Our Union then called the Independent Teachers Association (ITA), was in its infancy having only been founded some four years earlier in 1972.
In 1976 the General Secretary was John Nicholson who was succeeded mid-1977 by Michael Raper.Michael is currently Director of Services and International Operations of the Red Cross. Our staff was not large and ITA membership was not widespread in the Lismore Catholic Diocese. Consequently I was unaware that anyone else on staff was a member of the union. In those early days Michael Raper was making visits to touch base with ITA members. It took some negotiation for him to gain permission to do this on the school site. When the meeting with Michael occurred three of us on staff were pleasantly surprised to see that there were other members. Gayle Anderson, Craig Bryant (since found an alternative career) and myself were those three people. The organisation wasn’t exactly clandestine but it certainly did not have a high profile.
Gayle was a union member from the beginning of her career to the end which sadly occurred this year when she passed away while still employed at Mount St Patrick College. Gayle was always a committed teacher of great dedication, who was much loved by those she taught and those she taught with. Membership of the Union was a constant for her over this time. She believed very much in the values of justice and the support for teachers that the IEU provided. Gayle could not be described as militant or outspoken but was very committed in her own quiet way and very strong in her ideals. We have lost a respected colleague, friend and valued member of the IEU.