Bargaining meetings are already under way for new multi-enterprise agreements in independent schools (read AIS article and read Now's the time article) while the current Catholic systemic agreements expire in October.
Workloads top the list
Discussion about change was lively and insights were invaluable, if all too familiar. “I find my workload overwhelming,” said one member from a Catholic systemic primary school. “The administrative tasks alone take up a significant portion of my time, from updating student progress reports to managing all the necessary documentation. On top of that, the time needed for lesson planning and resource preparation, especially to cater to the diverse needs of my students, is enormous.”
Delegates reported working incredibly long hours – through weekends and term breaks, before and after school, and often late into the night – without additional remuneration and often without thanks.
Issues emerging across the workshop also included insufficient release time, working conditions for support staff, and meeting time and structures. Delegates said they spend too much time in meetings that lack clear goals or efficient processes, and this takes them away from doing what really needs to be done: teaching and supporting students.
“When staff meetings are always focused on professional learning, it makes my workload very challenging,” one delegate said. “If we could just get some time for planning during those hours, it would be so much better because I could use that time effectively for lesson preparation.”
Administrative overload
Delegates also noted that additional administrative duties are often time-consuming and lack relevance.
While salaries are always important, delegates expressed strong concerns about not just excessive workloads but the inefficiencies that come with them.
“Why can’t teachers just teach?” asked one delegate. “We know what we’re doing, yet there is so little trust or respect for our profession and so many other things we’re told to do that are not relevant to our work.”
Another common theme was frustration with duplicated tasks. Delegates voiced concerns about being required to record the same information in several places, but when they question this, a frequent response is: “You have to do it because it comes from the top.”
Many delegates referred to the IEU fact sheets on NCCD evidence collection and NESA compliance as highly useful in demonstrating that some tasks are not required (see box below). They said the fact sheets were a practical way to pinpoint tasks that are excessive or duplicative.
Delegates considered how elements from these fact sheets could be incorporated into their enterprise agreements, including clauses that address workload concerns.
Better conditions are union business
Achieving better working conditions for all our members is crucial union work. The Council workshop contributed practical ways to drive meaningful improvements in our members’ working lives, and the IEU will carry members’ concerns into bargaining meetings with employers.
The more members the IEU has, the more powerful our collective voice becomes. Our strength lies in our numbers, particularly when negotiating with employers.
We urge all our members to invite a non-member from your school to join. Reach out to your chapter rep or your school’s IEU organiser and hold a chapter meeting to talk about the changes you’d like to see. Then share them with us via your rep or organiser.
We are always stronger together.
