IEUA NSW/ACT Branch has been working to ensure that NESA treats rural and regional HSC makers fairly, and gives them the same chance to take part in HSC marking as their metropolitan colleagues.
This recently became a live issue when it appeared that some itinerant HSC markers were going to end up effectively having to pay to mark the HSC. Itinerant markers mark practical subjects, like Design and Technology. They usually have a two week period where they move between schools marking students’ major works. In the past, these two weeks have been split between the city and the country. For the week in the country, NESA provided an allowance to cover accommodation costs.
However this year, some itinerant markers were advised that they were going to be forced to spend both weeks in Sydney, and that they would receive no compensation for their accommodation costs for the second week. This was in contradiction to NESA’s own advice.
The IEU, along with the Teachers’ Federation, found this to be unacceptable, and raised it a recent HSC Marker’s Briefing. At this meeting, NESA agreed to reimburse markers for the accommodation costs for the second week.
If you are in this position, you should contact Keith Heggart keith@ieu.asn.au for advice on how to obtain the funds.
HSC markers should also note that the IEU secured a pay rise for this year’s marking during enterprise agreement negotiations last year. The modest pay rise of 2.5% came into effect on 1 June 2018. The current award’s end date is 31 December 2018. The IEU will be speaking to HSC Markers to develop a log of claims for upcoming negotiations.
More and more of the HSC marking is now being down onscreen and externally. Some markers are supportive of this move, while others are concerned about the loss of collegiality in this new model. Currently, more than 40 subjects are marked onscreen, while approximately 100 are still marked at the marking centres. IEU Organisers will be visiting marking centres but, in order to reach markers who are working onscreen externally, we also invite members to join our HSC Markers Facebook Group (just search HSC Markers to find it) and for the mailing list
click here to sign up.