As we begin another year in our workplaces, it’s an opportune time to remember why we are activists, how to be activists and what we can do to encourage our colleagues to join us.
EAs and WPAs
In Catholic systemic schools our Enterprise Agreement (EA) and Work Practices Agreements (WPAs) are the backbone of our workplaces.
They help us to ensure employees are treated fairly, have good working conditions and are paid correctly. Even though most of the systemic Catholic dioceses are still negotiating the new EA and WPAs, the previous versions still hold.
Important issues
Make sure your school or organisation leadership teams share the dates of events that staff are expected to attend.
Encourage your colleagues to check their timetable load is correct.
Check any plan for in lieu professional development is discussed with staff early on and that they have a chance to vote on the proposal.
Know your union delegates
If you are the chapter representative in your workplace, ask the principal if you can speak for two minutes at the weekly briefing to inform new staff of who you are and what you can help them with. If you are new to a workplace (or not!) find out who the rep is and let them know you are a member.
Your chapter rep is a good link between staff and leadership, especially in situations where they may not have an open-door policy on speaking and listening to staff concerns. Reps can also be a good first port of call before needing to contact your organiser at the IEU.
Invitation to join
You’ve probably heard this many times before, but the most successful recruitment strategy for union membership is talking directly to people and inviting them to join. Taking the time to speak to a workmate and maybe sharing a personal experience of how the union has helped you or your colleagues is exceptionally powerful.
Have membership forms on hand for basic information about the benefits of joining and how much it will cost. Direct colleagues to the IEU website for easy joining (ieu.asn.au/why-join-us) and remember to add new members to your chapter’s group email or let your rep know so they can do this.
More members mean a stronger union for all of us.
Wishing you all the very best for the start of the new school year.