Headlines making news

IEU Principals Branch has welcomed the launch of Headlines, the union’s enews for principals and other school leaders.

Emailed to 950 IEU members on 31 March, Headlines contained a welcome by Principals Branch President Sidonie Coffey and news items on:

Enterprise Agreement (EA) negotiations for Catholic systemic principals

principals under pressure – workload and wellbeing issues for school leaders, and

implications of the review of BOSTES.

It is aimed to produce Headlines once per term and suggestions for content are welcome. As reported in Headlines and discussed at the Term 1 Principals Branch meeting, the IEU is continuing EA negotiations with the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations (CCER). Meetings were held on 14 March and 4 April, with other meetings scheduled for 3 and 24 May and 8 June.

The successful negotiation of a Catholic systemic principals’ EA is also of interest to other principals, as the Catholic principals’ agreement is often used to inform salaries and conditions for Catholic independent and other independent sector principals.

Appreciation is expressed to Parramatta Diocese primary principals for an opportunity to meet on 31 March at Plumpton. Principals noted the first edition of Headlines and welcomed updates on the EA negotiations and the Union’s focus on wellbeing issues for principals and staff.

With regard to the elections for IEU Council, Principals Branch thanks Louise O’Sullivan and Lou Single for their representation of principals during the past term of Council and looks forward to all four principals’ positions being filled for the next Council term.

Further Principals Branch meetings for 2016 are scheduled for 7 May, 6 August and 12 November.

Pam Smith
Principals Organiser