Time capsule: 2016

Rights we take for granted today – such as paid parental leave and family and domestic violence leave – were fiercely contested in 2016, as the IEU fought governments and employers to protect and advance the pay and conditions of school staff.

Salary cap

Many IEU members started the year with modest, but above-inflation, pay rises of up to 2.5%.

However, the NSW government’s salary cap of 2.5% continued to suppress salaries far beyond the public sector.

Campaigning for fair pay was at the heart of union activities in 2016. The IEU welcomed 3327 new members during the year, and 758 remain members today.

The first edition of Newsmonth outlined the union’s dispute with Reddam House over employment contracts issued to teachers at Reddam Early Learning Centre.

The contracts suggested early childhood teachers could be paid $31,527 less than teachers across the schoolyard at Reddam House, as well as accrue less long service leave and parental leave.

Members employed by Navitas English, a company that runs English language and other courses for the federal government, were continuing industrial action over pay.

Election priorities

The looming 2016 federal election offered an opportunity for the union to lobby candidates and seek commitments from all political parties about issues important to members.

“Chief among these is a commitment to provide for appropriate funding to ensure quality education at all levels from early childhood to higher education,” said then Secretary John Quessy.

Other priorities outlined in The Ask: IEU seeks commitment from politicians before election included funding for quality early childhood education and care, fairer industrial legislation for bargaining and better access to flexible work arrangements.

The safety of asylum seekers was another key concern, with the IEU Federal Executive in February condemning both the federal government and opposition “for their lack of compassionate action in the matter of the asylum seekers”.

Easing the administrative burden

Teachers were concerned their work was “increasingly subject to interference, regulation and control by policy and regulation”, Quessy noted.

Red tape imposed by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership “add[ed] considerably to the workload facing members as they struggle with mounting audit, compliance and reporting requirements demanded by lawmakers, employers and policy bureaucrats”, Quessy wrote.

An item in the May edition of Newsmonth noted that teachers and support staff “are at breaking point with escalating workloads and increasing demands now at unmanageable levels”.

Students with special needs or challenging behaviours, compliance burdens, excessive programing requirements and unsupported curriculum initiatives were among the reasons behind burdensome workloads.

“Addressing the causes and impact of work intensification will be our priority campaign issue this year and we will press it until we see immediate and tangible results,” Quessy said.

Paid parental leave

The federal election held on 2 July was narrowly won by the Liberal-National coalition led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The Turnbull government’s attempt to restrict access to the federal paid parental leave scheme was strongly opposed by the union movement.

The November edition of Newsmonth said plans to cut the scheme were “a direct attack on IEU members and their families”.

The paid parental leave scheme introduced in 2011 by the Gillard Labor government provided for 18 weeks’ pay at the minimum wage, which was then $672.70 a week.

The scheme now provides for 26 weeks at the minimum wage, which is currently $1004.90 a week.

In October, IEU members joined other union members at a rally at NSW Parliament House calling on Premier Mike Baird to support the inclusion of domestic violence leave in the National Employment Standards.

Teacher voice matters

The union was critical of legislation rushed through the NSW Parliament by the Liberal-National government led by Premier Mike Baird following a review of education regulatory bodies.

The union supported changes to teacher accreditation but condemned the replacement of teachers with ministerial appointees on the body meant to oversee teaching standards.

“No other profession in this country is expected to tolerate this indignity,” Quessy said.

Sport and culture

Youth by Troye Sivan won song of the year at the 2016 ARIA awards, while Skin by Flume won album of the year.

At the movies, Spotlight won the 2016 Oscar for best picture, while Mad Max: Fury Road won six awards, the most of the evening.

The 2016 Booker Prize was awarded to Paul Beatty for his novel The Sellout – the first American author to win the prestigious literary prize.

At the 2016 Logie Awards, Waleed Aly won the Gold Logie, while The Secret River, based on the novel by Kate Grenville, won the prize for most outstanding miniseries.

Cronulla-Sutherland won a close NRL grand final against Melbourne Storm, while the Western Bulldogs were crowned AFL premiers after defeating the Sydney Swans.