There can be no doubt that the Union agenda for 2014 is both extensive and comprehensive. We will be making enterprise agreements in every sector of our membership. We have served a claim on Catholic employers for improved salaries and conditions for teachers in systemic schools in NSW. Following an initial discussion in preparation for negotiations, the employers have offered a pay increase equal to that made in the public sector from 1 January (2.27%).
In accepting this as an interim payment, the IEU made it clear that we intend to pursue our full claim in respect of both salaries and conditions and are scheduling dates to advance these discussions. Members who have not done so will have the opportunity to endorse the claim early in Term 1.
A number of Catholic independent schools (those called List D) will be back at the negotiation table, as the one-year agreement finalised towards the end of last year was not approved by the FWC.
At the end of 2013 the Union sought to bargain with Christian schools for new and substantive agreements covering both teachers and support staff. However little headway was made at that time. These consultations are
now overdue.
Agreements for the bulk of the independent sector need to be renegotiated during 2014 to have effect from January next year, so we will need to start work sooner rather than later.
In the non-school sector (early childhood and ELICOS), Union officers will continue to bargain workplace by workplace to secure the best possible pay and conditions.
Members employed in most CEO/CSO offices remain without the protection and certainty of registered industrial agreements and further progress is vital.
Each year brings a new tranche of often novel government education policy with significant impact. While we are dealing with continuing aspects of the NSW Government’s GTIL, the Federal Government’s NPSI and the rollout of the Australian Curriculum in NSW, the Federal Education Minister has announced a ‘review’ of the Curriculum for little more than ideological reasons.
Someone, it seems, has determined that aspects of the Curriculum lack rigour and that there is insufficient emphasis on conservative Prime Ministers and the role of business and entrepreneurs in the teaching of Australian history. Perhaps the Alan Bond empire and the James Hardie Company are to be included as instructive and compulsory studies.
There will be a review of the Australian Curriculum: teachers review all new curricula as they implement it. Review, evaluation and refinement are what teachers do as part of their core work.
The Federal Government should know this but as they run no schools and employ no teachers their ignorance on such matters can perhaps be understood. As a national government they can and do influence schools and the work of teachers only by making their dictates a condition of school funding.
This year will also reveal an increasing suite of PD opportunities for members and new styles of Union training aimed at Chapter Representatives and union activists.
The newest IEU PIP Work Hoarse brings to an even dozen the suite of two-hour accredited PD offerings. This is a much needed voice care workshop which I’m sure will be greatly appreciated.
Our Executive and officers are also required to undertake specialised training as part of their responsibilities under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act, the legislation governing trade unions and a few employer organisations.
All this alongside the day-to-day task of representing members in the scores of individual disputes that arise regularly, will make for a full 2014 agenda.