Newsmonth, July 2013

Newspaper of the NSW/ACT Independent Education Union (vol 33 #4) July 2013 newspaper of the nsw/act independent education union [vol 31 #7] november

newsmonth Print Post: 225007/0002 – ISSN: 0728-4845

Early childhood centres fight back p6

Support staff take lead on safety p7

Teach, Survive, Thrive p11

Union fights for redundant workers

IEU members outside the Fair Work Commission on 8 July

The Union is representing 12 staff made redundant by Malek Fahd Islamic School in western Sydney. The Union notified a dispute to the Fair Work Commission because the School had breached the requirements in the Agreement to consult the Union and employees about the proposed redundancies, writes Newsmonth Journalist Sue Osborne.

IEU Assistant Secretary Carol Matthews said: “Under the Agreement, an employer must consult with employees and the Union as soon as a definite decision is made to implement redundancies.

“Malek Fahd should also have discussed with us measures to reduce the impact of the redundancies, such as calling for expressions of interest in voluntary redundancy or part-time work, the reasons for the redundancies and the effect on other employees”.

Among the IEU members attending the Fair Work Commission on 8 July, were Year 6 Teacher Alan Khoder and his wife Davina, a Year 3 Coordinator, both of whom worked at the school and were made redundant at the same time.

NERA new Gonski as reforms shape industrial agenda With the NSW and Federal Governments proposing a raft of reforms for teachers and their schools the Union is setting an agenda highlighting the industrial impact and sending a clear message: new work requires new investment.

Full implementation of the new curriculum, the expansion of NAPLAN, increased data collection, a new system for mentoring early career teachers and school readiness assessments are just a few of the proposed hoops members and their schools will need to jump through in order to qualify for cash under the National Educational Reform Agreement (the new funding model formerly known as Gonski).

The NSW Government has also flagged its intention to bring all teachers within the scope of the Institute of Teachers Act. IEU General Secretary John Quessy says that among all the added hoops “nowhere is there a list of work they want us to stop doing”, nor is there an acknowledgement of the resourcing each additional duty would require.

The Union is setting its agenda over the coming months to respond to the reforms and to advocate for: appropriately remunerated and well structured pracs; a system for resourcing best practice mentoring models; a rejection of wage caps on any model for career progression; and full consultation on any transition regarding the Institute of Teachers Act. For more information, see p3.

“Nowhere is there a list of work they want us to stop doing or an acknowledgement of the resourcing each additional duty would require.”

While they don’t expect to regain their positions, they are hoping the Union’s action will provide better protection for their colleagues, and prevent other schools acting in the same way.

“I’m best friends with some of the people still working at the school. No one deserves to get treated the way we were.”

The couple has been forced to put their house on the market due to the redundancies. Their seven year-old son also attends the school.

“I’m glad we’re Union members, I would have had to hire a lawyer otherwise, and that would have cost a lot of money,” Alan says.

“The Union has been talking to the School and the Commission on our behalf. They are doing all they can. Hopefully other schools will get the message.”

The Union is continuing talks with representatives of the School about the entitlements owed to employees and seeking additional information about the criteria used to determine who would be made redundant. A report back has been set for the Fair Work Commission on 29 July.

Reclaiming prac What do you think?

Are you being paid for supervising prac? How are these duties impacting your workload? If you have had recent experience supervising prac teachers the IEU would like to hear from you.

The Union is looking into the current system for supporting and remunerating schools and teachers who take on the supervision of prac teachers, and the increased value of the service they provide.

Currently school teachers are paid up to $21.50 per day for supervising prac, a figure which has not increased since 1991.

Teachers in long day care centres commonly receive no recompense, with all money going directly to the employer.

Universities receive $833 per teacher training student to fund the practicum at all levels.

“Teachers who supervise prac must be adequately compensated, with a fairer distribution of the money provided for this service,” says IEU General Secretary John Quessy.

“The practicum is not owned by universities or by the Government. Without teachers and schools it couldn’t happen.

“Stakeholders need to work together to ensure prac is a positive experience for all the participants.”

To share your prac experiences, email mark@ieu.asn.au.

For more information, see p10.

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Denial of bargaining rights at heart of dispute Gloria Taylor IEU Deputy Secretary

Attendees at Council gave St Gregory’s staff a standing ovation.

The IEU on behalf of teachers at St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown has attended bargaining sessions with the College in an attempt to resolve this long-standing pay dispute.

Good faith bargaining The negotiations followed the Union’s notification of a bargaining dispute to the Fair Work Commission.

It is the Union’s view that these meetings have provided the first genuine opportunity to negotiate with the College. The next session will be critical in determining whether this matter will be settled or whether the teachers’ campaign will continue to escalate.

While the issue is pay, the denial of bargaining rights has been at the heart of this dispute.

In late 2012 the College offered a 2.5% pay increase, subject to a no extra claims commitment, from the first pay period on or after 1 January 2013 to be incorporated

into a one-year agreement based on the existing agreement.

Teachers at St Gregory’s sought a higher increase in line with similar Catholic independent schools in the area (3.6% at St Patrick’s Campbelltown and Mater Dei Special School). EREA schools have since settled for 3.5%. The St Gregory’s 2.5% offer is out of step with results in similar Catholic independent schools across NSW. Of particular disappointment is the employer’s attempt to force an outcome on St Gregory’s teachers by extending the ‘single interest employer authorisation’ that has applied to employers covered by the List D Agreement.

This was opposed by the IEU in the FWC. While Commissioner Lawler’s decision on 12 June found in favour of the Union, he left open an option for the employer to lodge a fresh application.

This would result in the votes from other List D schools overriding any rejection of the 2.5% at St Gregory’s.

Parents heading to interviews at St Gregory’s College were handed leaflets by IEU officers.

Industrial action continues The teachers at St Gregory’s have been engaged in a resolute campaign for many months. The IEU applied for a protected action ballot under the Fair Work Act on 16 October 2012 and on 15 April 2013. Both ballots were passed and members have taken protected action on three occasions – November last year and March and May this year.

Ongoing chapter action includes a ban on meetings outside normal school hours and a ‘work to rule’ on taking 30-minute lunch breaks.

IEU Officers ‘picketed’ St Gregory’s on 17 and 19 May to provide information about the dispute to parents attending parent/teacher interviews when it became apparent that teachers would be docked pay if they did not proceed with the interviews.

IEU members at St Gregory’s have demonstrated strong solidarity and a resolute position in the face of their employer’s failure to agree to a minimal

pay increase in recognition of the commitment of teachers to this Marist Brothers Catholic independent school.

Council solidarity IEU Council on 15 June congratulated the teachers at St Gregory’s Campbelltown on their persistent campaign for wage justice in the face of the intractable position of their employer.

In the unanimously carried motion Council “condemned the attitude and tactics of the employer in undermining the bargaining right of teachers at St Gregory’s College by exploiting elements of Fair Work legislation,” calling on their employer to negotiate with the Union for a fair outcome for teachers at the College.

Council commended the St Gregory’s chapter for their courage and tenacity by a spontaneous standing ovation for IEU Rep Peter Baz who represented St Gregory’s at the Council meeting.

Catholic pay rises under threat Carol Matthews IEU Assistant Secretary

Support and maintenance claim The Union has claimed a 2.5% pay rise for school support staff in Catholic systemic schools and maintenance and outdoor staff from the first pay period after 1 July. This increase is in line with pay rises received by teachers at the beginning of the year, the pay rise received by support staff last July and the increase allowed to public sector employees under legislation introduced by the O’Farrell Government in 2011.

NSW Government tries to block 2.5% However, the NSW Government recently opposed a 2.5% pay rise for public servants from 1 July in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, notwithstanding its own legislation providing for a 2.5% pay rise without productivity offsets. The Government argued that it was entitled to reduce the 2.5% by 0.25% because of the 0.25% increase in compulsory superannuation 2

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from 1 July 2013. The increase in super is a result of Commonwealth legislation that provides for a gradual increase in superannuation from the current level of 9% to 12%. Under the NSW Government’s argument, the 2.5% pay rise could be reduced by a greater amount each year as the amount of the compulsory superannuation gradually increases.

On 25 June the Full Bench of the Industrial Relations Commission rejected the Government’s argument, stating that the legislation passed by the NSW Government states that pay rises awarded by the Commission could not exceed 2.5% but the increase in super was not awarded by it and therefore should not be counted.

Moving the goalposts Following the decision of the Commission, on 28 June the Government amended the relevant Regulation to

require the Commission to take into account in awarding the 2.5% pay rise, any increases in superannuation. This Regulation, if it is not disallowed in the Legislative Council, will overturn the decision of the Commission and limit the increases from 1 July to 2.25%.

Catholic dioceses In late June the CCER wrote to the Union advising that, if the NSW Government were successful in its argument before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, NSW Catholic dioceses would also refuse to pay support and maintenance staff more than 2.25%.

This is despite the fact that the relevant legislation has absolutely nothing to do with Catholic schools and that it has previously not disputed a pay rise of 2.5% to other groups of employees.

It is also the case that conditions of employment (including superannuation) of public sector employees are not the

same as those of employees in Catholic systemic schools.

At the time of writing the Union has not received any response from the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn in respect of our claim for 2.5% for school employees employed in systemic schools in the Archdiocese.

Stand firm The Union will write to members early next term asking reps in Catholic systemic schools to hold Chapter meetings demanding the 2.5% pay rise for support staff immediately.

If the Union accepts a reduced increase for school support staff now, we will face similar arguments from dioceses in respect of teacher pay rises at the beginning of 2014, so this is an issue for all staff.

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

NERA reforms to shape industrial agenda John Quessy General Secretary Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is correct to advise that the new school-funding model should not be referred to as Gonski. A gradual revelation of the detail shows that the National Education Reform Agreement (NERA) now being proposed has little relationship to the recommendations of the review bearing David Gonski’s name.

While the nature of financing the model has received considerable comment and criticism, funding is only part of the NERA. The other, highly significant, part is the National Plan for School Improvement (NPSI). These are the strings that form part of the deal, the conditions that attend Federal Government’s NERA investment.

Many of these conditions will impose compliance burdens on schools and systems that will have budgetary implications, while others have potentially serious consequences for the work and working conditions of teachers and support staff.

Firstly, new regime extinguishes the National Partnerships and rolls that money into the NERA pool. The future of programs that relied on this funding is now uncertain.

The NPSI ushers in a national approach to practicums for those in teacher training and introduces requirements for supervising teachers.

It recommends a system of support and mentoring of early career teachers.

The NPSI also seeks to incorporate

Australian Professional Standards as a part measure for career progression.

Other proposed changes under the NPSI include: •

•

a requirement for all schools to fully implement the Australian curriculum, expand NAPLAN to include science and provide access to continuous study of a priority Asian language a requirement that all schools undertake a school readiness assessment of students prior to them commencing school

Add to this the inferred adoption of the Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework (a form of continuous teacher performance appraisal) and additional expectations from the NSW Government’s Great Teaching Inspired Learning blueprint and the nature of teaching and teachers’ work changes significantly.

Government policy and new layers of compliance are nothing new to us, we have dealt with them before and we will again. It is vital however to assess the likely impact on members and to respond appropriately. As governments (both

“New work requires new investment or it simply fails.”

• an obligation for teachers to personalise learning plans for every Indigenous student and to implement the new ATSI education action plan (the Union has received assurance that personalised learning plans will not be required for all students) • a requirement for greater local decision-making, preparation of and reporting against an annual school improvement plan and programs to strengthen relationships between schools and parents and between schools and the community, and • a heavy emphasis on national data collection, analysis and reporting, in part to satisfy a perceived flaw in transparency and accountability processes.

State and Federal) seek to introduce these ‘reforms’, their actions will shape the direction of our industrial agenda in the coming months.

The agenda Reclaiming prac: Teachers will reclaim the practicum, agreeing to participate where well structured, properly organised and appropriately remunerated placements in partnership with tertiary institutions exist. The practicum is not owned by universities or by governments but if they address the issue of compensation their other demands may well be realised.

Mentoring – resourcing best practice: Models of best practice for

support and mentoring early career teachers already exist and are reasonably resourced by some employers. This best practice needs to be identified and extended to all workplaces. It is successful however only where adequate investment is made.

Career progression – no place for wage caps: There already exists a model for career progression based on measurement against identified teaching standards and many hundreds of teachers in independent schools are earning significantly higher salaries working under this three band model.

Freezes on funding and imposing artificial salary caps are insurmountable obstacles to any serious progress across the wider industry.

Transition – an obligation to consult: In NSW, the Government has flagged its intention to bring ALL teachers within the scope of the Institute of Teachers Act over the next few years.

Their rhetoric commits them to consult with Unions and the IEU will advocate a straightforward and tidy approach to any transition.

At the core of the introduction of new curriculum, school readiness assessments, data collection and the like is the provision of adequate resources.

New work requires new investment or it simply fails. Nowhere is there a list of work they want us to stop doing.

Time will tell how serious these ‘reforms’ are to be treated.

NAPLAN – part of school architecture or deserving of review?

Mark Northam Assistant Secretary A Senate NAPLAN inquiry is currently underway and the IEU has made a submission based on an online survey of some 2500 members. The central finding was that teachers estimated they had doubled the amount of time spent in classrooms in terms of NAPLAN preparation over the last three years.

NAPLAN started in 2008 and became a more contentious process when the results became part of My School reporting in 2010 The results revealed: • An increasing amount of time being spent in preparation and correspondingly a decrease in the completion of ‘programmed’ work by the time of testing. The 2013 survey found that time spent in preparation had more than doubled for primary schools.

Only 20% of respondents in relation to primary school class work and less than 30% of secondary respondents believed that programmed work was ‘on track’.

• Pressure on schools, teachers and

students remains at high levels despite five years of testing experience. Some 89% of respondents said teachers experienced additional pressure from the publication of NAPLAN data, with 92% saying schools also experienced this pressure.

• An increasing number of teachers finding that the tests are providing less diagnostic capacity than three years ago.

their communities” fuelled the notion that NAPLAN was a high stakes test rather than a snapshot which produced useful data.

The IEU has held a long-term view that the data generated is of great value to teachers. However, the lengthy feedback timeline frustrates IEU members.

The plan to bring NAPLAN online by

“Schools are spending a ludicrous amount of time preparing for tests on the behest of administrators that don’t want to look bad.”

Around one third now say the test results are useful compared with almost one half in the 2010 survey and 88% still say the use of NAPLAN data is misleading as a ‘school result representation’ for their schools.

The debate as to the purpose and intent of NAPLAN intensified when ACARA formed a view that “poor communication between schools and

2016/17 should assist with this issue and proposed enhancements to the online testing may assist in reducing the high stakes testing regime.

For ACARA to apportion blame to teachers as to where NAPLAN has been positioned is unproductive. The inevitable league tables and consequent pressure on individual schools and systems of schools comes to rest on

teachers who consequently ‘drill’ students, perhaps at the expense of the broader curriculum.

Members respond “Schools are spending a ludicrous amount of time preparing for tests on the behest of administrators that don’t want to look bad,” one member stated in the survey.

Another said: “A majority of class time is spent preparing students for NAPLAN tests, rather than teaching the actual curriculum. Merely saying teachers shouldn’t be doing this doesn’t solve the problem of them being made to by principals and curriculum advisors”.

The IEU submission to the Senate inquiry into NAPLAN has been based on member feedback. The IEU urges a clarification of NAPLAN’s purpose, a rethinking of the timing of the tests, a review of the items included in the tests, improvements as to how data is represented on the My School website, and appropriate provision for students with special needs. newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Inside supporter

“As teachers we can be rushed off our feet so it can be hard to do this other stuff.

But through the IEU we have a chance of getting action.”

When you enjoy working in a key and rewarding profession it makes sense to support it via union membership, Peter Pichler from St Francis Xavier College, Hamilton, tells Newsmonth Journalist Tara de Boehmler.

Teaching wasn’t Peter’s first choice of career. He explains that he “kind of fell into it” after the mining boom collapsed in the early 1970s. As a geologist with a science degree, in order to stay in employment Peter did a teaching degree and successfully applied for a job at what was then known as Marist Brothers’ High School, Hamilton.

“I stayed on after that because I enjoyed it very much,” Peter says.

That was just over 40 years ago and since then Peter has seen the school undergo a name change, become co-educational and transform itself as a senior college.

His own career has been far from staid, since coming to work for the school.

“I went back and did an economics degree. I taught just about everything in the HSIE area and specialised in Economics and Business Studies.

“I’m a Student Coordinator at the moment and have now been working in the student welfare area for about 25 years. That’s probably been the most rewarding and beneficial part of what I’ve been doing.”

Peter has also seen many improvements to working conditions, won by him and his fellow IEU members over the years.

“Virtually everyone was a member of the Union and we got a lot of improvements in our working conditions between 1973 and 1983. There was a lot of inflation and our wages always kept up and were sometimes ahead.

We also got long service leave improvements and other general provisions.

“We got a lot of support and were pretty happy with the outcome. Our wages have been negotiated through the Union ever since.

“Negotiations take a lot of work and effort on the part of members, so we’ve always been happy that we don’t have to do this ourselves.”

Today, Peter says the school still enjoys strong, active membership, which he says needs to be maintained.

IEU submission: cautious support for working with children check The IEU will voice its guarded support for a national scheme for working with children checks in its submission to the first issues paper of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.

The Working With Children Check Issues Paper 1 asks whether there should be a national scheme and what features and requirements should be included.

IEU General Secretary John Quessy said a national

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scheme should be established to avoid duplication for members working and living in bordering states or territories provided that the interests of employees are protected. A national scheme would streamline the process for those moving from one to the other.

But Mr Quessy added it is important that unions are consulted fully on any changes to a national scheme.

Submissions to Issues Paper 1 are due by 12 August 2013.

To read Working With Children Check Issues Paper 1 see www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/Issuespapers/ Pages/default.aspx.

“Membership is still fairly strong here and people are involved in the Union and are very interested in what’s going on. Meetings are well attended.

“I’ve always felt that I’ve been well supported. If I’ve had any questions the IEU representatives over the years have been really good.

“Although I’ve never needed the Union to step in on my own behalf I’ve seen cases over the years where issues have arisen and the Union has always come to members’ support in a reasonable manner – not over the top but genuinely supportive. I’ve seen how much the staff appreciate this.”

Aside from day-to-day industrial support, Peter feels strongly about the role of Union members in working together to form a strong voice on professional and educational issues.

“Funding cuts are affecting a number of teachers in schools, particularly in terms of programs offered to students. In many cases, teachers are having to do more with less.

“If schools which need the money are not getting it, I don’t see how that is a fair thing. But it is pretty good if people who feel the same way can get together and feed back into the IEU, for the Union to take it up. As teachers we can be rushed off our feet so it can be hard to do this other stuff. But through the IEU we have a chance of getting action.”

For these reasons and more, Peter would like to see all school staff join the IEU. “Not everyone is a member. Some do ride on our coat tails, which gets up my nose a bit.

“If anyone asked me why they should join the Union it would be pretty easy to answer them. I’d be telling them that it is very much in their interest because all of their conditions and all of our salaries are negotiated through the Union and this becomes the wage contract for the next period of time.

“It would only make sense that you contribute to something that is done for your own benefit instead of getting it for nothing.”

Peter adds that he was once an IEU Rep for a year.

“Other than that, I’m just an inside supporter.”

Planning for the Australian Curriculum

How’s it going?

The IEU has been a significant player in improving conditions around the introduction of the Australian Curriculum, writes IEU Co-Convenor of the Education Issues Committee Sandra White.

The Union has worked with others to achieve modifications to the NSW curriculum, so that teachers are not faced with a significantly different curriculum document.

Also the Union has been a key force in achieving a staged implementation schedule from 2014, an additional PD day this year, and campaigning for teacher support from the Board of Studies (BOS) which has resulted in the Online Program Builder.

Most teachers in K-10 classes have started planning for next year.

If you are having trouble getting started, check out the IEU website for a useful five-point plan developed

by IEU Executive member, Denise McHugh, Teaching and Learning Coordinator, McCarthy Catholic College, Tamworth. See: www.ieu.asn. au/news-publications/news/2013/06/ teacher-tips-planning-for-the-

australian-curriculum. The NSW BOS launched an online Program Builder in April, which can be accessed through a Scootle account, or for teachers in Catholic schools through the CNA portal linking into Scootle. If in doubt, ask your school curriculum coordinator about access.

The BOS Program Builder includes exemplars of programs across a range of KLAs, resource mapping, guidelines for programming, and program templates.

BOS reports suggest teachers are particularly looking to use the program builder to integrate curriculum areas.

The Union is monitoring the Australian Curriculum implementation process to ensure that: • NSW teachers receive the additional PD day in 2013 • all teachers have free access to the BOS online Program Builder, and • the NSW BOS AC implementation schedule is being followed.

If you have concerns about any of these last three items contact Sandra White (sandra@ieu.asn.au) or Mark Northam (mark@ieu.asn.au).

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Union defends 3YT teachers in ACT

The Director of Catholic Education has claimed that three-year trained teachers in the ACT will have their employment terminated at the end of 2014 unless they undertake a university course to give them four-year trained status.

A number of years ago in the ACT government sector three-year trained teachers were deemed to be fouryear trained upon individual merit. Three-year trained teachers who were employed in December 2010 have been granted full registration by the ACT Teacher Quality Institute.

The Union has opposed the push by the CEO and has also argued that there should be other pathways for these teachers to achieve four-year trained status.

The CEO has indicated that they are now willing to discuss alternative pathways for these teachers.

Union NSW Secretary Mark Lennon addresses the crowd.

Workers Compensation laws one year on

Too many cooks . . .

VET teachers across NSW are in the unfortunate position of having three ‘bosses’ to answer to: their principal, the Board of Studies and their Registered Training Organisation (RTO), usually managed at diocesan level, Newsmonth Journalist Sue Osborne writes.

The RTOs are in turn overseen by the Federal Government’s Australian Skills Quality Authority, which demands ‘industry’ accreditation for teachers.

There is a great deal of inconsistency across the state between what one RTO expects of a VET teacher compared to another, and an ever growing red tape burden on VET teachers.

As a consequence, VET teachers are falling between the cracks when it comes to workload arrangements and release time. Many teachers are picking up the slack, feeling they have no choice but to work extra hours to administer students’ compulsory work placements, or fulfill the onerous and differing competency based assessment requirements of the RTOs. They lack the protection afforded to staff in other faculties because of the inconsistent and unpredictable nature of the RTO requirements.

Recently a number of members from the Hunter, North Coast and North West branches have contacted the Union seeking assistance with the problem.

Branches are now raising this issue during their chapter meetings, to enable it to be discussed by school directors.

Raelene Maxworthy is a VET Coordinator at McCarthy Catholic College in Tamworth and she would like to see the Registered Training Organisations administering VET in schools uniformly across NSW.

She would also like to see a streamlining of the assessment and recording of student competency.

“It has to be recognised and acknowledged that VET in schools must be treated differently as it has the constraints of operating within a school,” Raelene says.

“I believe RTOs are potentially ignoring our award conditions.”

She says VET teachers are constantly required to ‘prove’ themselves. They have up-to-date industry specific qualifications despite being fully qualified teachers, and they have to complete a lot of other unnecessary red tape.

“We have to retrain, reshape, re-program, re-prove, re-digitise and re-record to satisfy a group of RTOs that cannot seem to agree on a way of dealing with the certification and competence of VET students in high schools across the state,” she says.

“VETis (Vocational Education and Training in Schools) has these problems because for too long it has been the elephant in the room.”

Mark Wright, a VET Sports Coaching Course Teacher at St Francis Xavier in the Hunter Valley, says there is a real danger of VET teachers opting out because of the added stress of extra paperwork with little time to complete it.

The IEU has made a submission to the NSW Board of Studies VET Hospitality syllabus review, highlighting members’ concerns and is continuing discussions with the CCER. See www.ieu.asn.au/news-publications/ news/2013/06/ieu-responds-to-vethospitality-syllabus/

A large crowd gathered at State Parliament to protest the one-year anniversary of the O’Farrell Government’s cuts to workers compensation protections and attack on workers rights in general, IEU Organiser Michael Bracken writes.

The victims of the law changes addressed the crowd. They were people injured at work and now left struggling both emotionally and financially.

The crowd was hushed as one injured truck driver told how his entitlements were cut to less than $50 per week. He also spoke of the effect this was having on his family and that to ‘break up’ as a family unit could well be the only way they could survive financially.

Ironically NSW Finance Minister Greg Pearce was off work on ‘stress leave’. His entitlement was over $5000 per week.

The protesting group was left in no doubt that the only beneficiaries of these laws were the insurance companies.

To a roar of acclaim, Opposition Leader John Robertson said that if elected he would immediately abolish these laws and replace them with a system that restored workers rights and put an end to the trauma that so many are going through.

Special schools funding

The IEU has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of $76 million for special schools over the next six years as part of the National Plan for School Improvement.

The IEU had long campaigned for a significant boost in funding for many disadvantaged independent schools.

Federal Secretary Chris Watt says the increases were a good first step in addressing the underfunded needs of students currently in special schools.

“This is a good interim payment on the anticipated increases,” Chris says.

“We look forward to further enhancements to the quality of education our schools provide, once the consistent definitions data is known later next year." newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Embrace your inner firebrand Early childhood education is under pressure not only from staff shortages caused by pay inequities and a lack of respect and understanding of the profession, but increasingly from bids to sell off or reclassify land and buildings, writes Newsmonth Journalist Sue Osborne.

Parents, staff and committee members at Gordon Preschool had to learn to advocate effectively for early childhood education very quickly, Director Felicity Barclay says.

The Preschool, which is located near Gordon railway station, first learnt of the Council proposal to reclassify the land from community (protected from development) to operational (available for development) from a local newspaper article in January.

Council did not write to the Preschool about its plans. Instead they received a day’s notice, in April, that a Council meeting to vote on the matter was to be held. On May 28 the matter was before Council again, with a motion to rescind a previous motion to reclassify the land being voted on. This time 200 supporters wearing badges and T-shirts attended the meeting. Eight speakers addressed council on behalf of the preschool, including Felicity.

“Being a Teacher, I spoke about children as citizens, about Ku-ring-gai looking like a child-friendly city and an active vibrant community with children at its heart.”

The final vote was 5-5, but the Mayor used her casting vote against the rescind

motion. The preschool community plans to fight on.

“It’s crucial that early childhood teachers are in touch with their community, local councillors and MPs, even during times of harmony, as you never know what the future may hold. Be prepared,” Felicity says.

“We have been on a very steep learning curve. Fortunately we have an incredibly smart academic with an interest in pedagogy and a passion for our preschool as our board of management president and she became our campaign manager.

“We formed a committee that included parents. We decided to update the parents about everything as soon as we were updated.

“Our first parent meeting was a bit feisty as everyone had lots of different ideas.”

The big lesson for preschools is that they should get to know their local politicians, she says.

“We have found they [councillors] don’t get it. Some don’t understand the difference between long day care and preschool. They use the wrong language.

They don’t understand what communitybased means.”

The IEU’s Teachers are Teachers campaign is urging teachers to make contact with their local MPs to help them appreciate the importance of early childhood education, and Felicity wholeheartedly supports this idea.

“For preschools that have some space now and are not under the gun, invite your local MP and councillors to a grandparents day or a multicultural food day.

“Send them your newsletter, invite

“Let’s tap into the passion that naturally exists in our teachers about what we do with children and why it’s important.” them in for a cup of tea.

“Form relationships. That’s what you are good at. We talk about it in the Early Years Learning Framework – about making connections and embedding community into our practice.

“So let’s live that.”

Felicity recommends all preschools make sure they have signed authority forms for children’s photos to be published, a short video about their centre that can be published online, and an awareness of what skills and interests their parent community has.

“Tap into the diversity of your community. Even a small rural preschool will have people it can call on.”

Whether it’s campaigning for the Teachers are Teachers campaign or some other purpose, teachers should never feel intimidated.

“Don’t be put off by the politics. Let’s tap into the passion that naturally exists in our teachers about what we do with children and why it’s important.

“We need to get good at articulating our practice. It’s something teachers are not always comfortable with, crytalising pedagogy for the general public, but I’ve learnt it’s important to be able to explain things in away that’s accessible.”

Details: www.saveGCP.org.au, www. facebook.com/saveGCP, www.change. org/en-AU/petitions/savegcp.

• The IEU is aware of other preschools under threat, including Laurel House Preschool. This community-based, non-profit childcare centre in Glebe has been providing childcare services for local

families, university staff and students for almost 40 years. The NSW Government are looking to sell the property as part of an ‘asset review’. With other recent closures, this amounts to a loss of 152 childcare places in the inner city.

Details: www.ieu.asn.au/newspublications/news/2013/05/help-savethe-laurel-tree-house-sign-the-petition/ • The small rural community of Alstonville is losing it’s preschool of 40 years. The fully enrolled, 30-place per day Alstonville Baptist Community Preschool will close in December. A small but dedicated volunteer community group has been working for two years to retain a preschool provision in the town but with a lack of suitable facilities or support from DEC they look likely to loose their battle for universal access for their children. Details: www.facebook.com/ friends.alstonville.community.preschool. inc, www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/ save-alstonville-preschool Is your preschool or centre facing a fight? Write to us and let us know your story via newsmonth@ieu. asn.au and don’t forget to stay in touch with the Teachers are Teachers campaign at www.ieu. asn.au/campaigns/teachers-areteachers/ and www.facebook.com/ teachersareteachers

Letter to the editor

Putting Piccoli in the picture Recently Suzy Tucker, Director of Griffith East Preschool and myself, Marie Jacobsen, Director of Leeton Preschool, met with Education Minister Adrian Piccoli.

We really pushed the issue that unless teachers get higher wages it will be hard for the government to achieve their aims in early childhood education.

This is why we have a diminishing number of professionals in our sector, yet the new reforms (which are fabulous and we wholeheartedly applaud them) state categorically that every member of staff should have a minimum of a Certificate III in Child Studies, if not a diploma, and that every child should have access to a university qualified early 6

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childhood education teacher.

How can preschools pay for these qualifications, let alone everyday costs such as increases in CPI, electricity, water and rents, when the State Government funding for each and every service has not increased one cent since 1989?

Minister Piccoli was quite shocked about this, however I feel he would have to know that this is the case. He asked if the funding goes up each year for CPI and I said no. The ‘gap’ has to be made up by preschool parent fees. Not good.

Another topic was the fact that low pay equals low super and we gave him some personal stories we know of where some teachers have said that they will have to

be working until they are 74 or 75 years of age before they can retire using their superannuation.

I urge all Early Childhood Educators to meet with your local MP and have these discussions. You do not have to be on your own – go with a colleague. And you will get great support from the IEU and Lisa Bryant.

The full version of this letter can be accessed via the IEU’s website: http://bit.ly/13GTe6n

Early childhood funding response The IEU has joined forces with other key early childhood education stakeholders in a submission regarding the Review of NSW Government Funding for Early Childhood Education.

The submission provides detailed feedback on the funding model.

The submission can be found at http://www.ieu.asn.au/ media/83401/joint_response_ june2013.pdf

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Support staff take lead on workplace safety “All the stresses I had were taken away from me as I heard about the support that was available and I can honestly say I came away from the training able to act more positively in my own workplace.”

IEU support staff members Phirooza Battiwalla and Matthew Sanderson took full advantage of the Union’s workplace safety training when they attended a recent Stay Safe at Work PIP (Pedagogy in the Pub) workshop, writes Newsmonth Journalist Tara de Boehmler.

Presenters examined changes to work health and safety legislation and what it meant in education contexts. To attend a PIP on this or another topic in your area, see the professional development calendar on page 12-13 Enjoying a new confidence Phirooza Battiwalla, Lab Assistant, Pymble Ladies College This workshop has given me so much confidence and I also have a better understanding of the duty of both the employees and the employer.

The fact that it was held outside of work hours meant I was able to go on my own initiative and the next day back at work I could immediately apply what we’d learnt.

For instance we spoke about safety and hazards in the classroom, such as the danger of tripping over wires.

It so happened that within a couple of weeks we had a meeting at school where we were asked to check all the leads to ensure they were the right length.

I knew what length they needed to be and as a result of attending the training was bold and able to say “this is not according to compliance”. I was then able to tell them exactly what was required in order to comply with the regulations.

I can now do this whenever needed, with confidence, to ensure we all know what is required.

The resources we were give during the training have also helped. I took them back for my colleagues and I was impressed by how honest and open they were.

What set this training apart was the positive and productive way it was delivered, the professionalism of the person delivering it, and the fact we were able to speak and ask questions as we went.

All the stresses I had were taken away from me as I heard about the support that

“As union members these professional development opportunities are provided for our benefit.

I would urge everyone to make the most of them.” was available and I can honestly also say I came away from the training able to act more positively in my own workplace.

I now know where I stand and what my rights are and I feel very confident.

It’s now wonderful to have situations come up and to find that I am able to handle them confidently. I can’t tell you how grateful I am.

Opportunity not to be missed Matthew Sanderson, Sous Chef, Barker Senior College, Hornsby This was the first real insight into the WHS legislation I’ve had and it was quite an eye-opener.

I was impressed by the enthusiasm and the professionalism of the presenters and the excellent information they provided.

Being one of a dozen or so in attendance meant I was not lost in the crowd. At times it felt almost one-on-one, which made it so much easier to absorb the information and feel part of it all.

It was also excellent to attend a WHS workshop with a mixture of support and teaching staff as it gave us all an insight

into what each other was going through.

I feel a lot more confident and knowledgeable as a result of what I learnt. I was able to go back into my workplace knowing not just about my own responsibilities but also my employer’s.

One of the biggest surprises for me was learning that heads of organisations were held accountable and that ignorance on their part was no longer an excuse to avoid penalties for breaches of the legislation.

When I got back to work I gave a brief overview of the workshop to most staff I work with in the kitchen and passed on the notes to help them better understand their rights and responsibilities.

I would advise all support staff members to attend PIPs and any professional development the IEU delivers.

More broadly, as union members these professional development opportunities are provided for our benefit. I would urge everyone to make the most of them. This certainly won’t be the last one I attend.

Lab staff are a professional ASET

The ASET sub-committee Lisa Fuss, Sumathi Venkateswaran, Pamela Waller and Robyn Linton.

The Association of Science Educators Technicians (ASET) held their first regional professional development day at Charlton Christian College, Fassifern in May. More than 100 technicians, teachers and administrators from both the government and nongovernment sectors attended

the informative conference.

Workshops were presented on the new WHS legislation with a particular focus on school science laboratories, the new Global Harmonising System (GHS) of labeling chamicals and Wizz-Bang activities designed to motivate and inspire science students.

ASET is a relatively new professional association aiming

to promote the profession of science technicians in science departments throughout NSW educational institutions.

In supporting the work of laboratory science technicians, aides, assistants and managers the association hopes to lift the profile and professional standing of all its members.

Details: www.asetnsw.org.au

NSW/ACT IEU is offering WorkCover approved 5 day training course for elected HSR’s and elected Deputy HSR’s working in the Education sector in NSW. TERm 3 2013

WorkCover approved training for Health and Safety Representatives (HSR)

TERm 4 2013

PART 1 - 5, 6, 7 August and PART 2 - 26 & 27 August

Cost: $500 members

OR

PART 1 - 28, 29, 30 October and PART 2 - 18 & 19 November

$750 Non-members

Venue: IEU Office: The Briscoe Building, 485 -501 Wattle St, Ultimo Time: 9am - 4pm daily To book contact Victoria Walters on 8202 8900 or victoria@ieu.asn.au newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION OF AUSTRALIA NSW/ACT BRANCH ELECTION NOTICE

Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009

Nominations are called for the following offices:

President Vice-Presidents (5) – one elected by/from each of the five membership sections identified in Rule 6(3).

Financial Officers (2) Branch Secretary Branch Deputy Secretary Branch Assistant Secretaries (2) General Executive Members (10) Delegates to Federal Council (16)* * Note that the Federal Officers other than Federal Executive members are elected by and from the Federal Council members.

Written nominations, which comply with the registered rules of the Union, must reach me by 4pm on Tuesday 6 August 2013. Nominations cannot be withdrawn after this time.

Nomination forms are available from me, or from the website of the NSW Independent Education Union (www.ieu.asn.au) and the AEC (www.aec.gov.au).

Candidate Statements: Candidates may include with their nomination a statement not exceeding 200 words containing only the candidate’s personal history and/or policy statement and a passport-sized photo.

Statements which comply with the organisation’s Rules will be distributed with the ballot papers. Statements must be submitted to the Returning Officer as a word document (.doc) either by email to nswelections@aec.gov.au or on a cd. The statement must reach my office or postal address by 4pm on 6 August 2013.

ADDRESS FOR LODGING NOMINATIONS By email

A properly completed nomination form including all necessary signatures may be scanned and submitted as a pdf file to nswelections@aec.gov.au.

By Post: Australian Electoral Commission, PO Box 496, Haymarket NSW 1239

By Hand: Australian Electoral Commission, Level 10, 59 Goulburn St, Haymarket NSW 2000

By Fax: 02 9375 6336 BALLOT A postal ballot, if required, will open on 2 September 2013 and will close at 12 noon on 24 September 2013.

Members should notify the Union of any change of address.

NOTE: A copy of the AEC’s election report can be obtained from the Union or from me after the completion of the election.

Lee Jones Returning Officer Ph: 02 9375 6361

Union Elections An explanatory note from the General Secretary Elections are currently scheduled for: • Branch Secretary, Branch Deputy Secretary and Assistant Branch Secretary.

• Other positions on the Union’s Executive, which meets once per month. These are not full-time Union positions and include the positions of: • President • Vice Presidents (5) – these are elected by and from the following membership section listed in IEU rules, which are in short: • Early Childhood Services in NSW • Teachers – Catholic Systemic Schools in NSW • Teachers – Independent Schools and Educational Institutions in NSW, excluding those mentioned above • School Support Staff in NSW • All members in the ACT • Financial Officers • General Executive Members •

Delegates to Federal Council Delegates to Federal Council are not members of our Union Executive. Federal Council meets once or twice per year, generally by teleconference. Federal Council does not deal with day to day matters affecting IEU members in NSW and the ACT.

John Quessy General Secretary

Join the online conversation like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ieunswact Follow us on Twitter by searching 'ieunswact' in the search bar.

Join the IEU social group & keep up to date with us... www.ieu.asn.au 8

newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Rep Spotlight

ELICOS Rep in search of a successor Geoffrey is passionate about his work, teaching at the tertiary preparation college.

“I love teaching grammar and the importance of grammar,” he says. “That’s why I’ve been in this role for 24 years and haven’t retired yet. I really enjoy teaching the overseas students. They are terrific.”

He is also passionate about unions.

“I have a strong belief in the value of unions,” he says. “They look after workers’ conditions and wages and they mitigate some of the worst excesses of capitalism, ensuring workers have some access to the profits.

“Historically they have been at the forefront of the fight for human rights. We are fortunate that in this country we can be in a union. In some countries it is dangerous to be in a union.”

For Geoffrey, being in the Union and taking on the role of the Rep has been about helping his colleagues maintain their conditions and wages “I have a superb set of colleagues and they do appreciate my efforts as Rep. I do it for them because I already have what I want. It’s also my attempt at contributing to social justice.

“We have just negotiated a good enterprise agreement with a pretty reasonable pay increase” (details below), he says. “It was the third or fourth agreement I’d been involved in and it was also the best.

“Management wanted to increase hours of work by up to 25% on some programs but we held the line and got them to agree to a review of the programs.”

Following the win, Geoffrey says he is now ready to retire.

“It’s been a highlight to continue preserving conditions and getting pay rises but this last agreement has really taken it out of me,” he says.

“I’ve been threatening to retire for a while, but at 64 I now feel I have done my bit.”

Geoffrey is now looking for someone to take on the Rep role.

“I’ve approached a few of them as I know they’d be terrific,” he says. “What I stress is the benefit they can bring to their colleagues.”

He said the support of IEU organisers makes all the difference to a beginning Rep. “When I started in the Rep role I thought I wasn’t adequate for the task

“When it comes to negotiations IEU organisers are so helpful. They are far more tactful and you do need someone forceful to stand up. That’s the nature of the industry.”

After almost 15 years as IEU Rep at UOW College, Wollongong, Geoffrey Cowell is ready to make good on his threats to retire. Before he leaves he looks forward to signing off on the latest enterprise agreement and hoping to find a successor for his Rep role, he tells Newsmonth Journalist Tara de Boehmler.

because I did not consider myself to be a good public speaker or negotiator.

“This is where IEU organisers are so helpful. They are far more tactful and you do need someone forceful to stand up.

That’s the nature of the industry.

“In my early days as Rep I particularly appreciated the support of our IEU Organiser who was terrific and had a superb communication style.”

Geoffrey also has some pointers that would resonate with all ELICOS Reps.

“My advice to anyone who takes on this role is to remain calm, try not to take things personally and try to be reasonable even in the face of what is not reasonable.”

“In the ELICOS sector our salaries are well behind those of schoolteachers' so the work of the Union is vital. There are also interesting times ahead with the review of hours and workloads.

“Support and solidarity of colleagues is what really pushes you forward.

Combined with collective bargaining, it gives individual’s strength.

“In this profession you have to bring out the best in everyone.

“Once you start paying differentials according to ability you immediately erode collegiality. Having to negotiate individual contracts would also lead to some terribly iniquitous salary outcomes.

“Being a Rep has sometimes been stressful but I have also enjoyed it. It has been a chance for me to give something back to the society I live in. It’s really rewarding and satisfying.”

Present Tense ELICOS News Kendall Warren IEU Organiser From 1 July, the award rates in the industry award, the Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award 2010, were increased by 2.6%, in line the general award increases flowing from the national minimum wage decision.

While these increases were below those sought by the IEU and the ACTU, they still represent a small increase above the rate of inflation.

Consequently the rates at Step 7, for example, will increase from $47,650 per annum to $48,889.62. For casual teachers, this will see the daily rate increase from $228.21, to $234.15 (to get the hourly rate, you should divide this figure by five).

For the last few years, most schools in NSW have been subject to the transitional arrangements in place to move them from the old state award to the modern award. As the state award contained higher pay rates, it’s possible that many teachers saw their actual wages fall in recent years (though many colleges simply froze wages). However, the modern award rates have now overtaken the transitional rates, and so all teachers should see salary increases from 1 July each year.

To find out what your salary rate should be, contact the IEU, or check out the awards section of the IEU website.

• Regular readers would be aware that the IEU has recently been in negotiations with a number of colleges in recent months. We are pleased to report that we have agreed to terms with several colleges.

• In April, the Union finalised an agreement with the EPIA group of colleges, a loose alliance of English colleges which come together to bargain. Membership has fluctuated over the years, and currently there are four colleges in the group, Universal, Specialty, Access and Sydney College of English. The colleges agreed to increases of 2.5%, 3% and 3% (backdated to 1 January, and inclusive of increases to casual loading), which will take the annual rate for Step 7 from $54,521 to $58,138.96.

• In May the Union, in collaboration with our sister unions, the NTEU and the CPSU, agreed terms at UWS College, with increases of 3% per annum, backdated to September, 2012, with

and expiry date of June, 2015. This agreement also includes many other enhancements to what is already a sound agreement.

• In June, the IEU and the NTEU settled a long-running negotiations with UoW College, the school attached to the University of Wollongong. The parties agreed to increases of 3.5%, 3.5% and 2.5%, with a one-off payment equivalent to 1% of salary on signing.

This agreement will nominally expire in June, 2015.

• Also in June, a settlement was reached with Macquarie Community College, with salary increases of 2.6% per annum over three years.

• Unfortunately, at several other colleges, progress has been less satisfactory. The Union has been negotiating with Navitas English (formerly ACL) for well over 15 months, but Navitas have refused to increase their last offer of 2.5% per annum. Navitas has informed the IEU that they intend to put that offer to a vote, but the Union has made it clear to members that we do

not endorse what is on the table, and that members should use their vote to make this clear to their employers.

• At EF Language School, members have grown so despairing of management’s unwillingness to come to an agreement that they have overwhelmingly endorsed a protected action ballot, but last minute negotiations have seen a settlement (details next month).

• At Australian Pacific College, the school is not even prepared to enter into negotiations, and so the Union has applied for a majority support order at the Fair Work Commission.

• Negotiations are continuing at SELC and at Kaplan, but the Union is hopeful that we can come to an acceptable arrangement in the near future.

If you would like to know how to start bargaining in your college, or if you just want to know how your Union can be of help, contact kendall@ieu.asn.au. newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Prac payment confusion The NSW Council of Deans of Education Conference, attended

by IEU representatives, focused on the NSW Education Minister’s Blueprint for Action (Great Teaching Inspired Learning), and traversed the complex terrain of Commonwealth funding linked to teacher training, IEU Assistant Secretary Mark Northam writes.

GTIL proposes significant initiatives for teacher education institutions.

What emerged from the discussion was that Universities receive a figure of some $833 per teacher training student to fund the practicum at all levels, although not all universities quarantined the full amount for that purpose.

While not denying universities their rightful share to administer and supervise, it is totally unacceptable that classroom teachers remain on a payment schedule devised in the early 1990s.

In 1974 Justice Ludeke determined that an employment relationship did exist between universities and teachers supervising practicum students. This determination provided the basis for salary agreements.

The rates of pay per day for teachers undertaking supervision are: • in secondary schools in one method $12.45

• in secondary schools in two methods and supervision in primary schools $21.20 • the rate of pay, per student per day, for coordinating prac teaching supervision (remuneration should not be more than the equivalent for 10 students) $1.30.

The above rates do not in any way reflect what is required in terms of passing on accumulated teacher experience and learned wisdom in a professional manner.

In a strict legal sense, the Australian Higher Education Practice Supervision Award 1990 was terminated on the 14 September 2011 by Commissioner Smith as part of the award modernisation process.

This left non-government schools (now in the federal system) not covered by an award, while government schools in NSW (who remain in the State IR jurisdiction) remain covered by legal transition arrangements.

Practicum payments have continued on a goodwill basis in non-government schools, as the universities are keen to ensure a supply of schools willing to undertake training students. But this is not good enough.

IEU members have now reached the position (exacerbated by the 2.5% salary climate and workload issues) of questioning their willingness to engage

with universities in teacher education.

IEU General Secretary John Quessy has stated: “If the Government wants the best and brightest teachers to take on the extra tasks of advising and mentoring undergraduate teachers they’ll have to make it worthwhile”.

“Governments and universities can have all the co-operation on this issue they are prepared to pay for,” he said.

Universities must address the apparent confusion about funding and payments to teachers.

Appropriate practicum payments should not be based on an artificial construct that an employment relationship does not exist between universities and IEU members in schools. That is the current situation, and it is not working.

What is required is a close analysis of commonwealth funding, following the clear direction provided by the Great Teaching, Inspired Learning blueprint.

Secondly, the additional commitment of teachers to work with the Institute/ AITSL to create working partnerships with universities, to more accurately respect both the trainee teacher and mentoring teachers, needs to be both acknowledged and remunerated.

AITSL has provided funding to the NSW Institute to develop modules on effective supervision and mentoring of pre-service teachers and on supporting pre-service placements. These modules

Bullying of members under investigation

The IEU is sponsoring research into effective policies, procedures and strategies for combating bullying of IEU members in NSW/ACT schools. This research is to be undertaken by the Centre for Creative and Authentic Leadership at the Australian Catholic University.

A random sample of IEU members has been asked to complete an online survey on school and system policies for dealing with this problem. The IEU would be grateful if these members could assist in this valuable research by completing the survey – all responses are anonymous and confidential.

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The research will investigate the policies and procedures that exist at the system and school level across the dioceses in NSW, to determine: • to what extent these policies and procedures are known by IEU members • the extent to which they are implemented within their schools, and • whether they are effective in combating the bullying of IEU members.

must be developed in consultation with universities and teachers to provide the basis for an effective working partnership between universities and schools.

The IEU is engaging with these critical issues and seeking meetings with key groups to achieve firm industrial arrangements to properly reward and support the work, time and effort that teachers put in to the development of the next generation of school teachers.

Delegates who attended March and June Council examined existing practicum arrangements and determined: • teachers often only take students out of a sense of duty to the profession • clearer and better regulation of resourcing for beginning teachers, their mentors and supervisors are needed • no one will be taking student teachers if they have to jump through hoops • prac payments should be in enterprise agreements and updated regularly, and • funding for release for early career teacher and mentors should be in enterprise agreements.

www.ieu.asn.au on the ground

Bringing their stories to the table

Early career teachers attending the IEU’s Teach, Survive and Thrive Conference last month were taken on a journey back to their childhood by keynote speaker Dr Les Vozzo of the University of Western Sydney.

The IEU organises the annual conference to support early career teachers.

NSW/ACT IEU General Secretary John Quessy said in his conference message “this is a crucial time in the development of your teaching style and the strategies you use to handle your workload and working conditions”.

Mr Quessy said the conference was an opportunity for participants to “reflect on skills, build up your repertoire and learn to thrive by thoroughly enjoying your teaching.

“Use today to network with your colleagues and to find mentors in the teaching profession outside your school”.

Dr Vozzo gave participants an opportunity to reflect on what they bring to the classroom by taking them back to their 12-year-old selves.

He asked them to draw a picture of themselves and their influences at that age, and think about how that influenced their teaching style.

He also covered some of the theory around brain development and learning styles.

Participants got a chance to reflect on their practice through a number of workshops at the conference, including maximising learning by minimising behaviour

management, presented by young teacher Briony Mowbray.

A stimulating workshop by staff from the Museum of Contemporary Art got participants to think about how they reacted to art, and look at innovative ways to teach it. The participants created their own ‘installation’ by passing a yarning ball of wool around.

NSW Parks and Wildlife presented workshops on WilderQuest (www. wilderquest.nsw.gov.au), an interactive online resource encouraging children to get out into National Parks.

National Parks Education Program Coordinator Kim Rendell said the “program seems incongruous to start with, as it’s a game-based website, but it connects with real places in National Parks and encourages kids to get out there”.

Also from National Parks, Aboriginal Discovery Ranger Chris Tobin presented a workshop on how National Parks can help foster understanding and appreciation of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal culture.

Chris also presented the Conference’s acknowledgment of country, encouraging participants to think more deeply about what acknowledgment of country means and the history behind it.

Other important topics such as the role of the Board of Studies, managing challenging students, crisis management and accreditation were covered in workshops.

“Sharing and engaging with colleagues really helps me move on and further engage the students.”

Early impressions

Patrick Mackey

Briony Mowbray

Allison Pace

Natalie Logue

Nicole Stonjanovski

Patrick is in his third year as a teacher at St Anthony’s Primary, Girraween, in north-west Sydney.

His first impressions of teaching include the challenge of finding a good work/life balance.

He has found IEU membership helpful in developing his professional skills, through its publications and at the Conference.

“Today has been very engaging and allowed me to reflect on my own practices.”

Regarding working through accreditation, Patrick has appreciated knowing the IEU was there to provide support if he needed it.

Briony, a Science, Maths and Religion teacher at McCarthy Catholic College, Emu Plains, is only five years into her teaching career but was a presenter at the Conference.

She shared tips on behaviour management gained though research and reading, talking in the staffroom and trial and error.

“I wanted to equip young teachers to run a lesson without all their focus being on behaviour management,” Briony says.

“Days like today are really useful for teachers to get together, share ideas and hear other people’s stories.

“Unions do a great job providing strategic support to teachers and defending their rights.”

A first-year out teacher at Chevalier College on the South Coast, Allison says teaching has been “full-on, you need to be so organised to keep on top of it all”, but she’s “loving it”.

The TAS Teacher became an IEU member at the recommendation of a colleague, and she’s discovering benefits including support for the accreditation process.

“Today it’s been great to get back in touch with the theory side of things. Getting new ideas is always an advantage.

“Sharing and engaging with colleagues really helps me move on and further engage the students.”

In her fifth year at All Saints Catholic Boys College, Liverpool, Natalie loves being a teacher and finds it “daunting, tiring and exciting”.

She is learning more about what the IEU has to offer and says the professional support will help her in the future. She plans to attend some PIPs. “It’s important for young teachers to be part of the Union to cover themselves in case something goes wrong. It’s good to know there’s someone there to help.”

Nicole is in her sixth year of teaching and is at Corpus Christi Primary in the Maitland Newcastle Diocese.

Nicole was one of three presenters in a workshop on Managing Challenging Students, in which she outlined her experiences of challenging behaviours in her classes and how as an early career teacher she dealt with such challenges.

Nicole is the IEU Rep at Corpus Christi, and the idea for the presentation emerged when she was discussing her classroom management ideas at a Union meeting.

Nicole said she ‘inherited’ the Rep’s role from her predecessor.

“I’m passionate about making conditions better for teachers, so I was happy to step into the role,” Nicole said.

newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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PD and Training Calendar

www.ieu.asn.au calendar

STARTING STRONG

Term 3 Wk 1: 15 Jul – 19 Jul 19 Jul: Women in Education Forum, Port Macquarie Wk 2: 22 Jul – 26 Jul 23 Jul: PIP – Maintenance of Accreditation at Professional Competence, Sth Grafton NSW 23 Jul: PIP – Work Health and Safety (WHS) in the Workplace, Campbelltown 24 Jul: PIP – Dealing with Difficult People, Sth Grafton NSW 25 Jul: PIP – An Indigenous Perspective, Dubbo 26 Jul: Rep’s Training, Dubbo Wk 3: 29 Jul – 2 Aug 29 Jul: PIP – Writing your Maintenance of Accreditation Report, Gymea 31 Jul: PIP – Work, Health and Safety (WHS) in the Workplace, Parramatta 31 Jul: PIP – An Indigenous Perspective, Tweed Heads 1 Aug: An Indigenous Perspective, Port Macquarie Wk 4: 5 Aug – 9 Aug 5 Aug: PIP – Writing your Maintenance of Accreditation Report, Cammeray 6 Aug: PIP – Dealing with Difficult People, Rooty Hill 6 Aug: PIP – Cyber Savvy, Bathurst 8 Aug: PIP – Dealing with Difficult People, Tumut 9 Aug: Reps’ Training – Catholic Systemic, Ultimo Wk 5: 12 Aug – 16 Aug 13 Aug: PIP – An Indigenous Perspective, Charlestown 13 Aug: PIP – Maintenance of Accreditation at Professional Competence, Dee Why 13 Aug: PIP – Teacher Development Processes, Dubbo 14 Aug: Reps’ Training – Independents, Charlestown 16 Aug: Environment Conference, Sydney

ARE YOU IN YOUR FINAL YEARS OF STUDYING TEACHING? You are invited to a practical forum to assist you to: < Write your CV < Prepare for interviews < Get a job < Ease your concerns about NSW Institute of Teachers and < Understand your rights and responsibilities as a teacher.

Student teacher Forum

SATURDAY 10, AUGUST 2013

VENUE: IEU Sydney Office, The Briscoe Building, 485-501 Wattle St, Ultimo TIME: 9.30am - 3.30pm This is a FREE event for IEU student members. To book your place, send your name, university, IEU member number along with your workshop preference to Kayla at professionaldev@ieu.asn.au by 2 August 2013.

Want to bring a friend? Get them to join the IEU and book in!

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WORKSHOP A SURVIVING YOUR FIRST YEAR – learn about practical tips for surviving your first year of teaching, including where to go to receive help, workload/life balances, your health, dealing with difficult people and working in a school environment.

WORKSHOP B WRITING CVS AND CONTRACTS OF EMPLOYMENT – learn how to best structure your CV and ways to find a job. This session will also look at how the Union can assist you with contracts of employment.

WORKSHOP C CYBER SAVVY – How can your online presence affect your career as a teacher? What are the dangers of social media for you as a teacher and your future students? This workshop will showcase preventative strategies you can employ to ensure your safety as a teacher.

We will also address issues such as cyberbullying, sexting and online grooming.

www.ieu.asn.au calendar

Wk 6: 11 Nov – 15 Nov

Wk 6: 19 Aug – 23 Aug 20 Aug: PIP – Be Wary, Be Wise, Castle Hill 21 Aug: Reps’ Training – Independent Schools, Ultimo 21 Aug: PIP – Teacher Development Processes, Orange 23 Aug: Support Staff Conference

12 Nov: Women in Education Forum, Yarralumla, ACT 13 Nov: Women in Education Forum, Albury 14 Nov: PIP – Cyber Savvy, Goulburn 15 Nov: Women in Education Forum, Dubbo

Wk 7: 26 Aug – 30 Aug 31 Aug: Early Childhood Sector Conference Wk 8: 2 Sept – 6 Sept 5 Sept: PIP – Voice Care, Young Wk 9: 9 Sept – 13 Sept 11 Sept: PIP – Dealing with Difficult People, Griffith ACT 12 Sept: PIP – Dealing with Difficult People, Batemans Bay 12 Sept: Women in Education Forum, Tamworth Wk 10: 16 Sept – 20 Sept 19 Sept: Women in Education Forum, Ballina Term 4 Wk 2: 14 Oct – 18 Oct 15 Oct: PIP – Teacher Development Processes, Bathurst 16 Oct: PIP – Your Rights (and Obligations) at Work, Parramatta 17 Oct: Women in Education Forum, Gosford

• •

•

•

•

You must register for all IEU courses.

Please contact Kayla Skorupan on 02 8202 8900 (1800 467 943) to register and to get updated information on venues and dates.

Can’t find a PIP near you? Contact your organiser and ask about the possibility of a PIP coming to a place near you!

The IEU is a NSW Institute of Teachers’ endorsed provider of Institute Registered professional development for the Professional Teaching Standards of Elements 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 at Professional Competence.

The dates included in this calendar may change for unforeseeable reasons.

Key: Italics denotes a NSW Teachers Institute registered course PIP = Pedagogy in the Pub WHS (OHS) Seminars: Work Health and Safety Regulations and Codes of Practice for NSW/ACT Non-Government Schools.

WHS for ECS Seminar: You, Your Centre & WHS. IEU Reps Training Day: New and experienced IEU Reps can develop their knowledge Note: Funding for WHS training provided by WorkCover NSW through the WorkCover Assist Program.

Wk 4: 28 Oct – 1 Nov 28 Oct: ELICOS seminar 30 Oct: PIP – Be Wary, Be Wise, Barton ACT Wk 5: 4 Nov – 8 Nov 5 Nov: PIP – Camps and Excursions, Rooty Hill 7 Nov: PIP – An Indigenous Perspective, Bathurst

2013 AnnuAl ecs conference

Advocacy.

Activism.

Transformation.

saturday, 31 August

9.00am-4.00pm Mercure Hotel, sYDneY

Contact Savan Nuth on 02 8202 8900, Toll free: 1800 467 943 or savan@ieu.asn.au for more information. newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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www.ieu.asn.au overview

Teachers are Teachers campaign moves to Asia

The concerns facing early childhood teachers in Asia are similar to those encountered in Australia, IEU Organisers Lyn Caton and Jackie Groom write.

The pair, along with some teachers from the ACT South East and Central West Branches, travelled to North Vietnam via Singapore and visited schools and early childhood centres recently.

In the early childhood sector pay parity with teachers in schools, affordable access for parents and provision of trained and qualified staff were the key issues.

In Singapore the Ministry of Education is setting up 15 kindergartens for children from disadvantaged homes. The first five are due to open in January 2014.

This move has given rise to calls for pay parity with teachers in schools.

Currently the preschool sector in Singapore is privatised and highly fragmented. At the top end are the chains which charge well over $1000 per month, then there are one centre operations where fees are kept below $100.

Singapore was ranked 29th out of 45 countries in a worldwide comparison study and the Ministry’s kindergarten initiative is aimed at raising standards.

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There will be between six and nine teachers for each centre with a minimum number of graduates and diploma holders trained in early childhood education as well as some primary school teachers.

Salaries will be ‘pegged to the market rate’ which is 20% lower than teachers in schools.

The Ministry of Education had previously acknowledged that teacher quality was the key to raising standards but claimed it could not set salaries because it did not run preschools. It can no longer use this excuse.

When it comes to remuneration the private sector tends to take its lead from the Government, so pay parity with teachers in schools would raise the benchmark salaries for teachers in preschools. Private operators in Singapore argue that would add to their costs and ultimately lead to higher fees for parents.

Sound familiar?

This has led to suggestions that the Government should subsidise preschool teachers’ salaries or give grants to operators to hire and retain qualified and experienced staff.

There is already the ‘anchor operator’ scheme which gives grants to two anchor

operators so they can employ and reward better qualified staff and yet keep fees affordable.

Anchor operators must account for how they spend the money to ensure it is used to pay higher wages for more qualified teachers and not to boost profits.

The Government is looking to add more anchor operators, a move designed to propel the entire sector to raise the salaries and prospects of preschool teachers.

In Vietnam the area of early childhood education covers age groups 0-5 years with children entering primary school at age 6.

Services for 0-2 year olds are called crèches, 3-5 year olds go to kindergarten and five year olds preschool.

Services are categorised into four types: • state – no fees • semi state – community based • people founded - set up, funded and managed by NGOs or civil society organisations, and • private – for profit services operated by individuals.

The Government encourages individuals to open private early

childhood care and education (ECCE) units. These units enjoy special treatment such as being provided with space or rental land, physical facilities and given tax or credits preferences. All except state services are fee paying.

Teachers in the non-state services receive wages, pension and insurance benefits similar to those of state teachers.

The costs are borne by parents and there is no support from the Government.

However, in the poorer areas if the service is short of funds it can apply for State assistance. The State will make up 75% of the shortfall.

It is the Government’s position in Vietnam that regardless of the type of services children are in, they have the right to receive services of the same quality and teachers are among the most important factors determining the quality of services.

The Government also intends to ensure that all teachers, regardless of the services in which they work, have parity of job security and wages.

www.ieu.asn.au overview

Advancing workplace equality The IEU has welcomed the new national Workplace Gender Equality legislation which focuses on both women and men at work and recognises that most workers have family or carer responsibilities, IEU Women in Education Committee Convenor Pam Smith writes.

Building upon the previous Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act, the Workplace Gender Equality Act seeks to address Australia’s persistent pay equity gap of around 17% and aims to enhance work and family balance for employees at various career stages. The Workplace Gender Equality Act also complements equity provisions of the Fair Work Act and Commonwealth and NSW/ACT antidiscrimination laws.

As per previous requirements, employers with more than 100 staff are required to report annually to the renamed Workplace Gender Equality Agency on the gender composition of their employees and their boards of management/ governance structures. This is a transitional year in which mainly only statistical data will be reported upon. In future years the Agency will require information from employers on: • remuneration and whether remuneration gap analysis has been undertaken and acted upon • availability of flexible working arrangements • measures to support employees with family and carer responsibilities • policies and practices to address sex

based harassment and discrimination • support for employees experiencing domestic/family violence, and • consultation in regard to workplace equality issues.

One of the strengths of the new Gender Equality Act is the requirement for employers to inform unions that a report has been lodged with the Agency and to provide opportunities for comment. The IEU has been pleased to receive notifications from most dioceses and many independent schools of their 2013 gender equity reports and these will be followed up with reps and members as appropriate.

In recognition of the Workplace Gender Equality Act, some diocesan employers have renamed their Equality Opportunity Committees to reflect

the content and spirit of the new legislation. For example, Wollongong CEO’s committee is now called the Workplace Gender Equality Committee and, like other diocesan committees, has expanded its membership to include men and women.

Forthcoming IEU regional women’s forums, such as events later this year in Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Ballina, the ACT, Albury, Dubbo and western Sydney will discuss diocesan reports to the Agency and strategies to enhance gender equality.

The IEU is committed to fair, equal and inclusive workplaces and looks forward to being of assistance to members in balancing their professional and carer responsibilities. Contact the Union for advice and support in relation to any of these issues in your workplace.

Achievement for all Aboriginal Australians

Diat Callope (right) with Australia’s first Indigenous Ambassador Damien Miller, and Professor of Indigenous Policy Boni Robertson from Griffith University.

IEU Indigenous Consultant Diat Callope met with Damien Miller, Australia’s first Indigenous Ambassador to Denmark during a trip to attend a UN meeting.

Diat was part of the Pacific delegation led by Mick Dobson to the UN meeting on Indigenous issues.

Damien has also held the positions of Deputy Ambassador to Germany and served in the Australian High Commission in Malaysia.

Mr Miller told Diat being the first Indigenous head of mission was a significant personal achievement, both for himself and for all Aboriginal Australians.

Damien is from the Gangalu people from the Rockhampton region in central Queensland.

He was recently acknowledged as Ambassador

by Princess Mary’s mother-in-law, the Queen of Denmark.

Diat said the trip was important for Indigenous people from all over the world to share concerns about Indigenous issues and to have a voice. newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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www.ieu.asn.au overview

Shorts Teachers fly the flag Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show education and training industry employees had the highest rate of trade union membership (38%) of all industries surveyed in the 2012 survey, followed by public administration and safety (34%).

Industries with the lowest proportion of trade union membership were rental, hiring and real estate services and professional, scientific and technical services (both 3%).

The overall proportion of employees who were trade union members has been steady for the last three years at (18%), with Tasmania having the highest proportion of trade union members (26%).

The ACTU Contact Centre has reported a recent 300% spike in new member sign-ups since it started its current TV ad campaign, which depicts workers suffering the consequences of life without union protection.

Portable leave Long service leave should be portable between jobs to stop it being lost to employees in the modern economy, where staff switch jobs a lot.

The Case for a National Portable Long Service Leave Scheme in Australia report by the McKell Institute found the majority of Australians miss out on long service leave. Report lead author Professor Ray Markey said an account that followed employees from job to job would allow them to “refresh themselves, connect with their relatives, volunteer in their communities or improve their homes”.

He said the scheme “need not be onerous on employee or employer”.

Musical fellowship The Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Credit Suisse are offering fellowships for talented musicians aged under 30 for 2014. The nine recruits get a yearlong apprenticeship with the orchestra.

Applications close on 19 July. See www. sydneysymphony.com/education.

Hunter Branch Sec in spotlight Hunter Valley Branch Secretary Cormac O’Riordan made the papers on May 4 when he was quoted in The Australian saying he believed Newcastle would remain a Labor seat.

The story was about the Federal Newcastle seat, which is the only one that has always been in Labor hands to date. Cormac, described as an “art teacher and avid surfer and a long-time Labor voter”, was quoted saying “we have to hold the line that the Party’s there to give a fair go to working Australians”.

Day for Children Register your school for UNICEF’s Day for Children on 23 October, and you will receive free resources while helping children in Asia gain an education.

Registered schools get classroom resources about the rights to a quality education. On 23 October, students should wear blue to school and make a gold coin donation. Schools that raise

THEIR FIGHT IS OUR FIGHT

the most money go in the running to get a visit from famous author Morris Gleitzman. Register at www. unicefdayforchildren.org.au Cap that National awareness campaign cap that! is urging teachers to turn on captions on class videos to take advantage of their proven literacy benefits. While traditionally used by people who are deaf or hearing impaired, captions, or ‘subtitles for the hearing impaired’, also have educational benefits for a range of learners, in particular those who speak English as a second language, those with learning disabilities or those who are beginning or struggling to read.

Find out more about captions and get your free kit at www.capthat.com. au. You can also follow the campaign on Twitter via @cap that.

With support from the Australian union movement, Cambodian beer workers are lifting themselves out of poverty by organising for and achieving decent work.

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA was established in 1984 to express the Australian union movement’s commitment to social justice and international solidarity for human rights and development.

Become a Global Justice Partner today.

APHEDA Union Aid Abroad APHEDA

We do this through support for adult-focused education, training and development projects overseas, working in partnership with those whose rights to development are restricted or denied.

Call 1800 888 674 or visit www.apheda.org.au

The overseas humanitarian aid agency of the ACTU

The aoverseas humanitarian aid agency of the ACTU You can show your solidarity by becoming a Global Justice Partner and making tax deductible monthly contribution to our work.

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www.ieu.asn.au overview

Labour Bites The IEU website at www.ieu.asn.au carries regular updates of local and international news with a trade union flavour. IEU General Secretary John Quessy reproduces below some recent items. preferences, is allowed to export nearly 5000 products duty-free to the United States, which buys about 25% of that country’s $18 billion in annual apparel exports.

(Source: The New York Times)

Daniel Long

IT Wizard Is your iPad or smartphone making it hard to sleep?

New research out of the United States* has shown something many of us may have already known: screens before bed are not healthy.

The light emitted from modern touchscreen devices such as the iPad and iPhone (to name just a couple of common examples) puts out a certain amount of light, as measured in ‘lux’.

When we view bright digital screens in a dark environment, our eyes are at the mercy of the emitted backlight, playing havoc with our natural sleep rhythms.

This can lead to the suppression of healthy brain hormones such as melatonin, which regulate our ability to fall asleep naturally.

The research shows that most electronic devices average about 40 lux per device, or more than half the light found in the average bedroom.

The crux of the research presents a warning for those late-night reading sessions. The best solution, say researchers, is to turn off your device at least two hours before bedtime.

Students and particularly teenagers are already challenged by a poor sleeping schedule due to their natural sleeping patterns. Digital devices are

now being shown to be a leading cause of sleep deprivation and the precursor to poor sleeping habits, problems that may include reduced alertness and compromised memory functions and may last well into adulthood.

If you can’t help using your screen before bedtime, perhaps you should consider some methods to help minimise the effect of digital screen light on your eyes: Download F.Lux for your laptop, iPad, iPhone or Android phone. F.Lux works by automatically dimming your screen based on the natural settings of sunrise and sunset, while synched to your device’s internal clock settings. It mimics the natural interplay of sunlight in our day and modifies the screen light accordingly. View screens in a well-lit room to minmise the effect of the device’s backlight reflecting into your eyes.

Web resources: www.justgetflux.com/ *Light Level and Duration of Exposure Determine the Impact of Self-Luminous Tablets on Melatonin Suppression, 2012, Brittany Wood, Mark Rea, Barbara Plitnick, Mariana and G Figueiro, Published in PubMed.

NBN gets Albo and hopefully a more efficient rollout On PM Kevin Rudd’s first press conference as the born-again political messiah, he promptly introduced Anthony Albanese to the gathered press as ‘Albo’, wasting no time in picking handy slogans for his number two man. Deputy Prime Minister would be enough for most career politicians, but Rudd has also given Albo the important communications ministry, after it was vacated by Gillard loyalist Stephen Conroy.

Albanese, who comes into the portfolio with a background in regional infrastructure, is a strong debater. He has been given the task of selling the NBN as critical national infrastructure to the electorate.

Education, health and science innovation have much to gain from solving the ‘tyranny of distance’ as

Albanese and Rudd have called it.

Connecting regional school centres with our urban neighbours and the international community should be a win for nation-building and education innovation.

Unfortunately, the project continues to fall behind schedule. However, there is a glimmer of hope in its revised three-year timetable (now up on the official website), which will add many of the missing suburbs to the fibre rollout list. This is not just about having fast broadband in our schools, but ensuring our students and families have the advantage of using it at home too, integrating the wider community and giving Australia a chance to be prove its mettle as the ‘smart country’ in the new Asian century.

Web resource: bit.ly/12ASg4W

Eiffel Tower strike France’s iconic Eiffel Tower was closed when the monument’s 300 workers called a strike to protest a number of issues, including salary rises, working conditions and profitsharing policy.

The famous Parisian tower, usually open year-round, receives about 25,000 tourists a day. The workers’ CGT union said in a statement one issue of contention was the lack of renovations, specifically an extra elevator workers claim that was supposed to be completed by now.

“The waiting lines are growing longer, the visitors are growing more and more impatient and the work conditions are deteriorating,” a CGT statement said. “The absence of this elevator has serious consequences for maintenance.” It’s not yet clear how long the strike will go on.

(Source: globalpost.com)

Trade privileges suspended The Obama administration has announced plans to suspend trade privileges for Bangladesh over concerns about safety problems and labour rights violations in the country’s garment industry after a factory fire there killed 112 workers last November and then an eightstory factory building collapsed in April, killing 1129 workers Labour unions have been pressing the Obama administration to take the step, saying the United States needed to go beyond stern words and take strong action to convey to the Bangladeshi government that far more needed to be done to ensure factory safety.

The action is a substantial blow to Bangladesh’s reputation and likely to ratchet up pressure on its government to move quickly.

Bangladesh, one of 125 countries that receive American trade

Your call is important to us ANZ is sending its online inquiry service to India, putting customers’ personal banking details into the hands of staff in Bangalore and a former ANZ insider claims the bank plans to send hundreds of IT jobs overseas.

ANZ confirmed they were increasing staff numbers in Bangalore, but said no jobs would be lost as a result although 100 jobs had gone in the IT department in the past year.

The bank is sending its eTeam services work to India, where more of the bank’s email inquiries made

by Australian customers will be answered. The bank has asked four team members to fly to Bangalore to train their replacements.

(Source: Herald Sun)

UK teachers punished Hundreds of schools in the northwest of England were closed as teachers fired the first shots in a campaign of strike action against government threats to their pay and pensions.

Leaders of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) targeted 2765 schools for a oneday strike. If there is no resolution, further regional strikes will take place in the autumn term followed by a national stoppage before Christmas.

The teachers are protesting at government plans to scrap annual pay increments, increases to their pension contributions and cuts to the size of their pensions. The unions said they would review the situations but that Education Secretary Michael Gove had appeared intransigent in discussions with teachers’ leaders.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said it was “disappointed” with the strike action.

(Source: The Independent) newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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Refugees embrace power of education For anyone who has wondered whether their donations make a difference to the lives of refugees, an interview between IEU General Secretary John Quessy and Australia for UNHCR Director Naomi Steer leaves no doubt.

Appearing in the July issue of IE, Naomi tells John about the Educate a Refugee Child campaign, which aims to enrol 172,000 young refugees in school and provide them with a quality education.

Naomi shares everyday success stories of refugees who have benefitted from attending school while in refugee camps and highlights why it is so important for aid agencies to have a strong on-the-ground understanding

and communication flow with the communities they are seeking to assist.

She also shares some surprises, like the refugee camp school that experienced a dramatic improvement in student results after solar lighting had been installed as part of a security initiative.

Another example tells of a camp-based internet café which has brought about a multitude of benefits, including access to a Facebook-style service enabling refugees to find lost family and friends.

“There are so many examples of where fairly small interventions have produced significant results,” Naomi says. “You give people the resources and they run with them.”

To find out more, don’t miss the July issue of IE.

the prof Indepe essional vo ic ndent Educat e of the ion Un ion

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other countries. I asked one young woman what she felt was the importance of the computer centre. She said: “It makes me feel more than a refugee”.

She is equal with anyone on Facebook.

She can access the same stuff and it really is about the opportunity of the internet.

After they’ve been fed and got water and shelter, refugees say the two most important things are security and education.

JQ: It’s also about self-worth. I must say computer centres are not what I associate refugee camps with. I always assume they are just dusty, out-of-the-way settlements.

NS: I think they should be about the future.

JQ: Isn’t it sad that we have to plan for the future of refugee camps?

NS: That’s a very incisive statement because they are always going to be there.

The camps in all these regions were really set up for short-term refugee flows, such as from the Rwandan crisis and the Somalian crisis. But 20 years later people are still living in these places. Short-term is not the nature of most of the emergencies we deal with.

Refugees embrace power of education

JQ: Tell me about your Educate a Refugee Child campaign.

NS: Educate a Refugee Child is a new initiate of UNHCR globally to provide education to thousands of refugee children.

Most are in sub-Sahara Africa, in exactly the situations that you were talking about – emergency situations that have developed into protracted refugee situations.

I think once upon a time, education was at the back of what was seen as life saving essentials. It was about food, water, shelter and then it was education. Now education is up there in equal priority recognising that, in an emergency, education provides stability, normality and cohesiveness. I go to refugee camps all the time and I speak with refugees about what they need. After they’ve been fed and got water and shelter, they will say the two most important things are security and education.

Refugee children across the globe would have better access to education, as part of an international campaign by Australia for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. UNHCR National Director Naomi Steer tells NSW/ACT IEU General Secretary John Quessy how education is making a difference.

JQ: Can you tell us what you are working on at the moment?

NS: I am going to Africa, including the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya and Nakivale Refugee Camp in Uganda.

We’ve funded a big water and sanitation program in the Kakuma Refugee Camp and I’ll go and make sure it is working the way it is supposed to. Afterwards I’ll go to the Nakivale Refugee Camp. Nakivale has about 60,000 refugees of which 40% are under 18.

Australia for UNHCR has consistently supported it for the past five or six years.

We have funded water, sanitation, shelter and livelihoods and we built its first-ever secondary school. The camp had existed for more than 40 years without a secondary school and when it opened it had 145 students. Now it’s got about 400 students.

Also at Nakivale, we’ve got a consultant working on a computer centre that opened last year.

30|independent education| issue 2|Vol 43|2013

This computer centre is really important.

It took about two and a half years to get going. It is solar-operated, has 45 computers, internet access and an internet cafe. Its purpose is to give people access to basic computer training skills and it had its first graduates in November last year.

It is self-sustaining as the refugees pay to access the internet cafe and this is used to pay the computer trainers who are all selected from the refugee community on the basis of capacity and experience. Because we’ve managed to connect to the internet, people are now emailing and on Facebook and some refugee students also had their first Skype hookup with an Australian school last year.

Another thing that is happening on the internet is a kind of Facebook for refugees, called Refugees United, which is a tracing service where you can go online and put up your profile and who you are looking for.

It’s also helping some people relocate to

had got his education up to Year 5. This had been enough to qualify him in South Sudan to become a teacher.

JQ: It’s concerning, at that level of education.

NS: This is an issue in these countries where the entire infrastructure has gone due to fighting – people lose the opportunity to get an education. So he had become a teacher but then his village was bombed.

He, the other teachers and the children had escaped to the bush and made their way into the camp where I found them.

But he was really a glass half full guy.

When I asked what he hoped to get at the camp he said he wanted to be enrolled in the secondary school so he could finish his education. It was extraordinary to me. His only education and only opportunities in life were provided in this refugee camp.

A doctor working in a refugee camp once told me emergencies also presented opportunities because they could galvanise resources. At Australia for UNHCR I also see these resources being galvanised around education for refugees.

At the Kakuma Refugee Camp we funded a secondary school which had experienced a dramatic improvement in exam results compared with the previous year. I was introduced to the young dux who had come top of the school and in the top 5% of all Kenyan students.

He was Sudanese, had no parents, was in the camp as an unaccompanied minor and had been a refugee since the age of nine.

He managed to get himself through school and achieve this result. I asked him why the school’s results for all the students were so different and he said it was because we had funded a solar lighting program.

FOCUS Sp

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JQ: I can really see how that goes - from survival to security to the future.

NS: Yes exactly, so UNHCR through this Pacific initiative is trying to enroll 172,000 young refugees in school, provide them with a quality education and keep them at school.

In terms of the difference this makes, one example is at Kakuma Refugee Camp where we have supported a number of school projects. I was taken out to the newest settlement in the camp where people were arriving after having trekked across from South Sudan and were just setting up their shelters on a mudflat. I spoke to a guy who had arrived with his young family that day.

He had been a primary school teacher in South Sudan but said he had grown up in Kakuma Refugee Camp and this is where he

on obse

JQ: So they were not restricted to reading and writing during daylight hours, when they would also be busy doing a number of other things associated with their survival.

NS: Exactly. It was one of the unexpected outcomes. The solar lighting had been for safety and security and a little bit of study, but the results were so dramatic.

ON

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|Boosti

JQ: You were trying to get to the moon but a whole lot of interesting things happened along the way.

NS: That’s right. When you look at refugee numbers, which I think is around 43 million, one wonders what difference can one person really make. But there are so many examples of where fairly small interventions have produced significant results. You give people the resources and they run with them.

JQ: People know where the need is and they are inventive.

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SHE URGENTLY NEEDS YOUR HELP Young Maram is just one of the 8 million people made homeless by the conflict in Syria Over half are children Please help provide life-saving shelter, water and medical care today

* Name changed to protect the child’s identity UNHCR / S. Malkawi

DONATE NOW: 1300 361 288 or www.unrefugees.org.au/syria 18

newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

www.ieu.asn.au overview

Exchange of feeling “I thought ‘it’s my turn now, why can’t I do this’?”

Waiting at the airport to welcome her exchange partner to the country Julie Harrison says she felt more like she was waiting for a child returning from a long trip.

“The excitement had been building up for weeks. Being at the airport made it real.”

Canadian teacher Jennifer Gluwcehyski agrees, saying: “It was very emotional when we met, we hugged each other straight away”.

The pair are unusual in that they were able to spent a week together in Australia before Julie heads to her exchange position at St Catherine Elementary School in Alberta.

Just hours after landing in Sydney Jennifer was whisked off to the annual National Committee for International and

Interstate Teacher Exchange, hosted by the IEU at its Wattle St headquarters.

Usually exchanges are January to January but Jennifer has come on a mid-year exchange. The schools holidays allowed the pair time to get to know each other before Julie departs to take over the Year 3 class at St Catherine’s in Alberta.

Jennifer is teaching Year 1 at St John the Baptist Woy Woy. The students have written letters reminding her to ‘bring her cossies’.

“I had to explain what ‘cossies’ are.

The class were also worried about me not having any snow shoes or a winter coat,” Julie says Julie is looking forward to the challenge of teaching at the inner city school in Alberta. “I took a TESL course two years ago, and there are a lot of ESL children at this school, so it will be great to have a chance to use those skills.”

She plans to visit Prince Edward Island because Anne of Green Gables was a

favourite childhood story, and she has a cruise in Alaska booked.

“This time last year I opened up Newsmonth and there was a story about exchange places available. I have always dreamed of working overseas.

“My kids are all grown up and travelling. I’ve put them through school and university and I thought ‘it’s my turn now, why can’t I do this’?”

Jennifer is just “looking for adventure’ and enjoying her first trip so far from home. Other delegates to the Conference included Allan and Mavis Wilcox.

Allan initiated an international teacher exchange program when he worked at the UN school in New York. He later met and married Mavis and then became the Head of Hamburg International School. The pair now run the Cumburri International Education Consultancy, assisting European teachers wishing to teach in Australia.

“Cumburri means long journey, and to us there’s no longer journey than

education,” Mavis says. Margaret Orme is the new senior project officer for the Victorian Education Department’s international education division.

She administers exchanges for all three schools sectors: government, Catholic and independent.

“This is my first time at this conference and I sense it’s a collaborative and collegiate group, which is great.”

The conference is held at a different location each year, and speakers include representatives from US Immigration, the British High Commission, the Canadian Consulate and others.

For details on exchanges contact Exchange Coordinator Helen Gregory on 8202 8900 or email helen@ieu.asn.au

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www.ieu.asn.au overview

Sticking together for what’s right Chris Wilkinson President I am writing this report from Hoi An, Vietnam. Since my departure a lot has happened on the political front. There’s a lot happening on the education agenda too.

But we certainly have a lot to be thankful for compared to the education system in Vietnam, with its huge class sizes, poor rates of pay, under resourcing for students and teachers and long hours of work.

This is not new to us in Australia with the increased demands placed on teachers. Despite the conditions in Vietnam the students are happy and the teachers are doing a fantastic job The dispute at St Gregory’s Campbelltown continues. I would like

to praise the persistence of the chapter members from the school for fighting for their pay increase and their rights to be paid in accordance with the other schools in the area.

The chapter Rep Peter Baz spoke to delegates at the June Council meeting and gained full support from the Council for their pay claim. This is what the Union is all about – sticking together and fighting for what is right and just.

The professional development agenda continues to flourish and members are gaining tremendous insight into their rights and responsibilities in the workplace. I urge all of you to take the time to attend at least one of these statewide programs.

Emerging priorities Sidonie Coffey Principals’ Branch President General Secretary John Quessy provided an update at the most recent Principals’ Branch meeting on national and NSW funding issues and also on a range of current and emerging priority areas for the Union.

Other areas for discussion included workload and compliance implications of new funding arrangements, directions in salaries, possible future NSW Institute of Teachers coverage of all teachers, RE accreditation issues, and child protection including the Royal Commission and Newcastle inquiry and the changes to the Working with Children Check.

Following upon the WHS seminar held in Bathurst on 21 February, IEU Officer Natasha Flores presented a WHS update and indicated the Union’s willingness to conduct seminars specifically designed for the needs of principals. A WHS PIP for principals has since been organised for 25 July at Revesby Workers Club and other sessions can also be negotiated to meet principals’ needs as appropriate.

Regional gatherings The IEU hosted a principals’ gathering in Wollongong on 21 June and a breakfast meeting will be held in Newcastle on 19 July. Wagga Wagga principals will hold an IEU gathering in conjunction with the Term 4 CSO principals’ meeting on 30 October.

The IEU will also support the Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese 2013 principals’ conference on 23-25 October.

Principals’ salaries Following a period of IEU consultation, principals and teachers in NSW Catholic systemic schools voted to accept a 2.5% increase salary increase for 2013 as per the increase in the NSW DEC sector. In most dioceses, 20

newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

this increase was paid in the pay week ending 24 May with back payment from the first pay period after 1 January.

Issues such as the workload implications for principals of new funding arrangements, the evolving education agenda and changing community expectations, can inform discussions for a future agreement for principals’ remuneration and working conditions.

Following IEU representation on behalf of a number of retired principal members undertaking casual or relieving roles in the Sydney Archdiocese, a meeting was held with Sydney CEO on 19 June to seek to regularise payment arrangements which appear to have lacked transparency.

In the ACT, the current principals’ agreement was endorsed in May 2012 to align ACT principals more clearly with NSW salary levels. The next increase will be 1.5% in October this year.

Independent sector issues A teleconference for principal members in independent schools was held on 9 May with a focus on funding and resourcing issues, school governance, dealing with parental complaints, and the impact of social media.

Unfortunately 2013 has seen a range of issues affecting principals in the independent sector such as restructuring and redundancy and the withdrawal of employment offers. The IEU has provided support to principals in such instances to obtain the best possible outcome and to seek fair and transparent processes.

Further Principals’ Branch meetings are scheduled for 3 August and 2 November.

How to elect your health and safety rep Michelle Omeros Vice President, Non-Systemic Schools Workers in independent schools may not be aware of their right to request a Health and Safety Rep (HSR) in their workplace to represent them in health and safety matters. The new Work Health and Safety Act 2011 requires an employer (person conducting a business or undertaking) to begin the facilitation of an election of a HSR within 14 days once one worker has made a request for one.

Here are some facts that you should know about Work Health and Safety Legislation and how your Union can help to get Work Health and Safety organised in your school.

As an HSR you will need to undertake a five-day HSR training course. This allows you to direct a worker to cease work, if you have reasonable grounds to believe that a worker could be exposed to a serious risk to their health or safety by continuing work. You can issue a provisional notice (PIN) to someone, if you have reasonable grounds to believe that the person is contravening the work health and safety (WHS) legislation.

An HSR is elected for three years by members of a work group, to represent that work group in WHS matters and can be re-elected. They can request that a health and safety committee be established within two months of the request.

A work group must be established by the person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) when a worker, or workers, request that an HSR be elected. The work group is formed after consultation between the PCBU and the worker (or workers). By aligning workers into work related groups, the group ensures that the HSR can appropriately represent its workers.

The NSW/ACT IEU has become an Approved Training Provider (ATP) for the delivery of HSR training for elected HSR’s and elected Deputy HSR’s in the Education sector in NSW. The course is offered at a discounted rate to members and will be delivered by approved Workcover trainers. Course dates are available in Term 3 and 4.

For further information and bookings contact the IEU.

Support for St Greg’s Louise Glase South Coast Branch President At the meeting held in Shellharbour during May, members raised a number of issues relating to workload, replacement of support staff and the ongoing effects of the funding freeze on the delivery of services, especially professional development. These issues were also raised by organisers at the recent CEO/IEU joint meeting.

The St Gregory’s College teachers’ pay dispute continues and was an important point of discussion. The meeting passed a motion of support for their colleagues.

Further motions of support and congratulations have since been passed

by Edmund Rice College and my own school St Patrick’s College. It was with great interest that delegates listened to St Greg’s Rep Peter Baz’s report to the June Council meeting. We wish them continued strength and resolve in their campaign.

Since our AGM branch meeting in March, a final draft of the workload survey has been developed by the Union and this was presented to members. St Joseph’s High School, Albion Park has generously offered to trial the survey.

Reps are eagerly awaiting the results of the trial and the opportunity to use the survey in their schools.

Members at the branch meeting appreciated receiving information about the new Working with Children Check.

They were dismayed to find out that everyone at some point in the next five years will need to pay a fee to the CCYP

and undergo an identity check at a Roads and Maritime Services office.

The IEU has again held a number of successful PD opportunities, with the Reps training day held on the 12 June being a standout. Ten schools were represented from both the Catholic and Christian school sectors. IEU General Secretary John Quessy, addressed the Reps about the implications of the Government funding policies, Australian Curriculum and the future directions of the Union.

The Annual South Coast Women’s Forum and Dinner was held on 11 April in Corrimal. This was an informative and highly beneficial evening, which instigated some invaluable conversations. Guest speaker Sally Latham, a financial planner, provided attendees with important information about good financial management and maximising financial security. This was an excellent evening and I encourage members to join the forum next year.

www.ieu.asn.au overview

Show of hands please Paul Ryan Cumberland Branch President The brave new world of industrial practice was on display recently when teachers in Catholic systemic schools had to vote electronically for their own pay rise. It is now the time of secret ballots for industrial decision-making. This might be democratically sound in theory, but the reality is that it shifts the balance to the side of the employer.

Let me explain. For this vote, the employers contracted the process out to a firm called the Australian Electoral Company or AEC. Yes, it all sounds suitably official, but don’t confuse it with the Australian Electoral Commission which runs political elections. Needless to say, there were teething problems.

There were issues with logging on, and many members had to ring the helpline. Excuses were given about password details being 'corrupted during the conversion process'. Some members again failed to get their votes recorded, and just gave up.

Eventually, the result came through with 98.7% voting to accept the new

Enterprise Agreement. The 2.5% pay increase was conditional on approving this new agreement. However, only 32% of 11,588 eligible voters managed to vote, or sadly, bothered to vote.

Maybe they thought it was a dead cert and not worth the trouble. Maybe they didn’t trust the process and didn’t want personal details disappearing into a cyberbank. Maybe they were just apathetic.

This is the factor on which employers may possibly count in future voting on industrial matters. If we couldn’t get members to vote for their own pay rise this time, how will we be able to deliver a 51% vote for industrial action that would involve a loss of pay?

With future industrial action now dependent on a majority of members actually voting, let alone voting ‘yes’ for stop work action, it could be long odds about getting the numbers. I suspect that Tom Waterhouse would have the employers as odds on favourites.

Oh for the days of a chapter meeting when the arguments for and against could be canvassed, and then a decision taken by a simple show of hands.

Popular PIP

Stewart Dennis from St Clare’s College Canberra, Anca Ardeleanu and Tomomi Evans from the Canberra Montessori School and Trish Ferlitsch from the Catholic Education Office attended the Dealing with Difficult People Pedagogy in the Pub (PIP) course held on 23 May. The PIP was booked out so it will run again in September. Check the PD calendar in this issue of Newsmonth or the IEU website www.ieu.asn.au for details.

Support for parents’ forum

South East Branch Meeting

Chris Wilkinson, John O’Neill, new rep Ethna Farrell,John Quessy and retiring member Judy Pidcock attended the South East Branch meeting on 24 May.

Mark Northam, IEU Assistant Secretary, Linda McNeil, Communications and Development Officer, Council of Catholic School Parents and Mark Mowbray, Principal, Holy Name Primary School, Forster, Commissioner, NSW Catholic Education Commission.

The IEU provided sponsorship to the 10th Biennial Catholic School Parents conference, which was held on the 25 and 26 May. The forum was attended by some 200 participants. The conference entitled iConnect covered such diverse topics as family/school partnership, social media, student wellbeing and motivating your child.

Sydney Headquarters The Briscoe Building 485 - 501 Wattle Street Ultimo NSW 2007 GPO Box 116 Sydney NSW 2001|P 02 8202 8900|F 02 9211 1455

www.ieu.asn.au newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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www.ieu.asn.au overview

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newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

um • n g

y Ma

I usually favour Jim Barry’s Lodge Hill there is something special about the Jim Barry Watervale Riesling 2013 ($19). Picked from part of the iconic Florita vineyard, this wine is a bright straw yellow with intense lemon citrus and white peach aromas. The lively acidity provides a structure around which gather the citrus fruits and a little green apple. A crisp warm astringency finishes it nicely. Everything about this wine is pure Riesling from a great vintage and it should age gracefully.

I very much enjoy tasting my way through the new Riesling releases, especially from the Clare Valley (my Riesling capital of Australia) but mid-winter is a great time to drag out an older vintage, ideally one just beginning to develop toasty characteristics. A big bowl of steaming minestrone and a five-year-old Clare Riesling is a Saturday lunch match made in heaven.

I normally would not comment on out of stock or hard to get wines but I recently came across Sanguine Estate Progeny Shiraz 2010 ($20) at a restaurant on the north coast of NSW. I ordered it mainly because it was from Heathcote and it sounded interesting. It was.

A deep, dark purple black with a bouquet of blueberry, sage and pepper gives way to a full-bodied palate of sweet black fruits and spice. A wonderful mouth feel, earthy, firm oak and ending with long silky tannins. Watch for future vintages. Good drinking.

•B

Just when I was convinced there was nothing new under the sun I bump into a blend, which while new to me, is a standard in Spain. Regular readers will know that I’m partial to GSM (Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro) but my new discovery is a TSM: Tempranillo, Shiraz and Graciano. I’ve said before that Tempranillo is the next big thing in this country and will really make a mark this summer. Blending with the other varieties really shows it off.

Mount Majura TSG 2011 ($30) is a bright ruby red wine of light but ample body. Growing on the eastern side of Mount Majura just north of Canberra airport, the limestone rich volcanic soils produce fine fruit. The 2011 vintage is 43% Tempranillo, 41% Shiraz and 16% Graciano.

The first aromas are of savoury white pepper with earthy undertones. This is a complex wine of spice, red and black fruits and savouriness.

There are black cherry and strawberry flavours from the Tempranillo, pepper and spice from the Shiraz (and from the oak) and the Graciano adds perfume and hints of licorice. A natural acid and delicate sweetness adds to complexity with the wine closing to a drying, savoury grip from fine smooth tannins. I think TSM and I are destined to become firm friends.

Mid-year heralds the release of the current vintage of Clare Valley Rieslings and although

sings

A new best friend

ly Pr es

Ju

www.ieu.asn.au overview

Bernard O’Connor NGS Super

Newsmonth

Want more control over your super?

NGS Super has been working hard to establish a Direct Investment Gateway for members which we hope to have up and running by the end of this calendar year. This new option will allow members to invest directly in a choice of ASX-listed companies, term deposits and/or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).

The beauty of this option is that members who want more control over their superannuation investments will be able to invest directly in shares in specified listed companies, term deposits or ETFs without the hassles, complexities and fees of a SelfManaged Super Fund (SMSF).

SMSFs have become increasingly popular and are frequently sold by tax agents or financial planners who receive commissions or ongoing fees for the work associated with a selfmanaged fund.

The annual audit, tax statement, record keeping and administration can be onerous for an individual who is not familiar with the world of investment, taxation and trust law, so tax agents and financial planners often push SMSFs on to their clients who want more control over their investments. Nevertheless, in some cases, such as where an individual invests in a business property, an SMSF may still be the best option.

NGS Super will offer the direct share trading with no set-up costs and low ongoing fees. Participants will also have the ability to reinvest dividends and receive payments as additional shares where applicable.

They will be able to choose companies from diversified sectors of the economy such as the large banks/ finance, miners, telecommunications, health care and retail sales.

Investment portfolios can be shaped

to suit an individual’s preference and participants will benefit from fully franked dividends where applicable.

Control over investments will be greatly enhanced.

Term deposits will also be offered through the Direct Investment Gateway. This means that NGS Super through its service provider will have negotiated the best deals for its members available from the banks and credit unions. The term deposits on offer will stipulate the interest rate, the time period and the institution/ bank. Investors will be given the opportunity to automatically rollover to a new term for the principal amount only or for the principal plus the interest earned from the mature deposit. This feature should provide some peace of mind to investors who want to know exactly how much their cash investment is earning in the secure environment of term deposits.

Exchange Traded Funds are bundled securities managed by an investment house and traded on the ASX. ETFs can be used to track the index and provide the investor with extra layers of diversity and greater market exposure.

Members will be able to trade ETFs to spread their exposure to various asset classes and markets rather than selecting a single stock.

The Direct Investment Gateway will also be available to NGS Super pension members and as member engagement generally increases with age the Fund expects a strong uptake of the new product. NGS Super members will be advised of the start date for this new investment option and all the fine print will be available for members who intend to use it.

Bernard O’Connor (NGS Super Company Secretary/ Manager Member Services)

(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.)

Newsmonth is published eight times a year (two issues per term) by the NSW/ACT Independent Education Union.

Executive Editor: John Quessy (General Secretary) for and on behalf of the

IEU Executive and members.

Managing Editor: Tara de Boehmler Journalists: Tara de Boehmler, Sue Osborne and Daniel Long.

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 Fax: 9211 1455 Toll free fax: 1800 804 042 email: ieu@ieu.asn.au On the net: www.ieu.asn.au

Advertising inquiries Chris Ruddle on 8202 8900. Such advertising is carried out to offset production costs to members and at commercial rates. It does not in any way reflect endorsement by the NSW/ACT IEU.

NSW/ACT IEU Executive John Quessy General Secretary Gloria Taylor Deputy General Secretary Carol Matthews Assistant Secretary Mark Northam Assistant Secretary Chris Wilkinson President St Joseph’s Catholic College, East Gosford Michelle Omeros Vice President Non-Systemic St Euphemia College, Bankstown Bernadette Baker Vice President Systemic St Columbkille's Primary School, Corrimal Carolyn Collins Vice President Support Staff St Michael's Primary School, Nowra Gabrielle Connell Vice President ECS Albury Preschool Kindergarten

General Executive Members John O’Neill Carroll College, Broulee Ann Rogers ASPECT South Coast School, Corrimal Pat Devery St Mary’s Cathedral College, Sydney Marty Fitzpatrick St Francis Xavier’s Primary School, Ballina Ralph Hunt The Armidale School, Armidale Denise McHugh McCarthy Catholic College, Tamworth Peter Mullins St Francis Xavier College, Florey ACT Patricia Murnane Emmaus Catholic College, Kemps Creek Michael Hagan Mater Maria College, Warriewood Leah Bayin St Jude’s Primary School, Holder ACT

Francis Mahanay Vice President, ACT Holy Family School, Gowrie Peter Moore Financial Officer De La Salle College, Cronulla Marie MacTavish Financial Officer St Joseph’s Primary School, East Maitland

newsmonth - Vol 33 #4 2013

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www.ieu.asn.au giveaways

Giveaway 1

Edward Koiki Mabo, His Life and Struggle for Land Rights (Three books to give away) Authors: Noel Loos and Eddie Koiki Mabo University of Queensland Press ISBN: 978 0 7022 4979 2 Written largely in his own words, this book tells the incredible story of gardener turned land rights activist Eddie Mabo from his childhood on the Island of Mer through his struggles within the union cause and the black rights movement.

Tragically, Mabo died just before the historic High Court native title decision that destroyed forever the concept of terra nullius. Originally published in 1996, this new edition has been updated by Mabo’s long-time friend and historian Noel Loos.

Giveaway 2

Oliver Stone’s Untold History of the United States (Four copies to give away) Freemantle Media International DVD From Academy Award winning writer/director Oliver Stone, co-written by historian Peter Kuznick, this 10-part documentary series looks back at events that at the time went under reported, but that crucially shaped America’s complex history during the 20th century, from the atomic bombing of Japan to the Cold War and the fall of communism.

Giveaway 3

Whitlam, the Power and the Passion (Three copies to give away) ABC DVD This compelling two-part documentary charts the political rise and fall of former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Australia’s most radical Prime Minister make his mark in an era when, as a country, we were arguably at our most confident and flamboyant. It was a time of power and passion that divided Australian society in a way that hadn’t happened before, or since.

To enter one of these giveaways, write your name, membership number and address on the back of an envelope addressed to Newsmonth, Giveaway 1, 2 or 3, NSW/ACT IEU, 485-501 Wattle St, Ultimo, 2007 by Friday, 2 August. Envelopes not marked with the relevant giveaway will be disqualified.

Check your balance on the go with the new NGS mobile site!

Celebrating

25

years service: 1988-2013

NGS Super’s new mobile site allows you to login to your personal account when you’re out and about to check your account balance, transaction history, investments, contributions and more!

Visit www.ngssuper.com.au on your mobile and click “login” to get started.

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