarifies evidence collection guidelines for the NCCD. We expect finalisation of the fact sheet before the end of term, ready for distribution from the beginning of 2022.

In addition, the IEU has sought meetings with the School Assurance Branch within the DESE, to ensure the audit (postenumeration) process operates within the guidelines in the fact sheet. The first of those meetings will take place this term.

Veronica Yewdall, Pat Devery Professional Officers

Member input supports bargaining for Adventist schools With the support of members, the IEU has been engaged in bargaining for a new enterprise agreement (EA) for teachers employed by the Seventh Day Adventist Greater Sydney Conference and for teachers and support staff in by the North NSW Conference.

Meetings with members/potential members were held in November. The EA claims were informed by the valuable input from members at these meetings.

Wages and classification Greater Sydney Conference (GSC) has proposed annual increases of 2.25% over the four-year term of the new EA with no change to the classification structure. For North NSW the pay offer is for an annual 2.3% increases over the four years.

Unfortunately, the proposed classification structure and salary rates no longer match the standards-based model now in NSW government schools, and most schools in the non-government education sector, resulting in lower wages for Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) teachers.

Most importantly, the SDA’s classification structure has Proficient teachers moving through seven incremental salary steps as opposed to five increments in NSW government schools and Catholic systemic schools.

The IEU is seeking a move to a standards-based classification model for teachers to align with teachers in NSW government and Catholic systemic schools. A fivestep scale will allow teachers a quicker progression to the top salary step.

The North NSW Conference has proposed the introduction of the Experienced/Highly Accomplished classification. This has not been proposed by Greater Sydney and members are also seeking implementation of this teacher classification level to match the Band 3 classifications and the HAT rates of pay applicable in NSW government schools and Catholic systemic schools.

Due to the current teachers’ work value claim in NSW government schools, the SDA pay offer of 2.25% for four years raises concerns about maintaining parity with NSW government and Catholic systemic schools.

The union will seek to ensure that the proposed EA provides for any significant disparity in wages to be addressed during the life of the EA.

R LEtTo Tt h E e EDITOR

Work practices Based upon member input, the union is also seeking a range of improvements in working conditions for teachers.

At present, face-to-face teaching hours for secondary teachers are determined at each school. For secondary teachers, there needs to be consistency of face-to-face teaching hours across all schools operated by the GSC. The union is seeking a cap of 21 face-to-face teaching hours a week, as is already available in North NSW, along with a clear definition of what is included as face-to-face teaching hours for both agreements. Responsibilities such as extended home room, chapel and assemblies should be included in the 21-hour limit.

As extras and covers impact on a teacher’s overall workload, taking time from other duties such as planning, assessment and collaboration, student and parent meetings etc, the union proposes a limit on the number of extras and covers a teacher can be required to do by instituting an annual extras cap of 15 hours per school year.

For primary teachers, the union is seeking an additional clause to enable rescheduling of a teacher’s RFF where it has been lost because of a school-related activity (including a lack of available replacement staff).

Members have also requested provisions for additional release time to undertake planning for excursions and camps, and release from duty on return from extended overnight excursions to ensure the work health and safety of staff.

As per most diocesan Work Practices Agreements, the IEU is seeking additional release time for a teacher who mentors graduate teacher(s) to obtain accreditation or registration at the Proficient teacher standard.

The union also seeks a more detailed process for the appointment procedures for leadership positions be included in the EA. This must include consultation where there are proposed changes to the leadership positions within a school.

while studying, are required to apply for leave without pay (LWOP) and utilise their accrued long service leave (LSL).

The union is seeking to amend the LWOP provisions of the EA to allow an exemption from the requirement to utilise LSL when the absence is to undertake professional activities.

The proposed EA reflects only the minimum National Employment Standard (NES) of five days of unpaid leave for reasons of family and domestic violence.

The union is seeking to have this converted to paid leave, as is available to teachers in other sectors. Having such leave as LWOP adversely impacts vulnerable employees through a loss of income at the time the leave is taken.

It also has the potential to trigger further adjustments impacting on payment and accrual of other leave entitlements and salary progression.

As the current EA allows for an adjustment to annual leave and non-term time payments and progression after only five days of LWOP, the union is seeking to increase this to 20 days in line with the provisions in most other NSW schools.

The claim in relation to the North NSW Support and Operational Staff Agreement aims to provide parity of long service leave accrual and parental leave entitlements, which are currently less than those provided to teachers employed by the Conference, access to paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave, as well as the introduction of wage averaging provisions for employees who are currently stood down without pay during non-term weeks.

Formal EA bargaining meetings have commenced.

An initial meeting was held with the Greater Sydney Conference on 9 November. Representatives from North NSW met with the union on 22 and 29 October. Discussions are continuing.

The IEU values the engagement of members and looks forward to working with them to achieve an EA which the union can recommend for a ‘yes’ vote.

Leave Under current GSC arrangements, teachers taking a leave of absence to engage in professional development and other professional growth opportunities such as NAPLAN and HSC marking, study leave, and practicum placements

Pam Smith Assistant Secretary Carolyn Moore Industrial Officer

I read ‘Australia’s broken wages bargain’ in October Newsmonth with interest.

However, the method of calculating pay increases is not addressed.

Throughout my 20-plus years working in schools, pay increases have always been calculated as a percentage of current wages or salary. So a pay increase of 2% for someone on $100,000 is $2000. For someone on $50,000, it is just $1000. This

has resulted in wider and wider disparity in income between workers over the years.

School support staff are now often paid less than half of what teachers are paid, despite the increasingly technical work that they perform. This gap is growing wider with each pay increase.

To recruit appropriately skilled support staff, this issue needs to be addressed urgently.

Is there a better way to calculate pay increases than by a percentage of the current salary/wage?

Could a more equitable system be introduced across all industries to begin to address the increasing gap between rich and poor in Australia?

Anna Conyers Wagga Wagga

newsmonth - Vol 41 #8 2021

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Sticking Together: A children’s book about why unions matter Sticking Together is a beautifully illustrated children’s book produced by the creative team of the Victorian Trades Hall Council. It’s the perfect gift for pint-sized unionists-to-be (as well as the fully grown variety!).

What can animals teach children about working-class solidarity? Quite a lot! Take a journey through the animal kingdom and discover how important it is for all of us – human and animal alike – to stick together.

For instance, did you know otters link up their paws and form a ‘raft’ before they fall asleep, so no otter drifts off while they’re napping? Or that vampire bats bring back food and share it with their hungry counterparts?

Or that emperor penguins huddle together in the cold like a chummy rugby scrum, but they rotate who stands on the outside so that nobody freezes their penguiny bits off?

The book is written by James Raynes and illustrated by Mitzi McKenzie-King.

For both James and Mitzi, creating the book was a reminder of how much solidarity is not just natural, but also vital for our survival.

“While I was researching, I saw so many examples of how animals cooperate,” James said.

“The natural world is often used as a metaphor – a justification even – for individualistic, competitive behaviour and it’s really not accurate.

“Society teaches us over and over again to look after number one, but the reality is that working in union is part of human nature.”

Nature not machines Mitzi said, “I also think solidarity comes naturally to children. And it can be nurtured – but it's not always, especially in mainstream education that tends to want to turn kids into little productivity machines.”

“One of the toughest things was narrowing down the animals we wanted to select because the examples of animal cooperation are so numerous,” James said.

“Then there was the discovery that some of the best examples of animal cooperation in the wild are not necessarily the cutest things to be putting in a children’s book!

“Naked mole rats cooperate in pretty interesting ways – but have you ever seen a naked mole rat?”

For Mitzi, the hardest thing to illustrate was “definitely the vampire bats”. The bats were a late addition to the book – and James is all praise for Mitzi’s success at making them look cute. “I mean – the bats cooperate by regurgitating blood into each other’s mouths so she really had her work cut out for her.”

Mitzi and James, who have worked together for more than four years, believe that an alchemy of shared union values and a similar sense of humour helped the words and imagery fuse so cohesively.

“We’ve both got this intense passion to make things better, and to try to always eke out humour wherever we can,” Mitzi said.

James said: “If you were to give this job to an illustrator who wasn’t steeped in the values of unionism, would the humanity in these images have come through? I’m not sure. I think that as unionists and communicators, we both understood and wanted the same thing.”

Mitzi said, “We need to teach kids that unionism is about collectivism, but also that it’s about valuing diversity, inclusion and intersectionality. So by illustrating someone in a hijab and someone in a wheelchair and gender-ambiguous people, it’s normalising for young kids the idea of power and beauty in diversity.”

Available from weareunion.org.au, or see Giveaways on page 16 to go in the draw for a free copy.

“If you were to give this job to an illustrator who wasn’t steeped in the values of unionism, would the humanity in these images have come through?”

Book review: 28: A Memoir of Football, Addiction, Art, Masculinity and Love Many of the boys we teach are stuck in a space between proving themselves and being themselves.

How can they be themselves when society mostly holds up role models who are valued for how many tackles they make or how many girls they attract?

What happens if they can’t prove themselves? Where does their self-esteem go to hide or explode? When we praise the captain of the rugby team for his on-field artistry, do we equally praise the boy who created a work of art? Do we let the rugby player also be an artist?

Imagine the pressure to be “the man” when your dad is one of the best rugby league players the world has seen, and your brother is an AFL legend. What happens when your family relationships revolve around sport, so you aim to be a professional footballer but you discover after a lot of destructive binge drinking that you’d prefer to write songs or write books?

This is the life of Brandon Jack. His new book, 28 – A Memoir of Football, Addiction, Art, Masculinity and Love is a brutally honest and real depiction of someone who almost made it as a senior Sydney Swans footballer.

He did end up playing 28 senior games for the Swans (hence the title, which is not his age – he’s only 27) but he was never a regular in the senior squad. Brandon's older brother, Kieren, played 256 games for the Swans while his father, Garry, played 244 games for the Balmain Tigers and 22 for Australia. The family home, a museum to sporting glory, was the backdrop to Brandon’s upbringing. No pressure at all.

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This is not the usual sporting autobiography by a retired champion who (usually with a ghost writer) produces a magnum opus the size of a phone book with his (never hers) surname in huge gold letters down the spine.

This is a story about how it feels when you are not selected, and your dreams and reality start to unravel. It’s about drinking to fit in and feigning injury to get out.

Boys from about Year 10 and up should read this book to understand that there is more to being a young man than getting selected and winning games of footy.

As Brandon says when he appears as a guest speaker at schools, “there are many ways to be a man”, and he proves it.

He lays his heart and his hopes on the table and lets you into the messy mind of a young man. He shares diary entries that reveal a worrying intensity and very intimate moments as he learns to be himself.

It is unlike any sporting biography I have read. It is not only for men, nor only for football or sports fans (although Sydney Swans supporters will love a peek inside the inner sanctum). I could not recommend 28 more highly, especially in a year when many victims of toxic masculinity have been brave enough to stand up and speak up.

If you would like Brandon to speak at your school about gender roles and what it really means to be a man, you can email him: brandonlukejack1994@gmail.com David Whitcombe Organiser

Around the Globe

Around the Globe brings you international news about injustices and workers’ rights. If injustice exists anywhere, it exists everywhere.

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Rong Chhun, centre Cambodian union leader freed In November, Rong Chhun, a former teacher and current leader of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, was released from indefinite detention after speaking out about land rights.

“For over a year, trade unions in Cambodia and across the world have been campaigning for Rong Chhun’s freedom and calling the Cambodian government to drop the charges against him.” Shoya Yoshida, International Trade Union Confederation Asia-Pacific General Secretary.

Historically, major unions have aligned themselves with the opposition in Cambodia. In November 2017, the Supreme Court dissolved the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), the country’s main opposition party. Rong Chhun served on the national election committee of CNRP. Union leaders such as Rong Chhun play an important role in politics as they represent the vast number of workers, especially in the textile sector, a major export industry for Cambodia.

Karen women call for end to violence against women November 25 marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and is the start of the 16 Days of Activism campaign.

Along the Thai-Burma Border, the Karen Women’s Organization (KWO) is a leading voice against sexual violence. With a membership of 70,000 women, KWO believes that empowering women will help reduce human rights abuses and encourage an end to discrimination against women.

Actively engaging in the 16 Days campaign every year, KWO has already launched activities in seven refugee camps along the border and in villages in Karen State, Burma. Their 2021 statement calls on “everyone to have courage to speak out about injustice and stop all forms of violence against women”.

Rally in Sydney on 16 November The Philippines: Australians speak out against union repression as election looms On 16 November, Philippines Australia Union Link held a rally at the Philippine Consulate in Sydney to call for an end to trade union repression and to Australia’s $42 million-plus military aid. The Philippine military engages in the ongoing red-tagging, repression and killing of trade unionists and other community leaders.

Australian union leaders Vanessa Seagrove, Assistant Secretary Unions NSW; Rita Mallia, President CFMEU NSW Construction & General; and Jagath Bandara, Lead Regional Organiser, International Transport Workers' Federation, spoke at the rally. “We hope there's real change when the Duterte presidency ends," Seagrove said. "Whatever happens we know we need to continue to support worker’s rights and trade unions in the Philippines."

Concerns over human rights violations and trade union repression continue as the Duterte and Marcos families contest the May 2022 elections. Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is running for President while Sara Duterte, the President’s daughter, is running for Vice President. Watch this space!

Australia’s solar industry linked to Uyghur forced labour Reports of human rights abuses continue to surface in Xinjiang, China. The Uyghur minority is persecuted through mass surveillance, extra-judicial detention, restriction of religion and forced labour.

Links to Uyghur human rights violations have been exposed in Australia’s solar industry (ABC News, 16 Nov 2021). “Nearly everyone in the world who is buying solar panels is likely to be buying products made with forced labour.”

Last year, 83 well-known consumer brands – including Nike and Apple – were named in a report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute for links to Uyghur forced labour.

It’s renewal time again. We imagine that, like the rest of us, you’re running towards the finish line of 2021. But don’t forget to let us know if there are changes for you in 2022.

We have emailed all current members a renewal notice for 2022. If you can’t locate it in your inbox please also check your junk mail. If we didn’t have an email address for you or the one we have was rejected, we will post the renewal to your home address in December.

The renewal shows the information we have on record for you. If you are increasing or decreasing your hours, let us know. If there are no changes for 2022 and your payment method is automatic (payroll deductions, automatic credit card, direct debit), you don't need to return the form.

If you have changes to your personal details, workplace or workload, including parental leave or long service leave, or your payment is not automatic (credit or BPAY) you need to return the renewal. Simply click the my-membership-details link in the electronic renewal or return in the replypaid envelope if you received a renewal via post.

We’ve included a summary of options below that we hope will help you complete the renewal.

If you are unsure or need assistance to complete it, please contact our membership staff, we are happy to help.

Call us: 8202 8900 (press 1) Email us: membership@ieu.asn.au

2022 renewal options I would like to pay the annual discount rate in 2022 If your payment method is automatic (automatic credit card/EFT) and set for yearly payments, this rate will be processed automatically on 31 January 2022.

Taliban commandeer US equipment in Afghanistan Afghans fleeing Taliban still waiting on visas It has been more than three months since the Taliban took over in Afghanistan. Since then, more than 100,000 applications for humanitarian visas have been made.

Australia, who has initially promised 3000 visas, has yet to issue a single visa. On 8 November, a Senate Inquiry investigating Australia’s engagement in Afghanistan urged the Morrison Government to do more for the people of Afghanistan and called for an additional 20,000 humanitarian visas.

Human rights and legal organisations including Amnesty International, the Law Council of Australia, and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, gave evidence to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee’s Inquiry.

“We need urgency from the Australian Government on tackling the immediate humanitarian crisis; leadership on resolving challenges which are restricting the provision of life-saving aid; and urgent planning on how we can protect the development gains Australia has helped to achieve,”said Tim Watkin, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Australian Council for International Development.

Bangladesh called before the ILO In early November, the Government of Bangladesh was called before the International Labour Organization to report on terrible working conditions in the country.

Up to 35,000 Bangladeshis die at work every year and 8 million are injured. Sexual violence is rife, millions of workplaces are barely monitored by government labour inspectors, and people are trapped in jobs with poverty wages.

Take action for #ABetterBangladesh: petitions.ituc-csi. org/a-better-bangladesh

Non-automated payers need to return renewal by 7 February 2022 to attain the discount rate If your payment method is payroll deductions, you need to advise your payroll office directly to cease the deduction, and return the renewal to us by 7 February 2022 to pay the discount rate.

No changes for 2022 and my payment method is automatic (credit card/EFT/payroll deductions) Do not return the renewal, your membership will automatically roll over in 2022.

My payment method is not automatic (credit card/BPAY) Return the renewal or phone IEU Membership on 8202 8900 (press 1) to update.

There are changes to my personal or work details in 2022 Return the renewal or phone IEU Membership on 8202 8900 (press 1) to update.

I did not receive a renewal/I need assistance to complete my renewal We're here to help. Call us on 8202 8900 (press 1) or email us: membership@ieu.asn.au I am going on parental leave in 2022 We offer a discounted rate for parental leave.

Return the renewal or call us on 8202 8900 (press 1) to update.

I want to cease my automatic payment in 2022 If you are on automatic payment (automatic credit card, payroll deductions, direct debit from your account) and do not wish to pay via this method in 2022 reply to the renewal or phone 8202 8900 (press 1).

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

newsmonth - Vol 41 #8 2021

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End of the road at last Chris Wilkinson President

Here we are at the end of 2021 and what a journey it's been! You all deserve to be congratulated for the amazing effort with face-to-face teaching and home-based Zoom lessons.

Both teachers and students faced many obstacles and challenges along the way, whether it was technical problems, not enough devices to go around, anxiety or students missing lessons for all sorts of reasons, be it fires, floods or lockdowns.

Thoughts must go out to the Year 12 students whose HSC exam dates changed several times. It has been a very trying time for both teachers and students. They certainly deserve a great holiday at the completion of their 13 years of schooling.

A huge thank you goes to reps in Catholic systemic schools who have held chapter meetings to endorse the Catholic systemic schools claim.

I encourage reps in schools to meet with support staff to discuss the claim and the importance of joining the IEU. Support staff do an amazing job and are highly regarded by both students and teachers. You deserve to be paid well for the work you do. So, see what you can do to increase membership in your school.

It was a pleasure to join many sub branch meetings and listen to concerns that members are facing in their workplaces. There seems to be a common thread throughout primary, secondary, Catholic and independent schools. Strong union chapters can usually achieve promising outcomes for all members.

I take this opportunity to thank you all for your support throughout this challenging year and your continued involvement in the IEU. We look forward to a more productive and settled 2022.

Enjoy your holiday break and I hope you can venture to new and exciting places or just relax at home.

Stay safe and well. I look forward to working with you all again in the New Year.

A roller coaster ride of a year Gabrielle Connell

Vice President Early Childhood The last 12 months has been a roller coaster for early childhood services and teachers.

On the one hand we have the wonderful news from the Fair Work Commission that our wage case has been successful and early childhood teachers can look forward to significant wage rises in 2022, and a boost for NSW Educational Leaders.

This has been a long-fought battle over eight years – the best minds and huge amounts of time and resources have gone into achieving this.

Many teachers from across the sector also gave their time and expertise to support this in the form of statements and attending the Commission.

The IEU has always gone above and beyond to support this sector. Considering early childhood members comprise a small proportion of the union's overall membership, we are very well supported through advocacy, help with work issues and professional development.

In the New Year we urge you to check you are being paid correctly and to call the union if you think there is a discrepancy.

COVID is still impacting on services with teachers and directors trying to navigate the continually changing situation and the mountains of information and misinformation, while still delivering high quality programs to children and supporting families.

Closures, staff shortages, vaccination mandates and isolation are still an everyday occurrence, but early childhood professionals have shown great resilience and should be warmly congratulated by all – you are essential, and your commitment is incomparable.

Preschool funding has been announced with the Free Preschool model continuing for 2022. While many services are finding this is a sustainable model, many on high SEIFA (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas) bands are finding this model could bankrupt them.

Representations from preschools have gone to the NSW Government. Continuing to fund children instead of funding services will always lead to a disparity in fees.

I know many of you will be looking forward to a wellearned break and a chance to rest and rejuvenate for another year. We have no idea what next year will look like as we all make our way through this pandemic. I thank you all for your continuing dedication and your professionalism in the face of such adversity.

Here’s to a wonderful 2022.

Let’s hold teachers in higher esteem Bruce Paine

Vice President Non Systemic With no trade offs and respectable pay rises coming in a multi-enterprise agreement covering staff in many independent schools, one might think the future is bright for the next three years.

Yet the COVID era did much to highlight the growing disparity between the public perception of teachers and the reality they face every day.

We use terms such as professional engagement, professional development, professional standards, professional practice, professional identity and even professionalism, but step outside our industry and few see it quite the same way.

Certainly, token acknowledgement comes from the likes of NESA, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and the Office of the Children’s

Guardian, but the public doesn’t place us in the same category as solicitors, doctors or architects.

Teachers have the legal and moral responsibility to care for, educate and steer those in their care – this seems to me to be the pinnacle of public trust.

Yet it didn't taken long since lockdowns were over for many to question the work of teachers once again. I had hoped that ‘home schooling’ would challenge the stereotype of teachers working only 38 weeks a year and going home at 3.30pm each day.

If we want better conditions, reduced workplace stress, higher salaries and a greatly enhanced public image, we each need to work, individually and collectively, toward developing our professional image.

The new MEA is a start and the respectable salary increases with it go some way toward making up the shortfall. Let’s all work toward making the COVID era one in which teachers are placed, socially and professionally, where we deserve to be.

Five healthy habits for managing your credit card Keeping your card under control doesn’t have to be hard. Here are five healthy habits to help you manage your card and protect your credit rating.

Track your spending By choosing secure electronic statements and checking them each month, you’ll be able to see exactly where your money is going and spot any suspicious activity on your card, so you can report it to the bank.

Remember to pay on time Get to know your card payment due date, then pay on time or even a little early – you can avoid late fees and keep interest under control.

Don’t just pay the minimum If you can afford it, paying even just a little extra helps you keep your balance down and reduce your overall interest bill.

Keep an eye on interest rates and fees There can be big differences in fees and interest rates between cards, so it pays to shop around. Choosing a card like the Teachers Mutual Bank credit card with no annual fee and a very competitive interest rate can make a big difference over time.

Don’t overcommit It might seem like a handy safety net, but choosing a credit limit higher than you need not only encourages you to overspend, it can also make it harder to get other loans – and even affect your credit rating.

As a teacher, you’re busy caring for your students’ welfare, so it’s good to know there’s a bank dedicated to caring for your own financial wellbeing. If you’re looking for a low interest, no annual fee credit card, why not consider a Teachers Mutual Bank credit card?

The material provided is for information only and is of a general nature. The material should not be construed as providing advice on any of the topics discussed. Your individual needs and financial circumstances have not been taken into account. Teachers Mutual Bank is a division of Teachers Mutual Bank Limited ABN 30 087 650 459 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence No 238981.

Membership eligibility applies to join the Bank. All applications for credit are subject to our responsible lending criteria. Fees and charges apply. Please refer to our Credit Card terms and conditions online for more information.

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newsmonth - www.ieu.asn.au

Are you ‘stapled’ to a dud fund?

Federal Financial Services Minister Jane Hume described the Your Future, Your Super legislation as the biggest reform since compulsory super was introduced in 1992.

The four key elements of the new law (mostly effective from 1 July 2021) are: • A new Your Super comparison tool to compare data on My Super products.

• From 1 November 2021, where new employees do not choose a super fund, employers have to check with the ATO to determine if the employee has an existing super account. If so, the employee will be ‘stapled’ to that fund and all future contributions will be paid into it.

• A change to the duties of trustees of superannuation funds to act in the best financial interest of their members.

• A new super fund underperformance assessment to be conducted by APRA and published on their website.

The purpose of the ‘stapling’ provision is to reduce the number of super accounts as the ATO estimates there are about 6 million multiple accounts held by 4.4 million Australians.

Admin fees, investment management fees and insurance premiums on these extra accounts eat into account balances and can significantly reduce a member’s balance at retirement. It is a huge waste of money.

Prior to this reform, if a new employee did not nominate a preferred super fund, the employee would be placed in the employer’s default fund, which is usually named in an industrial award or agreement.

So, while the intent of the ‘stapling’ provisions is good, there will be some problems for those disengaged employees who are ‘stapled’ to a dud fund. The CEO of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, Eva Scheerlinck, has said: “We are very concerned that the new stapling rules will negatively impact disengaged or vulnerable Australians who may not realise they are in a persistently underperforming fund and remain stapled to that fund for life.”

The CEO of Industry Super Australia (ISA), Bernie Dean, agreed. “Being stuck to a dud fund could punch a huge hole in a person’s nest egg, and that is going to limit how much they enjoy life in retirement – people should make sure they are with a good fund,” he said. ISA estimated being stapled to an underperforming fund could cost an individual as much as $230,000 at retirement.

So what is a dud fund?

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority is required to conduct an annual performance test and this year it has told members of 13 regulated funds that their returns have been at least 0.5% below the benchmark for its peers for at least the last five to seven years. If you have received advice that your fund is in this category, then it may be wise to look around and weigh your superannuation options.

‘Stapling’ also has implications for insurance cover as people who change jobs and move into more dangerous occupations such as building or even bartending may not be covered under their group cover at time of claim.

So the best option is engagement.

Even if you are years away from retirement, it is important to be engaged with your super. Read your member statements, annual reports, your fund’s website, and information about super in the news. It’s your best defence against the set-and-forget mentality that is so common.

On behalf of the NGS Super Trustee, management, and staff, we would like to extend to you a very happy and safe holiday period. We’ll be back in 2022 and you can be sure we will be working in your best interests now and in the new year.

IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Executive

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

Bernard O’Connor NGS Super

with Professional Development and Reps Training

www.ieu.asn.au Our locations (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 professional 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.)

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 Lismore: Unit 4 Lismore Professional Centre 103-105 Molesworth Street, Lismore NSW 2480 6623 4700 Canberra: Unit 8, 40 Brisbane Avenue, Barton ACT 2600 6120 1500 newsmonth - Vol 41 #8 2021

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Dreams They Forgot Publisher: Wakefield Press Author: Emma Ashmere

Sticking Together

Publisher: Victorian Trades Hall Council Author: James Raynes Illustrator: Mitzi McKenzie-King What can animals teach our children about working together and solidarity? Quite a lot! Take a journey through the animal kingdom and discover how.

For instance, did you know otters link up their paws and form a ‘raft’ before they fall asleep, so that no otter drifts off while they’re napping? Or that vampire bats bring back food and share it with their hungry counterparts?

These and many other real-life stories of solidarity are told in rhyme and accompanied by vibrant and funny illustrations. Proudly produced by Trades Hall, this is the perfect Christmas gift for unionists of all ages.

Two sisters await the tidal wave predicted for 1970s Adelaide after Premier Don Dunstan decriminalises homosexuality. An interstate family drive is complicated by the father’s memory of sighting UFOs. Two women drive from Melbourne to Sydney to see the Harbour Bridge before it’s finished. An isolated family tries to weather climate change as the Doomsday Clock ticks.

Emma Ashmere’s stories explore illusion, deception and acts of quiet rebellion. Diverse characters travel high and low roads through time and place – from a grand 1860s Adelaide music hall to a dilapidated London squat, from a modern Melbourne hospital to the 1950s Maralinga test site, to the 1990s diamond mines of Borneo.

Undercut with longing and unbelonging, absurdity and tragedy, thwarted plans and fortuitous serendipity, each story offers glimpses into the dreams, limitations, gains and losses of fragmented families, loners and lovers, survivors and misfits, as they piece together a place for themselves in the imperfect mosaic of the natural and unnatural world.

Publisher: Wakefield Press Author: Richard Davis

Wotan’s Daughter: The Life of Marjorie Lawrence

Wotan’s Daughter recounts the turbulent life and career of Marjorie Lawrence, one of Australia’s most renowned opera stars. From humble beginnings in rural Victoria, Lawrence rose to become one of the pre-eminent Wagner singers of her generation, acclaimed and honoured in Europe and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York where she shared roles with the legendary Kirsten Flagstad.

Stricken by polio at the height of her career, Lawrence fought back courageously against physical disability and prejudice to rebuild her shattered life and return to the stage. This is a book for all music lovers and those who value an inspiring story of triumph over adversity.

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 15 January 2022.

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CHOOSE TO

CHAT

super with your employer From 1 November 2021, you have a super fund ‘stapled’ to you for your working life. If you want better control of your retirement savings, tell your employer your preferred super fund.

Changing jobs? Choose to chat with your new employer and let them know your super details. It’s the safest way to ensure your retirement savings are in the fund you want. Otherwise, your employer must pay your super to your stapled fund, as determined by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

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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We’ve made it easy for NGS members to provide their super details to employers. Visit ngssuper.com.au/changingjobs or call our Helpline on 1300 133 177 Monday to Friday, 8am–8pm (AEST/AEDT).