IEU Federal Council is the national governing body of the Independent Education Union of Australia. It meets at least once a year, with representatives participating from the constituent branches of NSW/ACT, Victoria/Tasmania, Queensland/NT, South Australia and Western Australia.
The IEU National Executive meets between Council meetings to administer the decisions of Council and to oversee the national work of the union. IEU federal conferences or other national gatherings also occur from time to time in conjunction with Council meetings.
At the most recent meeting of IEU Council at Glenelg in South Australia on 25 August, the agenda included:
- ensuring a strong IEU voice to the new Federal Labor Government, including recent and planned meetings with ministers
- the impact of COVID-19 on schools
- exposing private ‘fake union’ businesses selling membership
- an industrial update on the Hear our Voice campaign in NSW/ACT and developments in other branches (such as the Queensland award of 4% + 4% + 3% + cost-of-living adjustments)
- the IEU’s national voice for the profession in areas such as NAPLAN, AITSL, the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) and the National Workforce Strategy for Early Childhood
- our union’s commitment to equity, diversity and anti-discrimination, including support for the ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’ and a legislated Voice to Parliament
- international solidarity and action – Council of Pacific Education (COPE).
As an expression of the IEU’s commitment to international solidarity and action, the Council meeting at Glenelg was addressed by Kate Lee from APHEDA – Union Aid Abroad on a range of development projects and initiatives in Asia and the Middle East.
A comprehensive Secretariat Report is prepared for each IEU Council meeting to highlight the work of the union across Australia in a diversity of industrial, professional and equity areas.
This year’s IEU Federal Council at Glenelg was followed by a conference for the elected Executive/Committee of Management members in each State/Territory branch. Members of the NSW/ACT Executive participated.
Guest speakers at the conference included ACTU Secretary Sally McManus, Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, Professor Megan Davis from the University of NSW, retiring Council of Pacific Education Secretary General Govid Singh, and input from the UK Teachers Union (NASUWT.).
Further information about the work of the IEUA at the national level, including reports and media releases, is available www.ieu.org.au