Western Teacher - Volume 49.3 - May 2020

Volume 49.3 May 2020

The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.)

When everything changed pg 8

sstuwa.org.au

Features

Volume 49.3 May 2020

In this edition Correspondence:

The Editor, PO Box 212 West Perth WA 6872 editor@sstuwa.org.au | Ph: 9210 6000

Member Assist:

Ph: 9210 6060 memberassist@sstuwa.org.au Print post publication 100004470 | $4.95 ABN: 544 780 946 35 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.) 1 West Street, West Perth WA. Printed by Vanguard Press, 26 James Street, Northbridge WA. May 2020.

Cover: When everything changed. Read more on page 8 about the union's response to the Covid-19 crisis in our schools.

To access the digital copy of Western Teacher, visit: sstuwa.org.au/westernteacher

Find us on Facebook facebook.com/sstuwa

2020 Publishing Dates Deadline Distributed 25 November 17 January 28 January

21 February

3 March

4 May

4 May

5 June

8 June

3 July

13 July

7 August

17 August

11 September

21 September

16 October

19 October

27 November

Dates are subject to change

In this edition

GA 2019 Schools member vote...................6 COVID-19: A timeline of union action.........8 Working from home tax concessions.......14 Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework................................................15 TAFE cuts leading to soaring workloads..16 Permanency gained for more schools psychologists............................................17 COVID-19 clarify needed for preschool sector........................................................18 New educator FAQs..................................19 Stand with unionists in the Philippines....20 Protect education for the common good..21 Speaking Out Survey 2019........................22 Vale Ann-Marie Heine...............................23

Regulars

From the President.....................................4 From the General Secretary.......................5 Education and Training.............................26 Member Benefits......................................28 Noticeboard...............................................30

Advertisements in Western Teacher are the responsibility of advertisers. While Western Teacher makes reasonable efforts to ensure that no misleading claims are made by advertisers, responsibility is not accepted by The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.) for statements made or the failure of any product or service to give satisfaction. Inclusion of a product or service should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.)

Western Teacher is the official publication of The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.)

Western Teacher May 2020

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From the President

Overcoming the pandemic crisis

By Pat Byrne President

This has been an extraordinary time for everyone. A time when everything we took for granted changed. A time when we have faced challenges individually, collectively as a union and more broadly as a community.

This has not been business as usual. We have had to deal with contradictory advice on our safety, had our safety concerns ignored for weeks, and then to deal with almost daily changes to our work arrangements.

I thank every teacher and leader for their continued membership. I welcome our new members and hope the support and advocacy you receive will help you throughout your careers, not just in this current crisis.

It is amazing to think that back in the first eNews of Term 1 we mentioned in passing the need to follow department advice on how to deal with students returning from overseas trips because of something called Coronavirus.

The time since then has been exhausting; days have felt like weeks; every time the implications of one change have been overcome – or even just thought through – another, different, direction has emerged.

The establishment of the National Cabinet process to manage the pandemic has meant that all state Premiers and their chief health officers have worked together to ensure, as far as possible, a coordinated response across Australia.

From the outset the SSTUWA’s position has been to rely on the medical advice as provided through this process. However, the fact that it wasn’t until 16 April that the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC – the combined health officers from all states and territories) issued specific advice for schools that meant the seeds of anxiety and fear were well and truly sown among the teaching community; for weeks there was not a single mention of staff safety: in the public domain, it was only students’ health that mattered.

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The public consideration of schools came only after intervention by teacher unions, with the AEU meeting with the Prime Minister, Federal Education Minister and Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

• A proper planned process for preparing online delivery was achieved.

By then, there had been immense damage done to morale, confidence and trust, which will not be easily forgotten.

The issue of payment for casual relief teachers is still under discussion with the department.

The problem has always been the conflict between the medical advice applicable outside the school context and what was possible within schools. Much of the official advice had little or no chance of being actually applied in schools.

During the final weeks of Term 1, school staff worked tirelessly to produce learning materials that could be delivered in different modes to cater for some face-to-face student attendance with the majority being at home.

Most had no soap as a default, never mind hand sanitiser. Social distancing was, and is, impossible to achieve in schools and some areas of buildings and grounds are lucky to get properly cleaned once a term.

Towards the end of March, the Prime Minister’s position to keep schools open as usual throughout the next six months was bypassed by states and territories making their own decisions. Instead parents were urged to keep children home unless they were in the vulnerable categories, their parents were essential workers or no other arrangements were possible.

The reality was parents had already made their decisions. Many schools were under half full. We had one school in WA that saw one student turn up. With community measures ramping up, parents had seen the contradiction between the key advice to protect their families from the virus and what was happening in real-life in schools.

During that time, much behind the scenes work occurred: • Over 3,000 individuals were helped through Member Assist.

• Access to COVID-19 leave without having to exhaust all other options first was secured.

• Alternative Working Arrangements were sought and achieved for members at higher risk of contracting the virus.

• Significant funding for additional cleaning was committed.

The government announcement in the middle of school holidays that Year 11 and 12 students would be strongly encouraged to return to school while K-10 would be left to parent choice was unexpected and unwelcome. Following this with an expensive, multi-media advertising campaign directly aimed at getting parents to send their children back to school undermined the claim of parent choice.

The SSTUWA is well aware that managing a situation, such as this pandemic, is far from easy – it involves a constant balancing of health, social and economic considerations. The question of schools has been, and continues to be, a vexed one in all states and territories. This is indicative of the complexities that surround the management of large groups of children and adults in an environment such as COVID-19.

Unsurprisingly, most of those 7,500 members who responded to our late April survey expressed strong views about their personal safety. However, a significant majority (71 per cent) also indicated their preference for face-to-face teaching if student numbers made it safe to do so.

The SSTUWA has secured much for members during this tough time. We have not always prevailed, but we have always put the case robustly and without fear or favour.

With your support we will continue to do so.

We're here for you

From the General Secretary

By Mary Franklyn General Secretary

February and March have seen record numbers of members turn to the SSTUWA for support and advice as their work situations have seen constant change due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Calls and emails to the union’s Member Assist section have broken previous numbers, with Member Assist logging 906 calls and 453 emails during the month of February.

In February 2019, Member Assist recorded almost 700 calls and just under 400 emails.

In March, as Covid-19 quarantine and social distancing measures came into play, these numbers had jumped to a staggering 1,716 calls and 1,258 emails, up from about 650 calls and 350 emails from the same month in 2019.

Members have called in for advice on specific issues such as leave matters, DOTT, workload, employment contracts and OSH. Members have also needed to talk to share their views, feedback, opinions and concerns with the decisions and directions being taken at every turn by the government and Department of Education.

I want to thank all of the union staff that have worked in Member Assist during this time for their tireless efforts in communicating with, and assisting our members.

There have been long days and many emotional conversations, but above it all they have worked tirelessly to ensure our members have been kept informed and empowered about their work conditions and rights.

To our members, continue to contact us if you are uncertain about any workplace matter.

We continue to be here for you during these testing times.

Relief teachers schools, casual lecturers TAFE and casual swimming teachers The SSTUWA Executive has supported a suspension of union fees for the Term 2 period as a show of unity and solidarity for our colleagues in a highly vulnerable position.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions, UnionsWA and the SSTUWA have put forward positions to federal and state governments for salary maintenance provision for casual workers.

This has not as yet resulted in support for our members in these areas. We continue to negotiate as this issue of Western Teacher goes to print. We will therefore make this provision to them as we move into Term 2.

Reach out to the regions I want us all to stop and consider our colleagues in the regions. The ban on intrastate travel has been personally, for me, one of the biggest challenges of the Covid-19 crisis. I want us all to find a school and colleague out there and make

contact with them to check how they are going. Why not mail them a wee surprise?

I want members to “Reach Out to the Regions”. That’s something that all of us as union members can do – look after each other.

Education and Training during this time In this edition you will find information from the SSTUWA Education and Training Centre (ETC) about the courses available to members.

The ETC is still facilitating high-quality, targeted courses to members but the focus this season will be on delivering these courses online.

Some courses, such as industrial training for union representatives, are a first for the union and ETC in terms of online delivery.

For other courses, the ETC will be partnering with established online learning providers such as the Teacher Learning Network, to deliver.

For more information, see the ETC course guide in this edition of the magazine, as well as the regular training and learning information pages on page 26 and 27.

Retired Teachers Association During this time I would like to take a moment to send our greetings to our Retired Teachers Association (RTA) members.

One of the consequences of social distancing measures has been to cancel, until further notice, the weekly meetings of the RTA at the union’s offices in West Perth.

Those Monday meetings are something that RTA members look forward to, a chance to catch up with friends and former colleagues.

We know the loss of fellowship has been difficult but we know it is temporary. We wish our RTA members well and look forward to the time when we can welcome them back and recommence meetings.

In the meantime, we hope you stay well and continue to stay in touch with each other using technology, as many of us now find ourselves doing in this time.

Western Teacher May 2020

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2019

General Agreement 2019 Schools: Agreement in Principle

General Agreement

Member vote

on the Agreement in Principle (Schools) Dear Member, An Agreement in Principle (AIP) to replace the current 2017 General Agreement (GA) was endorsed by Executive on 31 March 2020. Your Executive is of the view that this proposed agreement is the best outcome which can be negotiated at this time.

It is now time for all members who will be covered by this proposed agreement to vote whether to approve the terms and conditions set out in the proposed School Education Act Employees’ (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2019 as well as the proposed changes to the Teachers (Public Sector Primary and Secondary Education) Award 1993.

It is important that all members register a vote. The outcome of a yes vote will result in this Agreement in Principle being registered jointly as your conditions of work and salary for two years. Salary increases will be backdated to 6 December 2019. A no vote will mean either further negotiations, or entering into an arbitration process in the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission (WAIRC).

Voter information packs are available online, as is a link to the online voting portal. They have also been sent to union reps at all worksites, but understandably some schools may have only a skeleton staff on site. A small number of hard copies will be sent to all schools.

Further information to assist you to make an informed decision can be found at www.sstuwa.org.au/GA2019 Normally school and regional meetings would have been held but the current travel restrictions mean that is not feasible.

However, members are welcome, through their union rep, to contact their District Organiser or Member Assist for clarification of any part of the proposed Agreement.

to increased movement between schools for school leaders will all greatly assist leaders.

There has been no progress in relation to our salary claim with the government remaining committed to its salary cap for the remainder of this public sector negotiating round.

There are a number of additional items around which no agreement could be reached and these are listed in the summary document which outlines the original Log of Claims and the two offers made by the department.

Since bargaining commenced we have been overtaken by the COVID-19 pandemic and we are currently experiencing restrictions to our lives and changes to our working conditions such that we could not have imagined even a month ago. While we have never supported the government’s current wages policy, even prior to what currently faces us, the improvement to conditions contained in the offer from the State Government is as good as we can hope to achieve. Many others within the community will be finding life an enormous struggle with so many businesses and jobs gone.

Due to the travel and meeting restrictions imposed by the government, the voting process will be different for GA2019. It will be an entirely online process and full details are included in the voter information pack, found at sstuwa.org.au/GA2019 My thanks go to Executive and the negotiating team who have managed to draw the bargaining process to as successful a conclusion as was possible even as we started to handle the incredible pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Voting will need to be completed by 4pm Friday 15 May 2020.

If you have any questions about the content of the documents you are voting on, check with your union rep first, then check the website information and, if necessary, contact Member Assist on 9210 6060.

The highlights are shown in the illustration on the adjacent page. An additional 30 minutes of primary DOTT time, flexibility around short leave and greater support for primary and secondary curriculum planning are just three key wins.

Pat Byrne President

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GA GA 2019

SCHOOLS

I am also proud that the SSTUWA has won significant gains for school leaders. The creation of Lead Principal positions, an induction program for new principals and a commitment

2019

2019

General Agreement 2019 Schools: Top achievements

General Agreement

Top achievements SAFETY is our priority

Curriculum planning

Primary DOTT

OSH and Safety

Curriculum resources for Years K-10 with the provision of half day professional learning as required – in the GA

An additional 30 minutes per week of primary DOTT, commencing 2021

OSH commitments to be included in the GA, and further development of the Let’s Stand Together plan

Parental leave superannuation

Short leave

Professional Learning Institute

Paid superannuation on unpaid component of parental leave – up to 12 weeks

Performance management

Standardised PM template and extension of 2017 exchange of letters

Increased flexibility around short leave

Staff placement

Commitment to actively work with the union to seek improvements to staff placement

Commitment to an Institute of Professional Learning, in the terms set out in the SSTUWA claim

Cultural leave

Five (non-cumulative) days paid cultural leave for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander employees Western Teacher May 2020

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COVID-19

COVID-19: a timeline of union action

By Kirsty Henderson

The beginnings of a pandemic Never has the community faced a challenge like that posed by COVID-19.

Since a fleeting mention in January, the virus has come to dominate every aspect of life, with schools and TAFEs being no exception.

The outbreak was quickly declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and although the virus spread at a slow and steady rate throughout WA, public hysteria swiftly began to escalate.

Whilst the federal government did its best to orchestrate a national public health

The West Australian, 25 March 2020

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emergency plan, it stumbled to deliver clear and consistent messaging to the public.

businesses both great and small, with thousands of people suffering unemployment.

States and territories were left to follow their own paths in dealing with the crisis and in turn the levels of anxiety among the public and WA teachers increased exponentially.

All the while, the Morrison Government was asking educators to battle the front line in the complex world of teaching, where hygiene is questionable and social distancing almost impossible.

There was no longer a consistent and transparent national response.

Throughout the crisis, the SSTUWA worked tirelessly behind the scenes, consulting and lobbying with the state and federal governments, the Department of Education (DoE) and the Director General about the rights and safety of its members and students. View the timeline on pages 9-10.

It was no longer business as usual.

The implementation of strict social distancing measures and hygiene restrictions saw the closures of

The West Australian, 22 April 2020

COVID-19

In the face of the crisis SSTUWA and COVID-19 timeline 11 March The SSTUWA liaises closely with the government on issues relating to COVID-19 and attends briefings to raise member concerns, along with assisting members in their individual industrial issues.

During this time the SSTUWA backs the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in calling on the Morrison Government to provide two weeks special leave for all workers.

16 March A state of emergency comes into effect in WA. The union calls for the government to communicate openly with educators across schools and TAFEs during the health crisis and requests a full explanation of the reasoning behind nonclosures of education facilities.

Advice is also sought on the practicalities of managing social distancing in a school context, which is of particular concern in early childhood and special needs settings.

The union welcomes advice from the Director General to principals advising the cancellation of non-essential gatherings of over 500 people and to not provide additional work/lessons for students who have been withdrawn from school before the end of term, without further direction from the government.

The WA Government announces up to 20 days paid leave for public sector workers in response to COVID-19.

18 March In a bid to ensure the safety of the school community the SSTUWA requests the urgent release of detailed medical advice from the state’s Chief Medical Officer and Minister for Education behind their decision to keep schools and TAFEs open.

On this day, we also hear from the Minister for Education and Training, Sue Ellery. In a letter of appreciation to educators, the Minister claims a national approach is being taken, while maintaining schools are being kept open and that all schools are safe.

11 March

The Minister reiterates the importance of social distancing measures and encourages implementation of strategies to reduce transmission, yet fails to provide teachers with sufficient guidelines and parameters.

19 March The SSTUWA, through the Australian Education Union (AEU), writes to the Prime Minister raising a number of issues around keeping preschools, schools and TAFEs open during the COVID-19 crisis.

A briefing is requested with the Chief Medical Officer and Federal Education Minister.

Shortly thereafter, Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan agrees to meet with the AEU leadership on 24 March.

20 March The Education Council announces NAPLAN will not proceed in May 2020.

23 March The SSTUWA requests for either the introduction of pupil-free days, until the commencement of the school holiday period, or to bring forward the school holidays.

Union President Pat Byrne meets with the Director General and requests an urgent meeting with the Minister for Education.

The SSTUWA issues urgent COVID-19 advice to TAFE members and calls on TAFE managers to immediately cease requests to staff to create and develop online learning materials.

24 March The union continues to seek solutions for members regarding their personal industrial rights, including one where a member with a heart issue was denied a request to work from home. The union intervened and the decision was reversed.

25 March SSTUWA President Pat Byrne writes an opinion piece featured in The West Australian, entitled Why school students should stay at home.

24 April

26 March WA Premier Mark McGowan’s call for parents to keep children at home is welcomed, but the news that pupil-free days would not commence until 6 April causes frustration among the union and educators.

The union pressures the state government to address both health and safety concerns, along with curriculum issues as a matter of urgency.

The SSTUWA curates a specific COVID-19 web page for members to issue regular advice and updates.

The union’s Education and Training Centre (ETC) cancels face-to-face courses until further notice and moves to providing educators with online learning opportunities.

27 March Urgent requests are made to the government asking for clarity on TAFE issues and addressing safety, which are not mentioned by health officials in many previous announcements.

In a letter from the SSTUWA to the Minister for Education, the union raises several issues for TAFEs including calling for the implementation of student-free days, the waiving of TAFE fees, an immediate review of OSH practices and more.

The AEU wins significant commitments that enhance members’ safety and working conditions across the country, following intensive lobbying.

30 March The state government announces travel restrictions in WA to be effective as of midnight 31 March. The DoE works with the state’s emergency control centre to seek exemptions for staff working in regional locations who need to return home to their place of permanent residency for the holiday period.

Premier Mark McGowan encourages parents keep their children home from school from this date.

The SSTUWA ventures into online (continued on page 10) Western Teacher May 2020

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COVID-19 (continued from page 9) learning opportunities for professional development. Over 15 online events are scheduled for Term 2 where participants can interact with educators from across Australia.

A TAFE update and acknowledgement is issued to delegates.

Daily TAFE delegate teleconferences begin at 5pm every day, sharing information and collating issues not able to be resolved at the local level.

31 March The SSTUWA Executive cancels the June State Council meeting scheduled for 1213 June 2020. The Australian Electoral Commission cancels all elections that are underway and will resume these elections at a later date.

The union issues advice and guidance to principals surrounding the new Alternative Working Arrangements (AWA) by the DoE for educators surrounding rostering, cleaning, casual relief staff and more.

Simultaneously the SSTUWA Executive endorses an Agreement In Principle (AIP) for the Schools 2019 EBA.

1 April Both the union and the DoE seek travel restriction exemptions for educators, but police advise broad exemptions are not possible.

2 April Upon the issuing of the DoE AWA, the union urges members to familiarise themselves with the eligibility criteria and to seek further assistance from Member Assist if they require support regarding wrongful decisions being made about entitlement.

Schools are set to remain open postholiday period for those who need their children to attend school to maintain employment, for those who live in families with aged relatives and for those where it is safer to be at school.

New regional travel restrictions apply within the Kimberley.

3 April The state government brings forward school holidays for students and sets this date as the last day of Term 1.

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7 April The union undertakes urgent discussions with the Director General to address confusion and seek further clarification over the AWA and staffing requirements for Term 2.

The new definitions categorising “high risk” individuals released by National Cabinet leads to confusion at the school level when determining AWA on a medical basis.

9 April Union leaders are set to meet with the Director General during week one of the holidays to discuss Term 2 operations for schools and TAFEs. To date, the union provides assistance to 1,500 members via phone and 1,200 via email.

SSTUWA officials attend meetings and consultations with various bodies in an effort to increase workplace safety for members in schools and TAFEs. The union is still seeking more transparency and commitment to a guaranteed income for casual and relief teachers.

17 April The Premier and Minister make a surprise public announcement declaring WA state schools will take a "cautious" approach to re-opening in Term 2, commencing 29 April. The government invests a $43 million package to support schools in this transition.

The decision, based on national health advice, strongly encourages Year 11 and 12 students to attend school.

It remains optional for parents to send their children to school, distance education and online packages will be sent to those students learning at home, onsite cleaning will be increased and the arrangements to be reviewed ahead of Week 4, 18 May. The union seeks urgent clarity on several issues and requests a number of measures to be implemented and adhered to in Term 2.

The SSTUWA has a significant win and secures an extension of COVID-19 leave to staff in high risk groups and those staff caring for a family member in a high risk category. Members no longer need to

exhaust other forms of leave in the first instance and the leave can be backdated.

19 April Following the Premier and Minister’s announcement about school operations for Term 2, the SSTUWA Executive holds an urgent meeting on Sunday, passing resolutions in relation to planning and the health and safety concerns of members around COVID-19. This includes the immediate delivery of a survey to all members to determine personal safety perceptions about their impending return to work in Term 2.

22 April SSTUWA President Pat Byrne writes a second an opinion piece featured in The West Australian in light of the potential ramifications surrounding the return of students in Term 2.

The DoE begins a series of advertisements in The West Australian as schools prepare to re-open to all students in Term 2. The department asserts safety is their top priority and assures the public the extra $43 million investment will guarantee student and teacher safety.

The SSTUWA Executive endorses a recommendation from the TAFE Committee to provide in-principle agreement to the offer from the Department of Training and Workforce Development regarding the 2019 TAFE EBA.

23 April The SSTUWA survey results are in.

With 7,451 members taking part in the survey, the results send a clear message to the government – an overwhelming 70 per cent of teachers claim they are not confident about the WA government’s decisions made about school operations in Term 2, nor has consideration been given to their welfare, and health and safety upon their return to work.

The resulting data will feature in a story in The West Australian.

24 April The SSTUWA runs a full page ad in The West Australian urging parents to keep their children home from school once Term 2 commences, if they can, to keep schools as safe as possible until we can all be back at school together.

COVID-19

Standing together In times of crisis such as these, we see those around us come together to form a united front.

From 29 February to 24 April, more than 665 educators joined us in our collective fight.

During the short space of a week in March, the SSTUWA saw a significant change among our members.

There was a sharp increase in anxiety and distress among our educators about both their personal and family health.

Members contacted the union on issues such as leave matters, DOTT, workload, employment contracts and OSH. The union's eNews and social media platforms became critical mediums to ensure our members were regularly kept up to date during the crisis.

Social media statistics from the period of March show a sudden spike in social media engagements with an increase in comments, likes and shares of post material.

From 1-31 March, the union's Facebook page reached 9,400 engagements and within that month, post content reached 125,977 people. This continued to grow in April, with engagements of 77,000 and post content reaching 254,000 people.

In desperation and sheer frustration, members began contacting the union via social media, venting their concerns and divulging the grim circumstances they faced in some of our public schools.

Some of their comments were:

The West Australian, 24 April 2020 the brunt of the criticism from students and parents who don’t understand why schools are open.”

“I have a duty of care for my students and the responsibility to not put my family at risk, but in the current situation I cannot protect my students, myself or my family,” wrote one member.

“Our classrooms aren’t cleaned well enough; there are too many students in small spaces and our job requires us to come into contact with over 100 students a day putting us at severe risk.”

Another wrote: “I can’t keep 24 Year 12 students from touching each other, I can’t imagine how a kindy class would try to practice social distancing!”

“We need more support, training and to be provided with hand sanitiser at the very least. I have never seen my colleagues more stressed out and we are taking

And another added their appreciation: “Thank you SSTUWA for keeping us up to date and supporting teachers through this time.”

And this message from a school leader: “A seemingly forgotten occupation who have faced unprecedented challenges to their work is union staff. Around the country, union leaders and staff have relentlessly supported Australian workers as we battle the uncertainty and complex challenges that this crisis has brought us. It has undoubtedly been a very hectic and stressful time for all union workers, including SSTUWA staff.

“The SSTUWA’s staff commitment and support to members at this time has helped us to face this immense challenge in schools.

“I would like to pass on my thanks to all of your staff who have been listening to our frustrations and fighting for our industrial rights and wellbeing at this time.”

Western Teacher May 2020

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COVID-19

COVID-19 Term 2 return: In members' own words

Good, clear leadership from within the school.

Expectation of three modes of learning is not possible when such a high percentage of students are attending.

I have been directed to coordinate the online learning for two year groups but will also be required to teach face-to-face classes as the percentage of students increases.

I feel as though no consideration has been given to this issue at this current time.

My children’s school has allowed parents of K/PP/ Year 1 students to enter school grounds for drop off and collection. These parents congregated in playgrounds on pathways and around the kiss and ride area, making drop off unsafe for all other students who had to walk through large groups of adults.

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Even though schools had contacted parents prior to school resuming to gauge what we were likely to experience first day back, not all parents responded (60 per cent) so this made managing the first day somewhat difficult. Now that we are back, it is a bit of trial and error as to how things are working and what may be better due to "having never experienced anything like this before".

There are obviously situations that we haven't thought of, or situations which have been planned for, but did not work as efficiently as hoped, like drop off/ pick up routines. It really makes me believe that there was a better way the government could have handled this. They have done their best but have left schools with many additional headaches. Yes we are professionals, we are excellent at forward planning and changing things at the drop of a hat, but the government doesn’t understand what pressure and extra work load that they have put on all school staff.

At times during this crisis, the treatment of teachers by politicians has made me consider leaving the profession. I also feel like politicians, media and members of the public have made out like teachers are being precious or entitled by being concerned about our work conditions. I feel safe and happy to be back with my students now, but it will take a long time to recover from feeling like our government doesn't value our lives or mental wellbeing. Teachers are by nature selfless and dedicated to what we do, but this whole thing has really hurt my previously unwavering dedication to this calling.

My principal has looked after at-risk staff very well and the extra precautions are excellent.

I am concerned about workload. I have been asked to teach solely online but am routinely required to be in classrooms, due to staffing and higher-thanexpected student numbers.

While I have been told that I am not expected to "do online teaching", I have been required by my school to teach face-to-face lessons and the school has communicated to parents that I will respond to questions messaged to me by students within 48 hours where possible. I am receiving a significant number of questions in messages from students and I consider this to constitute online teaching, which I supposedly don't have to do, in addition to the face-to-face teaching I am required to do.

I feel very well supported in my school. I just hope others teachers feel the same.

No paper towels in staff bathrooms and no hot water in staff bathrooms either.

I felt safe because I only had six students.

I think I will feel differently when the class is full again.

COVID-19 Quotes are member responses provided in the SSTUWA COVID-19 workplace precautions survey, 29 April 2020. Responses have been edited for spelling/grammar.

The school I work at has done an amazing job but it has taken considerable planning and effort by staff to achieve, with much of this done on our holidays.

The unexpected turn around by the government by encouraging all students to attend school was not appreciated after being advised to prepare for online/ work package learning for the majority of students for the beginning of Term 2. I personally think two more weeks of only being open for families with no other option, or those students in high risk family situations, would have caused less confusion, worry and anxiety for staff and parents.

I understand that schools need to make decisions that reflect their particular environments but when it comes to Year 12 ATAR students, the decision about first semester exams and assessments should be specifically outlined so that students and teachers have certainty and some degree of a level playing field.

There are inconsistencies across schools. One school was provided with disinfectant wipes to clean desks after each student left, ready for the next. We have none.

I may end up buying my own. There is complete disregard, especially by the federal government, for the stress teachers are currently under. We cannot provide normal curriculum and have minimal communication or guidelines from SCSA.

I feel it is a little premature to have students back at school.

Not impressed with the PM and Premier making teachers feel guilty if we weren't embracing the return to school. This virus is new and possibly unpredictable. Why doesn't social distancing apply to school situations?

The rhetoric that students' education is in the balance is ridiculous. Children throughout the ages have experienced a far more disrupted education (wars, earthquakes in NZ, etc) and they adjust and catch up.

The logistics of structuring the school has been very challenging in regards to staffing and making accommodations, managing a home learning team, additional duty, conflicting information about returning student numbers, recording attendance codes for those learning at home, at school or other reasons e.g. student is unwell to name a few. However, once the school had settled for the day we were able to manage the challenges. My main concern is that our student numbers will change daily and therefore the school structure is going to continue to change, which of course is unsettling for staff and students.

It's hard to employ extra cleaning staff in remote areas.

It’s a difficult situation and I recognise that I am a younger, healthier member of staff, so I do not have the health concerns of some of my colleagues.

But I also teach students at educational risk.

Thirteen out of 21 have shown up and they are so pleased to be at school. Most of them have parents at home so if we restrict to essential workers only they will not attend. I'd like to think we can find a way to teach every kid who wants to be at school.

Thank you for the vigorous follow up on this, your support of teachers, and the update regarding the proposed testing.

Western Teacher    May 2020

13

Professional

Working from home tax concessions The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has announced special arrangements this year to make it easier for people to claim deductions for working from home due to COVID-19.

The new arrangement will allow people to claim a rate of 80 cents per hour for all their running expenses, rather than needing to calculate costs for specific running expenses.

Multiple people living in the same house can claim this new rate. For example, a couple living together could each individually claim the 80 cents per hour rate. The requirement to have a dedicated work from home area has also been removed.

ATO assistant commissioner Karen Foat said the new shortcut method would make it easier for those who are working from home for the first time.

“The shortcut method provides a rate of 80 cents per hour and will only require you to keep a record of the number of hours worked from home,” she said.

“This recognises that many taxpayers are working from home for the first time and makes claiming a deduction much easier.

“If you choose to use this shortcut method, all you need to do is keep a record of the hours you worked from home as evidence of your claim.”

This new shortcut arrangement does not prohibit people from making a working from home claim under existing arrangements, where you calculate all or part of your running expenses.

Claims for working from home expenses prior to 1 March 2020 cannot be calculated using the shortcut method, and must use the pre-existing working from home approach and requirements.

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Western Teacher May 2020

Working from home claims for 1 March to 30 June 2020

using the existing approaches and are subject to the existing requirements.

There are three ways that you can choose to calculate your additional running expenses for the 1 March – 30 June period:

Visit ato.gov.au for more information about COVID-19 and its tax implications for you. For urgent assistance contact the ATO’s Emergency Support Infoline on 1800 806 218.

• Claim a rate of 80 cents per work hour for all additional running expenses.

• Claim a rate of 52 cents per work hour for heating, cooling, lighting, cleaning and the decline in value of office furniture, plus calculate the work-related portion of your phone and internet expenses, computer consumables, stationery and the decline in value of a computer, laptop or similar device.

• Claim the actual work-related portion of all your running expenses, which you need to calculate on a reasonable basis.

The ATO says that the three golden rules for deductions still apply:

The ATO will review the special arrangement for the next financial year as the COVID-19 situation progresses.

Example provided by the ATO Bianca is an employee who starts working from home on 16 March as a result of COVID-19 and replaces her face-to-face meetings with online video conferencing.

Bianca has just bought a new laptop, desk, chair and stationery. She also wants to claim some additional gas, electricity, phone and internet costs due to working from home.

• Taxpayers must have spent the money themselves and not have been reimbursed.

Under the shortcut method, Bianca can now claim all her expenses under a rate of 80 cents per hour. All she needs is her timesheets.

• The claim must be directly related to earning income.

Bianca can also decide to claim using existing working from home calculations.

• There must be a record to substantiate the claim.

Working from home before 1 March 2020 Claims for working from home expenses prior to 1 March 2020 should be calculated

Under that method, Bianca can claim the desk, chair, gas and electricity under the 52 cents per hour, but would need to work out the decline in value of the laptop, and calculate the work-related portion of the laptop, stationery, phone and internet.

Professional

Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework

By Minh Lam

The Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework (ACSF) sets standards for Department of Education (DoE) staff in their approach towards the education of Aboriginal students and their dealings with students, their families and the community.

It aims to increase Aboriginal student achievement and drive improvement planning, and is aligned with the Australian Professional Standard for Principals and Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

The framework also sets out to develop a respect and understanding for Aboriginal people, culture and history amongst staff and students.

assist school leaders to start discussions with their staff and communities about planning for improvement in their schools.”

According to the DoE, the ACSF is not a compliance checklist and schools are not expected to have a strategy for performance descriptors under the framework.

The DoE states it is a self-reflection aid to identify and address issues most relevant or urgent for schools in their attempts to create high-quality learning environments for Aboriginal students.

The ACSF has been in place for three years and schools are expected to implement the framework as part of its school improvement planning process. The current school review process reflects these domains.

According to the DoE, culturally responsive leadership aligns the school vision and ethos with the needs of students and expectations of the local Aboriginal community.

The ACSF comes amongst the backdrop of decades-failed attempts to advance the educational and wider health, social outcomes of Aboriginal people.

Successive government policies tried to exclude the Aboriginal population participation in Australian society or took away ownership of their own lives, cutting connections to land, language, culture and communities.

“The continuum enables staff to reflect on individual and whole-school progress, and to develop ways to move towards becoming culturally responsive. A school or an individual may be at different stages of development across each standard and this can be influenced by the individual’s particular experiences and location.

Together, the standards and continuum

This year, the focus of implementation is on cultural responsiveness, in the classroom and via school leadership.

Within schools, educators have to navigate through a myriad of issues that impact on Aboriginal student learning including intergenerational trauma, disadvantage, poverty, as well as having English as an additional language/dialect or conditions such as conductive hearing loss.

The classroom deals with responsive curriculum and pedagogy; how to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds and building mutually respectful relationships that value the strength of the local Aboriginal community.

Schools are encouraged to focus on a few key priorities matched to their school community. For support, the Aboriginal Education Teaching and Learning Directorate is available for advice and guidance.

ETC support for ACSF

and confidence to speak with authority.

This session will explore and develop knowledge in a way that encourages everyone to be creative and have a go.

It will also identify networks that can be accessed to draw on expertise and resources that are readily available.

links to education within the learning environment.

“The framework comprises five cultural standards and a continuum,” states the DoE on its website.

The SSTUWA Education and Training Centre offers training courses that may support schools implementing the Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework.

These are online learning events. For more information visit sstuwa.org.au/training

Including and Developing Knowledge of Aboriginal Perspectives in Daily Practice Tuesday 16 June: 3-4pm Incorporating Aboriginal perspectives into the curriculum can be daunting for many teachers. It is particularly hard to know where to start, especially for those who don’t feel they have a lot of knowledge

Understanding Treaty within the Education Community Tuesday 8 September: 3-4pm Working towards treaty is a major undertaking for society and has implications for how we operate within the education community in a tolerant, understanding and informed way. This session will explore what the assembly is, what the inaugural plan is and how this can be incorporated into planning documentation to ensure there are explicit

Both sessions will be conducted

by Gina Milgate Gina has led a diverse career at the Australian Council for Educational Research, with almost 11 years as a research fellow in Indigenous Education.

She advises on national policies regarding reconciliation and Indigenous learning, and hosts workshops such as the current Indigenous Leadership Program for women in early childhood and pedagogical research. Gina presents at conferences throughout Australia and internationally, and is a published author. Gina’s passion and goals for the future revolve around research that empowers the Indigenous community.

Western Teacher May 2020

15

TAFE

TAFE cuts leading to soaring workloads Early analysis of the Australian Education Union’s (AEU) State of Our TAFE 2020 survey has revealed that, on average, TAFE teachers are working an additional day per week over and above their paid work, resulting in soaring teacher workloads at all levels.

•

AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe highlighted the findings and the additional workload impact on TAFE teachers at this year’s annual AEU Federal Conference in Melbourne.

She said funding for vocational education had been cut by more than 15 per cent in the 10 years to 2016, while the Morrison Government had cut TAFE funding by 10.6 per cent ($326 million) in 2018 alone.1

According to the survey:

“Funding cuts to vocational education have seen apprentice numbers decline by 140,000 across the country, exacerbating our current skills shortage,” Ms Haythorpe said.

•

TAFE teachers are working on average one additional day per week over and above their paid work.

•

Seventy-two per cent of respondents say that their working hours have increased over the past three years.

•

Ninety-three per cent of respondents said that the pace or intensity of their work has increased over the last three years.

Only two per cent say their workload is always manageable, due to excessive administration and management demands.

Ms Haythorpe said that years of federal government funding cuts were now exacerbating Australia’s skills shortage.

“Australia’s TAFE system offers a clear solution to this situation. It offers the highest standard of vocational education at all levels, with nationally accredited programs and a highly qualified and experienced workforce of professional teachers.

General Agreement 2019 TAFE On Wednesday 22 April 2020 the SSTUWA Executive endorsed a recommendation from the TAFE Committee to provide in-principle agreement to the offer from DTWD on the understanding that: 1. Changes to Clause 80 – Training and Lecturing Qualifications, in terms of industry currency, not be included.

2. The pilot project referred to under development of learning resources and guides, not be included.

3. The calculation of casual rates of pay be clarified and resolved.

The above matters have been raised with DTWD and it is agreed that items 1 and 2 will not form part of the new Agreement.

We are awaiting further information concerning item 3.

Wording for the draft clauses will continue to be negotiated.

Once the final wording of the draft Agreement has been finalised members will be able to vote on the agreement via electronic ballot.

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Western Teacher May 2020

“However, privatisation policies, resulting in course and campus closures, have caused incalculable damage to TAFE and led to significant job losses across the sector.”

According to the most recent Commonwealth Report on Government Services (RoGS): •

In 2017-18 total government expenditure on vocational education fell to a total of $6.02 billion. This was the lowest spend in real terms of any year over the last decade.

•

This is an expenditure decline of $1.6 billion (21.3 per cent) from the 2012 peak of $7.65 billion.

•

Total annual hours provided by government expenditure continued to fall to 36.4 million, a decline of 6.4 per cent from last year and of 30.6 per cent from the 2012 peak.

“Half the new jobs in the future will require a vocational education qualification,” Ms Haythorpe said.

“We have a nationwide skills shortage and a youth unemployment rate that runs twice the rate of the national average. This is the devastating reality of privatisation, marketisation, and the billions of dollars of funding cuts for TAFE. “Without a strong and properly funded TAFE sector, how can we hope to train the people we need to deliver the infrastructure essential for our future, to drive our transition to renewable energy and to limit the already catastrophic impact of climate change?

“It is crystal clear there is an urgent need to invest in a strong TAFE. It is going to be vital for Australia’s future and for tackling the big challenges of our future.

“Only TAFE provides a highly-qualified workforce and a trusted, world-leading education that will give Australians the skills they need for the future.”

1

National Centre for Vocational Education Research. 2019.

“Government Funding of VET 2018.” bit.ly/3cqBKkZ.

Industrial

Permanency gained for more school psychologists

By Natalie Swinbourn Schools organiser

The SSTUWA’s recent work with school psychologists has resulted in an increased percentage of permanent positions across the system.

To provide an overview through the CI23 process, originally 138 school psychologists were reviewed, with only 13 of them were converted.

a. For a defined and limited tenure of work (this is where there may be a limited source of money and it is only available for a short period of time).

In 2018 the Public Sector Commission announced Commissioner’s Instruction No. 23 (CI23), which allowed for the conversion and appointment of fixed term contract and casual employees to permanency.

Since the completion of that process in 2019 a total of 71 of the original 138 school psychologists reviewed have been appointed permanently through other means.

b. A vacancy due to a leave of absence (this is when you are backfilling for another employee – a few examples are someone on parental leave or another form of leave or acting in a promotional position).

While this had many positive outcomes for the union’s schools and TAFE members, the CI23 process did not generate a major change to permanency figures for school psychologists.

The discussions it did instigate between the Department of Education (DoE) and the SSTUWA have been productive and have ensured the way in which our school psychologists are employed has been improved.

The department made a concerted effort upon request from the SSTUWA to look at increasing the permanent positions available to school psychologists.

The proportion of school psychologists with all or part of their employment on a permanent basis has risen from 60 per cent in 2017 to 82 per cent at the end of 2019.

Lesmurdie Future Teacher Award The SSTUWA would like to congratulate Lesmurdie Senior High School student Laila-Rose Newman (pictured right) for being the 2019 recipient of the Future Teacher Award.

The union-sponsored award recognises students with a passion for teaching, with many going on to pursue a career in education and joining the union.

Lesmurdie SHS union representative Linda Valdrighi said Laila-Rose was the 13th recipient of the award and was

The DoE has also confirmed that at the end of 2019 they were working with each specific region to increase the FTE eligible for permanency above the regional allocation for the department.

They are able to do this where the DoE could show that schools had been purchasing a consistent amount of additional school psychologist time over and above the allocation from the department and that which was used up by ongoing backfill for leave.

The rules around fixed term contracts Where permanent employment is not appropriate, the use of fixed term and casual employment arrangements should be made in accordance with legislation and relevant industrial instruments.

All fixed term contracts must state the reason for the fixed term contract. The agreed options are:

Should you currently be on a fixed term contract we encourage you to check the following key items: 1. Is the reason for your contract one of those listed above?

2. If it is one of the above reasons, you can ask the nature of your contract (e.g. Who holds your position substantively?).

3. If you are employed for the full year, is the end date of your contract the last day of the school holiday break in 2021?

If you have any concerns or queries about your contracts please contact SSTUWA Member Assist on 9210 6060. Also encourage your fixed term colleagues to join us, as collectively we have more power to achieve the best outcomes for members.

ambitious about becoming a secondary teacher.

“She has demonstrated leadership skills, actively seeks feedback to improve her results and continually strives to achieve her very best,” Linda said.

“The attributes she has displayed during her time as a student at Lesmurdie SHS will no doubt make her an outstanding teacher.

“Lesmurdie SHS branch would once again like to thank the SSTUWA for their commitment to education and unstinting support of members both experienced and emerging. We look forward to continuing this prestigious honour in the years to come.”

The SSTUWA wishes Laila-Rose all the best in her journey to becoming an educator and, upon completion of her studies, welcomes her to the wonderful world of teaching and unionism.

Western Teacher May 2020

17

Industrial

COVID-19 clarity needed for preschool sector The Morrison Government’s $1.6 billion package providing free childcare for parents is welcome news for the early childhood education (ECE) sector, but still leaves urgent questions which must be clarified for the preschool sector.

The government’s announcement also includes $453.2 million to support almost 350,000 children to attend preschool in 2021.

Australian Education Union Federal President Correna Haythorpe (pictured) said that while this funding was essential to keep the doors open for many preschools during the COVID-19 pandemic, in reality it only represented an additional 12-month extension of the existing Universal Access National Partnership (UANP) program providing guaranteed access to quality ECE for children in the year before school.

“We welcome the allocated funding for universal access to preschool for 2021, however the sector still faces grave uncertainty,” she said.

Ms Haythorpe said that given the government viewed ECE as an essential service, the AEU was calling on the National Cabinet to provide a guarantee that: •

A nationally consistent definition of essential worker is developed to provide clarity for ECE settings.

•

The health and safety needs of the early childhood workforce will be prioritised to ensure that those workers who remain on site can do so safely.

•

Vulnerable workers and workers with vulnerable family members will be supported to work from home.

•

Maintenance of income for all employees, including part time and casual.

•

Governments will “bridge the gap” to cover fees currently paid by parents so that ECE settings will be able to continue to operate.

“This will be critical if we are to ensure that the ECE sector is not decimated and incapable of being up and ready to resume normal operations post COVID-19.”

Ms Haythorpe said that it was essential that children continue to be provided with high-quality early childhood education and care during the coronavirus outbreak.

“The COVID-19 crisis has seen worried parents withdrawing their children from preschool, and this will have a long term impact on the sector, which is why it is critically important that funding is secured for the long term.

“Preschool teachers and education support staff must have guidelines about how they keep themselves safe and how they ensure social distancing with their students, as it is practically impossible to keep young children apart,” Ms Haythorpe said.

“The research is clear that children who miss out on a year of preschool education will start school behind those who have accessed preschool,” she said.

“The reality is that we may not have a preschool sector left past 2021 if we do not provide long term protection and ongoing funding for the sector.”

“These measures will enable staff, particularly those who are in casual employment, to have certainty around their ongoing employment.

“We have sought urgent discussions with Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan to resolve these issues on behalf of our members.”

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Western Teacher May 2020

“These children can suffer the effects of that disadvantage throughout their lives.

New educator FAQs

New educators

It is important to ask questions as an early career teacher but sometimes you may feel uncomfortable to do so at your worksite. So, the Growth Team thought we would share some of the questions we frequently get asked while in attendance at Graduate Modules, during school visits or via the New Educator Network Facebook group.

How much DOTT time should I get as a graduate teacher?

Effective from the commencement of the 2011 school year, the following periods of time (exclusive to recess and lunch) are provided to teachers: • Secondary – 320 minutes per week • Primary – 240 minutes per week • Pre-Primary – 320 minutes per week In addition, graduate teachers in their first year are entitled to 0.05FTE per week of additional non-contact time. For a full time teacher, this equates to an additional 77 minutes per week for primary teachers and an additional 80 minutes per week for secondary and pre-primary teachers.

This additional non-contact time is known as graduate release time and while it is expected that this time allocation is available to graduates on a regular basis, up to 2.5 days a term can be accumulated to accommodate different contexts and needs.

If you are not receiving your graduate release time, speak with your union rep for further advice and book in a time to discuss this with your line manager.

Remember, you can only access the graduate release time in your first year.

I have heard about an allowance for graduate teachers. How do I access it?

The Graduate Teacher Allowance is paid directly to you through payroll. Fulltime graduate teachers will receive an allowance of $1,600 per year for each of their first two years. Part time teachers will receive this allowance pro rata.

This payment is based on the terms of your employment and is paid as soon as possible after you have started.

If you have not received your payment after a reasonable period of time from your start date, contact your school administrator or line manager.

New educator members Andrew Clouting, Matt Jones and Christopher McIntosh Clarification of payment of this allowance can also be sought by contacting payroll directly (9264 8383).

I have to travel to attend a Graduate Module. Do I fund this myself?

A cash travel contingency is allocated to the school for graduate teachers in their first year. This is based on the school’s location.

The allocation associated with the graduate teacher undertaking Module 1 and Module 2 of the Graduate Teacher Professional Learning Program is for: • Travel • Accommodation • Costs Schools are to use any unspent funds for travel costs for the graduate teacher to undertake Module 3 and Module 4 of the Graduate Teacher Professional Learning Program.

Metropolitan schools are allocated $113.30 for each graduate teacher while regional schools will be allocated an amount based on the distance from Perth and relative isolation.

I am completing my portfolio in order to transition to full registration. Do I have

to complete 100 hours of professional learning?

There is no requirement to have completed 100 hours of professional learning when transitioning from provisional to full registration. This component is only required to maintain your registration (that is, after you are registered). You do, however, need to have taught for a “minimum period of 100 days in one or more Western Australian educational venues or other Australian or New Zealand schools in the last five years prior to application”.

For further information about the transition process and for the relevant forms required, visit the TRBWA website: bit.ly/32UsJfB

How do I know what jobs are available?

Jobs across public schools are advertised on the JobsWA website (jobs.wa.gov.au).

Here, you can apply for specific advertised positions, as well as for pools such as the Graduate Teacher Pool, Remote Teaching Service Pool and the Teacher Pool – Fixed Term Opportunities.

Remember, if you are not sure about something, ask. You are not rocking the boat if you are in need of clarification.

You can also contact Member Assist, get in contact with the Growth Team at neweducator@sstuwa.org.au or find us on Facebook: New Educator Network - WA. Western Teacher May 2020

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Issues

Stand with unionists in the Philippines

By Cathy Smith Schools organiser

When union members are under threat, the role of international solidarity is essential in defending the right to bargain, campaign and organise.

Right now in the Philippines, unionists are the target of brutal government repression because of their demands for job security, living wages and climate action.

Since the rise to power of the authoritarian Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, at least 43 unionists have been killed.

The Philippines is now in the bottom 10 worst countries for workers’ rights (ituc-csi.org/RI19) and Filipino union members need our solidarity.

The Duterte regime needs to know that the world will not remain silent while trade union members continue to be persecuted, union leaders arrested and union offices raided.

Filipino union leaders from the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) recently met with Australian unionists and lobbied politicians on a speaking tour in February.

Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA, together with the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU), hosted a visit by KMU General Secretary Elmer Bong Labog, and the KMU international officer, Meryl Quero-Asa. Here are four things you can do to stand with unionists in the Philippines:

Support unionism in the Philippines and join Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA works with the two largest union federations in the Philippines to bolster their campaigns for secure work and energy democracy.

By becoming a member of Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA, you will be supporting these projects and other projects around the globe that build the power of ordinary workers against the corporate power of multinationals.

Join at: apheda.org.au/join

Sign the petition to end the red-tagging of teachers and academics

Send a letter/email of protest to the Philippine Consulate in your city

Teacher unionists in the Philippines have been targeted in arbitrary arrests, received death threats, been accused of terrorism by the police, and they have even been shot at in their classrooms.

Signing the petition will help guarantee the security and safety of all union members and leaders in the Philippines.

Find the petition at: bit.ly/39aEuRq

Send a letter of protest to the Philippine government to demand that the right to form a union is protected. Download an example letter at: bit.ly/392Ots2

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Western Teacher May 2020

Download the campaign poster for your workplace Build awareness in your workplace of trade union repression in the Philippines

by downloading the campaign posters and displaying on your union noticeboard.

Share photos of you and your workmates on social media using these hashtags: #StopTheAttacks, #StopRedTagging Find downloadable posters at: bit.ly/3chl1Aw

Protect education for the common good

Issues

Education is both an individual and collective right. It gives every person an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for a meaningful life. It is also a nation’s most precious tool to achieve economic growth, social progress and democratic development.

Education is a basic social service and one of the cornerstones of democracy. It is one of the core responsibilities of governments to facilitate the delivery of quality education by building and funding strong public school systems.

Over 95 per cent of Finnish children and youth attend public schools. Citizenship and human rights form the overarching values that underpin all education and the school culture in Finland and are embedded in the national curriculum.

Basic education promotes responsibility, sense of community, respect for the rights of others and freedom of the individual; it helps students obtain the knowledge and skills they need in life, for further study and as engaged citizens in order to develop a democratic society (Council of Europe, 2014, p. 18).

The globalisation of our economies, the need to successfully compete in global markets, and the crucial role our school systems play in responding to that need, have propelled education to the very top of the international agenda. There are reasons to be pleased about the interest shown in education, but if investments in our school systems are solely or predominantly driven by the desire to boost our economies and to satisfy markets, we need to be cautious.

Education is a common good. It is not just an instrument to promote economic growth. It is not a commodity. The values of public education are essentially the values that underpin democracy, as well as our prosperity.

They encompass the principles of equity and equal opportunities, of nondiscrimination and social justice. They embrace collective needs, as well as individual liberty, solidarity as well as opportunity.

In this regard, it is interesting to note that in the past three decades the

education agenda has not been set by the organisation that was established for that very purpose, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), but by the World Bank, the largest source of education loans, and by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), one of the most influential policy advisors for industrial countries.

International human rights legal documents establish the right of every person to education.1 The broad mandate to education is directly related to the contribution of education to democracy.

Education is not limited to the basics.

It goes beyond the skills needed for employment to include the competencies, skills and aptitudes needed for life.

The United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976) states: Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity, and shall strengthen the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms …

Education shall enable all persons to participate effectively in a free society, promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all racial, ethnic or religious groups.

The notion of education as a public good, as opposed to an economic good, spread rapidly in the decades following the Second World War. However, a discussion evolved within UNESCO as to how to approach the delivery of education through private

support. UNESCO suggested approaching schooling as a common good, rather than only a public good, with the understanding that all schooling is a “collective endeavour from a humanistic perspective” (Daviet, 2016, p.1). It is clear that “good” in neither expression is intended to treat schooling as something that is “for sale”.

Whether delivered through public or private mechanisms, public or common goods are a sacred, if secular, charge for public authorities. Education is to be available for all. Nobody is excluded or shut out. That, by itself, makes it crucial to democracy.

1

71 governments have ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976) and all but one State has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). Both treaties affirm the right to education.

The above text is an excerpt from On Education & Democracy (2019)

by Susan Hopgood and Fred van Leeuwen. The book contains 25 lessons from the teaching profession for educators. This is one of six lessons that have been identified by the SSTUWA as a key organisational objective following November State Council Conference 2019. This article has been edited for clarity and brevity. The full article and book can be read at: bit.ly/2w4kNvW

Western Teacher May 2020

21

Issues

Speaking Out Survey 2019

By Kirsty Henderson

From the Kimberley to the Great Southern, our Aussie kids have helped to paint a picture of what it’s like to be a youngster growing up in WA. They’ve shared some difficult and personal information, but all for a greater cause.

The Commissioner for Children and Young People Colin Pettit recently released the findings from the Speaking Out Survey, conducted in 2019.

It’s considered to be the most comprehensive survey of children and young people to ever be undertaken in WA. A total of 125 schools were randomly selected to take part, with students ranging from Year 4 to 12.

In all, 4,912 children shared their views on their health, safety, family and community, and school life.

The report found that while the majority of children claim they feel healthy, have the basics they require and like school, there is some concern around mental health, perceptions of safety and feelings of connectedness.

Some of the report’s key findings were: • Almost 12 per cent of students rated their health as fair or poor.

• Nearly one in two female high school students did not always feel safe at home.

• Seventy per cent of female high school students worried about their weight, compared to 37 per cent of male students.

• School and study problems are the most common source of stress for students in Years 9-12.

• Most high school students think people their age should not use alcohol, drugs or cigarettes.

• More than half of female Year 9-12 students and one quarter of male students have been sent unwanted sexual material.

• Half of male students in Years 4-12 said they play electronic games every day.

• One in 10 students say there is only sometimes enough food for them to eat at home.

• Aboriginal students reported higher self-esteem and sense of belonging than non-Aboriginal students.1 There were some interesting revelations, some facts already presumed were supported, while other findings offered a new and fresh insight into the minds of our young people and the challenges they face.

Half of Year 4–12 students claim they have been bullied and 15 per cent have missed school because they were afraid they would be bullied.

The report found around 57 per cent of male students were more likely to be physically harmed at school, while almost three-quarters of female students were most likely to be harmed at home.

A little over half of female students in Years 9-12 reported they had been sent unwanted sexual material and a staggering figure of almost 93 per cent of this was received on social media platforms, rather than by text message.

Whilst Aboriginal students fared less in terms of health, material basics, family stability and truancy, they did have a stronger sense of community belonging and self-esteem compared to nonAboriginal students.

It was also confirmed that students from Year 10-12 are still not getting enough sleep and one in five Year 7-12 female students often go without eating or sleeping because of their mobile phones.

More than half of high school students conveyed they would like to finish university; nearly nine per cent preferred a TAFE certificate and five per cent a trade qualification.

The survey not only gives a snapshot into the minds of our younger generation, but is also a quantifiable tool for both government and non-government agencies working with children.

It is a tool that will help to deliver tailored programs and initiatives designed with young people in mind.

It is hoped that with committed ongoing government funding, the survey can be repeated on a triennial basis to provide more robust data in the future.

For more information regarding the Speaking Out Survey 2019, or to read the survey in full, visit the Commissioner's website at bit.ly/39qC0i4 (Commissioner for Children and Young People, Speaking Out Survey 2019, summary report, February 2020) 1.

Did you know we have an extensive collection of research and studies on our website? To view these, visit sstuwa.org.au/research 22

Western Teacher May 2020

Industrial

Vale Ann-Marie Heine Ann-Marie Heine, the first woman to hold the position of general secretary of the SSTUWA, died recently in Adelaide where she had lived for many years.

Ann-Marie was first elected to the SSTUWA Executive in 1979 at a time when women held few offices within the union.

Executive at that time consisted of four women and 15 men.

Ann-Marie rose rapidly to become senior vice president in 1982, a position which she held until 1984 when she was appointed by Executive to the position of general secretary.

Ann-Marie was a prominent spokesperson for women’s rights both within the union as an Executive member and senior officer, and in a broader social context at a time when women’s rights were being hotly debated across the board.

This was a period which saw the appointment of the first SSTUWA women’s advisor, the establishment of the SSTUWA Elimination of Sexism Committee and the active involvement, alongside women from all parts of the community, including the broader union movement, of SSTUWA women in prosecuting the case for the first equal opportunity legislation in WA in 1984.

Ann-Marie was possessed of a great wit and was a formidable public speaker.

She articulated the views of many female SSTUWA members who were subject to the extremely conservative rules and regulations which applied to women in the public sector at that time.

Within the SSTUWA she led the debate on a number of policy fronts, including the removal of restrictions on the gaining of permanency for women teachers and the consequent access to superannuation.

She was also instrumental in the early changes from promotion by seniority towards merit promotion.

Ann-Marie argued strongly against the gender stereotyping of deputy principal roles which was then seen as normal, in both primary and secondary schools, and pushed the department to lead by example through the introduction of changes to practice aimed at breaking down some of the entrenched barriers to women’s career progression.

This was little more than 10 years after equal pay for women teachers had been introduced.

While none of these issues seem at all contentious now, that was not the case at the time. In particular, the move to merit promotion was fiercely resisted and changes to union policy followed only after much heated debate over several SSTUWA conferences.

Views were polarised and hostilities evident over a long period of time.

Ann-Marie’s activity extended to the national union – the then Australian Teachers’ Federation (ATF) – where she argued for the same issues at the national level; she also represented the SSTUWA on the Trades and Labour Council of WA, and the ATF at the ACTU committee level.

Through her advocacy and example, AnnMarie paved the way for many women in education at the time, both in the Department of Education and within the SSTUWA. Many of the first wave of female principals appointed in the late eighties and early nineties were products of the vigorous representation by the SSTUWA on behalf of women teachers as, indeed, was union policy itself.

This union has in recent years had elected representation which closely reflects the composition of its membership at both senior officer and Executive levels.

None of these things happen without people who dedicate their energies and skills towards specific goals. Ann-Marie was one of those people.

The SSTUWA would like to extend our sincere condolences to Carl and Jason and their families.

Western Teacher May 2020

23

Professional

High workload and stress levels continue for teachers

By Trevor Cobbold Save our Schools Australia

Over half of all secondary school teachers in Australia report that they have too much administrative work, which takes away time for preparing for classes and is a major source of stress.

A quarter of teachers say they experience a lot of stress at school. These are amongst the highest percentages in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

They are significant factors behind teachers leaving the profession.

Australian teachers also have less professional autonomy over classroom content and assessment than in other OECD countries, but there is more professional collaboration in Australian schools. However, a majority of teachers do not believe their profession is valued by society.

These are key results from the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), an international survey of school teachers, school leaders and the learning environment in schools released this month. The report provides

important insights into the state of the teaching profession in Australia and other countries.

The percentage of Australian teachers who report they have too much administrative work and experience a lot of stress is above the OECD average. Fifty-five per cent of Australian teachers say they have too much administrative work compared to 49 per cent across the OECD (see Chart 1).

This is the 10th highest percentage in the OECD. Too much administrative work is the major source of stress amongst Australian secondary teachers.

Source: TALIS 2018, Online Table II.2.46.

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Western Teacher    May 2020

Professional Twenty-four per cent of secondary teachers in Australia say they experience a lot of stress at work compared to 18 per cent for the OECD (see Chart 2). This is the seventh highest percentage in the OECD. Too much administrative work and acute stress are factors influencing teacher mobility and attrition. Teacher attrition may affect student achievement by having a negative impact on the school climate and on the curriculum. Attrition can also lead to significant financial costs for education systems because of the need to replace qualified teachers in affected schools.

On average across the OECD countries and others participating in TALIS, teachers who report experiencing stress in their work “a lot” are twice as likely as colleagues with lower levels of stress to report that they will stop working as teachers in the next five years. In Australia, teachers who report experiencing stress at their work “a lot” are 90 per cent more likely to want to leave teaching in the next five years.

In Australia, 22 per cent of teachers report that they would like to leave teaching within the next five years compared to the OECD average of 25 per cent. Twentyfive per cent of teachers in Australia would like to change to another school if that were possible, compared to the OECD average of 20 per cent. On average across the OECD, teachers who would like to change to another school are less satisfied with the profession, did not pick teaching as a first-choice career and are slightly younger and less experienced in their current school than other teachers.

The survey results point to the need for much greater support for teachers in schools serving high proportions of disadvantaged students in Australia.

Teacher stress is much higher in schools with higher concentrations of students from low socio-economic status families. About 32 per cent of teachers in secondary schools with more than 30 per cent of students from low SES homes report “a lot” of stress compared to 22 per cent in schools with less than 30 per cent of students from such homes. The gap of 10 percentage points is by far the largest in the OECD. As a result, much larger percentages of teachers in schools with higher concentrations of students from disadvantaged homes would like to change schools if it were possible. Thirtyfive per cent of teachers in secondary schools with more than 30 per cent of

Source: TALIS 2018, Online Table II.2.39.

students from low SES homes would like to change schools compared to 23 per cent in schools with less than 30 per cent of students from such homes.

less, which is lower than the average of

Australian teachers also report lower levels of professional autonomy in regards to course content and student assessment than the average for the OECD. In Australia, 73 per cent of teachers report having control over determining course content in their class, compared to 84 per cent on average across OECD countries.

Eighty-seven per cent have control over student assessment compared to 94 per cent for the OECD. However, 96 per cent have control over teaching methods, which is the same for the OECD.

of teachers with a contract of one year or

Professional collaboration provides a foundation for effective teaching practices and although it is low across OECD countries, it is higher in Australia than in most OECD countries. In Australia, 39 per cent of teachers report participating in collaborative professional learning at least once a month compared to the OECD average of 21 per cent. This is the fourth highest percentage in the OECD. There is less team teaching in Australia than in the OECD average with 23 per cent of Australian teachers engaging in team teaching compared to 28 per cent in the OECD. In Australia, 86 per cent of teachers have a permanent contract compared to 82 per cent in the OECD. At the same time, 10 per cent of teachers in Australia are employed on contracts of one year or

12 per cent in the OECD countries and economies participating in TALIS. In the last five years in Australia, the proportion less has remained stable.

Most teachers across the OECD don’t feel valued by society. Only 45 per cent of secondary teachers in Australia believe that their profession is valued by society, but this is much higher than the average for the OECD of just 26 per cent. The Australian proportion is the third highest in the OECD, behind Korea with 67 per cent and Finland with 58 per cent. It has also increased from 39 per cent in 2013.

Overall, 90 per cent of teachers are satisfied with their job, which is the same as the OECD average. Moreover, 78 per cent of teachers are satisfied with the terms of their teaching contract (apart from salary), which is above the OECD average of 66 per cent. Also, 67 per cent of teachers report being satisfied with their salaries, which is much higher than the OECD average of 39 per cent.

This article was first published on the Save our Schools Australia website. It has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Western Teacher May 2020

25

Education and Training Centre

Education & Training Centre Online Professional Learning

Be part of the SSTUWA online professional learning community and learn from anywhere.

Benefit from interacting with educators from across Australia in a safe environment. All events are live and are 60 minutes in duration. Register now for Term 2 events: sstuwa.org.au/training Classroom Management – Dealing with Distracting Classroom Behaviours

Emotional Regulation and Early Childhood Learning

Tuesday 5 May, 4-5pm This session is designed to support teachers to strengthen their classroom management skills. The focus is on setting clear expectations and creating effective teacher-student relationships.

Despite a teacher’s best intentions students often choose behaviours that make the classroom unsettled and reduce the time focused on learning. This session will focus on a toolkit of things to think, say and do to address these behaviours firmly and fairly, so that relationships are maintained and expectations reinforced.

Wednesday 27 May, 6-7pm Young children learning how to regulate their emotions, with self-regulation and impulse control, is important for all learning. Adults can overestimate the emotional skills of young children, so a better understanding of self-regulation provides insight into children’s learning and behaviour, especially in relation to the impact of trauma.

Trauma Aware Teaching at our School – A Panel Discussion

My Career – Women in Teaching, Building a Career in Education

Tuesday 19 May, 4-5pm Trauma-aware teaching is growing across the education community. Teachers are increasingly aware that there are new approaches being developed to identify and support students who have experienced trauma. In this session, TLN has gathered together teachers who have implemented traumaaware teaching in their workplace. The panellists will discuss the challenges and rewards that have come with educating teachers and staff about these new practices.

Tuesday 2 June, 4-5pm In this session experienced women educators, from the AEU and IEU, will discuss the challenges, rewards and possibilities for women in education. It will include a discussion of the resources and opportunities that are available to support women in the teaching profession. This session is designed to be a safe setting and may lead to an ongoing online conversation.

Students with Additional Learning Needs – Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder

My Wellbeing – Learning to Say No in a Professional Manner

Tuesday 19 May, 4.30-5.30pm ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder is a condition experienced by many students and adults in the education community. In this session, the presenter will focus on understanding the condition of ASD; what are some typical characteristics of a person with ASD and how do they manifest themselves in social situations such as schools or early childhood services?

Tuesday 2 June, 4.30-5.30pm We want the best for our students, we want good relationships with parents and with our colleagues, and we want to be respected by the leadership team. So, what do you do when the demands are too much for you? This session is about learning strategies to say "no" whilst maintaining good relationships with students, parents and colleagues whilst maintaining high levels of respect. This is about your wellbeing as a teacher and a person.

Students with Additional Learning Needs – Understanding ADHD

Literacy in the Classroom-Strategies to Support Struggling Readers

Tuesday 19 May, 6-7pm Students and children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are members of almost every group of students/children. It is helpful to understand the characteristics of ADHD and how it manifests in the classroom or the group.

This session will unpack the condition of ADHD.

Tuesday 2 June, 6-7pm The development of good reading practices requires a solid foundation and understanding of reading strategies. Students will learn these at different rates and can sometimes find themselves trying to engage with content that is beyond their skill level. This session will look at strategies teachers can use to ensure the students who have challenges with reading are able to develop their ability in a supportive and practical way.

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Western Teacher May 2020

Education and Training Centre

Keeping you connected in Term 2 Including and Developing Knowledge of Aboriginal Perspectives in Daily Practice

Literacy in the Secondary Classroom – Strategies for Improving Reading and Writing

Tuesday 16 June, 3-4pm Incorporating Aboriginal perspectives into the curriculum can be daunting for many teachers. It is particularly hard to know where to start, especially for those who don’t feel they have a lot of knowledge and confidence to speak with authority.

This session will explore and develop knowledge in a way that encourages everyone to be creative and have a go.

Tuesday 16 June, 3-4pm In a secondary classroom there is little opportunity to review skills and foundation knowledge covered in early literacy education. However, if a student is missing some of the fundamentals it is essential that these skills are incorporated into the tasks they are engaged with. Learn some strategies to cover content but also support the literacy demands of the lessons.

Online Industrial Learning

The SSTUWA is working on the development of a series of 90-minute online learning modules across a range of industrial topics. Keep connected during Term 2 and join Cherry Bogunovich, SSTUWA education officer, online to explore any of the following topics: Module One: The Role of The Union Rep in Schools

Module Two: The Women’s Contact Officer (WCO) and Her Role at Work – Schools and TAFE

Module Three: Effective Management of a Member’s Issue – Schools

This module will guide union reps and deputy reps to explore:

This module is designed to support women contact officers to:

• The Union Rep Welcome Pack.

• Explore their role and responsibilities.

During this module reps, deputies and women contact officers are invited to:

• Getting organised at work: roles, tasks and duties.

• SSTUWA support for reps and members.

Module Four: Using the Branch Resolution Process – Schools During this module reps, deputies and women contact officers will explore: • How to effectively manage a branch issue: The steps and the process.

• A scenario: From identifying the issue, to resolving the issue.

• The roles we play during the resolution process.

• Identify the knowledge, skills and attributes of an effective WCO.

• Explore the Problem Solving Framework.

• Map an issue: facts to resolution.

• Become familiar with SSTUWA supports for the WCO in the workplace.

Module Five: Performance Management: Law, Policy, Process – Schools Educators are invited to explore roles and responsibilities of the key players in the performance management process.

Participants will complete the module with a greater understanding of: • Performance Management and the Law. • The Agreement and the Exchange of Letters.

• The Performance Management Cycle.

Module Six: The New 2019 General Agreement – Schools Elected union delegates are invited to develop a deeper understanding of the key changes achieved in the 2019 General Agreement and Award.

Delegates will have the opportunity to: • Compare the SSTUWA log of claims with our top achievements for members and school leader members.

• Identify and explore key changes to the 2019 Agreement, the Award and the Exchange of Letters.

• Discover and share ways to encourage members to access and refer to the new 2019 Agreement and Award.

Visit sstuwa.org.au/training to register for events Western Teacher May 2020

27

Member benefits

Member benefits Accountants and Financial Advisers Aston Accountants

10% discount on personal income tax returns for members.

sstuwa.org.au/aston

Industry Fund Services

Specialist financial products for union members.

sstuwa.org.au/ifs

LIFE Financial Planners

$1,200 off your statement of advice fee plus a free financial health check for members.

sstuwa.org.au/lifefinancial

Teacher Tax

$99 tax returns for members.

sstuwa.org.au/teachertax

TIPS Financial Services

$1,100 discount on your TIPS Transition to Retirement strategy or Retirement plan.

Exclusive to members.

sstuwa.org.au/tipsfs

Banking

AutoBahn

Mechanical and electrical services.

Members receive $20 off any service or 5% off any repair.

Special offers throughout the year for members. A bank built by, and for, union members.

sstuwa.org.au/mebank

Mortgages, Money and Me

Complimentary advice, property reports, finance tools and more for SSTUWA members.

sstuwa.org.au/mmme

OFX Money Transfers

When it matters, OFX it. Save with the experts in international money transfers.

sstuwa.org.au/ofx

Teachers Mutual Bank

Banking exclusively for the education community.

PLE Computers Save on your IT with access to the PLE Computers academic portal.

sstuwa.org.au/autobahn

sstuwa.org.au/ple

Bayswater Mazda

The Good Guys Commercial

Exclusive offer including $500 fuel card, 4 years free service and more.

sstuwa.org.au/bayswatermazda

Bob Jane T-Marts

Online access to live discounted pricing on The Good Guys’ full range.

sstuwa.org.au/thegoodguys

National fleet pricing on a range of products and services.

Educational Resources

easifleet

A Thinking and Caring Approach. By Barrie Bennett and Peter Smilanich.

sstuwa.org.au/bobjane

Bose headphones or Bluetooth speaker, or a year’s worth of Magic Hand car washes with any easifleet procured novated lease.

sstuwa.org.au/easifleet

Fleet Network

Package your next car and save on tax.

Bonus Samsung 8” tablet or Dash Cam with vehicle delivery.

Classroom Management

sstuwa.org.au/classroommgmt

Effective Group Work Beyond Cooperative Learning. By Barrie Bennett.

sstuwa.org.au/effectivegroupwork

sstuwa.org.au/fleetnetwork

Graphic Intelligence

Hertz

Possibilities for Assessment and Instruction. By Barrie Bennett.

5-10% discount on vehicle hire in Australia, NZ, USA and Canada.

sstuwa.org.au/hertz

ME Bank

Motor Market by Union Shopper

You choose the car, then we find you the lowest price.

sstuwa.org.au/motormarket

Thrifty Car and Truck Rental

10% discount on vehicle hire in Australia.

sstuwa.org.au/thrifty

tyresales.com.au

sstuwa.org.au/graphicintelligence

Instructional Intelligence Building Instructional Expertise for the Classroom. An SSTUWA project in collaboration with Barrie Bennett.

sstuwa.org.au/instructionalintelligence

Teacher Superstore 5-10% discount, in store and online.

10% discount on tyres.

sstuwa.org.au/teachersuperstore

Western Motor Vehicle Consultants

Entertainment

sstuwa.org.au/tyresales We’ll find a car you’ll love. Save time and money when sourcing your next vehicle.

sstuwa.org.au/westernmotors

Computers Altronics

Adventure World Save up to $14.50 on Adventure World tickets with Westclub.

sstuwa.org.au/adventureworld

Movie tickets

sstuwa.org.au/tmbank

Build it yourself electronics centre. VIP trade discount in store and online.

Cars

sstuwa.org.au/altronics

Discounts on physical tickets (greater savings) and instant digital tickets.

Apple on Campus

sstuwa.org.au/movietickets

sstuwa.org.au/apple

Rockface

For details visit:

Allwest Fleet

Vehicle salary packaging – save time, money and tax. Receive a $300 gift card with your new car.

sstuwa.org.au/allwestfleet

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Massive discounts on products and services for SSTUWA members

Western Teacher

May 2020

Dell

Indoor rock climbing in Northbridge. $14 all day climbing pass with harness hire.

sstuwa.org.au/dell

sstuwa.org.au/rockface

Save up to 15% off selected items.

Member benefits *Terms & conditions apply.

Please visit our website for full details.

For more information visit sstuwa.org.au/benefits and the benefits tab of the SSTUWA App Food and Wine Campbells

Complimentary day pass to access wholesale prices on groceries and other goods.

sstuwa.org.au/campbells

Cellar d’Or

Best value winery tour in the Margaret River Region. 10% discount for members.

Teachers Health Fund

Join the thousands of teachers who have already made the switch.

sstuwa.org.au/teachershealth

Teachers Health – Travel

10% discount on travel insurance.

sstuwa.org.au/travelinsurance

STA Travel Insurance

Travel and Accommodation Accor Hotels Great savings for teachers at Accor Hotels in the Asia Pacific region.

sstuwa.org.au/accorhotels

Choice Hotels

$20 discount for members.

Choice Hotels welcomes SSTUWA

sstuwa.org.au/statravelinsurance

members with exclusive rates at

7.5% off online wine orders.

Shopping

locations in Australia and NZ.

Taste Bud Tours

10% discount, in store and online.

sstuwa.org.au/cellardor

Cracka Wines

sstuwa.org.au/cracka

Abacus Educational Supplies

sstuwa.org.au/choicehotels

Comfort Hotel Perth City

Swan Valley “Speed Grazing” – 20% discount. Good Food, Wine & Cider (am) or Good Food, Wine & Beer (pm).

sstuwa.org.au/abacus

Health and Wellbeing

sstuwa.org.au/dotmall

sstuwa.org.au/comfortperth

St John

Electrical buying

Experience Oz

sstuwa.org.au/stjohn

sstuwa.org.au/electricalbuying

sstuwa.org.au/tastebudtours

Dot Mall

BBQs, heaters and backyard kitchens.

5% discount for members.

First aid saves lives. Discounted first aid courses and kits for members.

Let Union Shopper find the best deal on your electrical purchases.

WA Opticians

isubscribe

sstuwa.org.au/waopticians

sstuwa.org.au/isubscribe

20% discount on spectacle frames and lenses. Perth and East Perth.

Housing Houspect

Buy, build and invest with confidence. $50 discount on building inspections.

sstuwa.org.au/houspect

Johns Building Supplies

Trade prices on paint and painters’ hardware. Builders prices on all other hardware lines.

sstuwa.org.au/jbs

SkylightsWA

Specialising in skylights and roof ventilation, servicing all regions of WA. 7% discount off selected products.

sstuwa.org.au/skylightswa

Insurance and Legal

Up to an extra 10% off any print and digital magazine subscription; over 4,000 titles.

Jackson’s Drawing Supplies

10% discount in Jackson’s 12 shops and online.

near the WACA in East Perth.

Save 10% on over 3,000 experiences across Oz + NZ.

sstuwa.org.au/experienceoz

Inn the Tuarts Guest Lodge Forest retreat, 4-star, with indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and BBQ. Adults (12 years+) only. Five minutes to Busselton.

Studios and rooms. 22.5% off rack rate or best available rate.

Petals Flowers & Gifts

sstuwa.org.au/innthetuarts

20% off flowers and gifts. World-wide delivery available.

sstuwa.org.au/petals

Retravision

Jarrah Grove Forest Retreat Luxurious, self-contained accommodation in Margaret River.

Cost plus 5% on all products. Osborne Park location only; in store or via phone.

Nation-wide delivery available.

Discounted rates for members.

sstuwa.org.au/retravision

Mandurah Houseboats

Teacher Superstore

10% discount on houseboat holidays.

5-10% discount, in store and online.

sstuwa.org.au/teachersuperstore

The Good Guys Commercial

sstuwa.org.au/isinsured

sstuwa.org.au/thegoodguys

Insurance for union members. Home, contents, car, landlords.

Online access to live discounted pricing on The Good Guys’ full range.

SSTUWA Legal Services

Vet Products Direct

sstuwa.org.au/legal

Light Start Breakfast for two. Located

sstuwa.org.au/jacksons

ISinsured

Access to quality legal services for both work-related and personal matters.

Rooms from $145 per night including

10% discount on pet products, plus advice from professionals.

sstuwa.org.au/vetpro

sstuwa.org.au/jarrahgrove

sstuwa.org.au/houseboats

Rottnest ferry tickets Save up to $18 on Rottnest ferry tickets with WestClub.

sstuwa.org.au/rottnest

STA Travel Exclusive discounts for members.

sstuwa.org.au/statravel

Western Teacher

May 2020

29

Noticeboard

Noticeboard June State Council Conference cancelled The SSTUWA Executive has taken the decision to cancel the June State Council meeting scheduled for 12 and 13 June 2020. This is a decision not taken lightly, as the holding of State Council at least twice a year is required by the rules of the SSTUWA. However, under the current circumstances, with a State of Emergency in operation and

travel restrictions in place, it was the view of Executive that the necessary requirements for the conduct of State Council could not be met.

Additional information will follow.

Items for November State Council must be received by 5pm Friday 25 September.

Email to editor@sstuwa.org.au

Retired Teachers' Association Greetings. We will resume social gatherings and return to normal activities including choir and literature when meetings are possible, according to government regulations.

Ann Strauss: 9387 2906

IDAHOBIT in your school The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) falls on 17 May.

It is a day to acknowledge and combat the stigmatisation that causes pain and suffering to LGBTIQ people.

inclusion in our schools and by standing with your LGBTIQ colleagues, students and community.

IDAHOBIT was started in 2004 to draw the attention to the violence and discrimination and harassment experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender, intersex people and all other people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics (LGBTIQ).

We know that a disproportionate number of the LGBTIQ community experience poorer mental health outcomes and a higher risk of suicide than their peers.

For resources and information visit: idahobit.org.au | may17.org minus18.org.au | freedom.org.au Gender diversity guidelines: bit.ly/1Qhkhfv WA AIDS Council: bit.ly/2X1NUcn Department of Health: bit.ly/2v38UGI

This is connected to ongoing inequality. Be part of the change for better by championing

GA 2019 Schools

Level 3 Classroom Teachers’ Association 2020 meeting dates: Saturdays, 10.30am-12.30pm

An Agreement in Principle (AIP) to replace the current 2017 General Agreement was endorsed by Executive on 31 March 2020.

Online voting opened at noon 24 April and will close at 4pm Friday 15 May.

Term 3

Term 4

23 May

22 August

28 November

Visit www.l3cta.org.au for venue information and to confirm attendance, or email contact@l3cta.org.au

Visit sstuwa.org.au/GA2019

SSTUWA committee meeting dates: Early Childhood Educators’ Committee

TAFE Committee

19 May 6 August

Venue: Further information will be sent to committee members via email Contact: (08) 9210 6000 or contact@sstuwa.org.au

International Committee

LGBTIQ Committee

Dates to be confirmed

Dates to be confirmed

Dates to be confirmed

New Educator Committee

Women’s Committee

Psych Services Committee

ATSIE Committee

16 June 8 September

Dates to be confirmed

Dates to be confirmed

19 May 13 August

Time: 4.15pm

21 October

Time: 4.30pm

30

Term 2

17 November

Western Teacher May 2020

Time: 5pm

Time: 4.15pm

Time: 4.30pm

Time: 4.45pm

Time: 4pm

Time: 4pm

5 November

Hello to all our teachers, We know all of you have had your work days turned upside down. Teaching online at home, working in near-empty schools - and dealing with a term 2 of quiet playgrounds and classrooms.

But we just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the amazing job you’re doing for Australian families. As the world keeps changing before our eyes, you’re rolling up your sleeves and getting on with the critical job of educating our kids. Your passion has never shone brighter.

Thank you.

Australia couldn’t do this without you.

Visit tmbank.com.au/wethankyou for more information.

Membership is open to citizens or permanent residents of Australia who are current or retired employees of the Australian education sector or family members of members of the Bank. Teachers Mutual Bank is a division of Teachers Mutual Bank Limited ABN 30 087 650 459 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 238981

Transition to Retirement Specialists

Financial solutions and advice to help you transition

TTR and Tax benefits will continue into 2020 & beyond!

Please see tipsfs.com.au

Are You Retiring or Reducing Hours in 2020?

What you will need to consider …

• • • •

Can I afford to drop a day?

How much will be enough to retire on?

How can I maximize my income & reduce tax?

When is it best to pay off my mortgage?