The IEU thanks principal members for their contribution to the Union, especially during the enterprise agreement negotiations, and wishes them and their school communities a successful Term 2 ahead.
Catholic sector Enterprise Agreements (EAs), which were voted for by principals late last year, have been with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for the mandatory compliance checking process. The EA for Sydney principals was approved by the FWC on 26 April and the MEA covering the other 10 dioceses was approved on 1 May. There is a requirement in both Agreements to back pay salaries and the pay rates provided for in the Agreements will commence from the first pay period on or after 1 January, 2017.
My colleague Jackie Groom and I appreciated the opportunity to meet with Bathurst Diocese principals in Orange on 20 March and I also met with Parramatta Diocese primary principals on 23 March to discuss a range of issues. Other proposed IEU gatherings with principals include a Maitland-Newcastle Diocese breakfast meeting on 23 June and a breakfast in Wollongong on 22 November.
Many IEU principal members, together with their colleagues in other sectors, participated in the 2016 Australian Principals’ Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey. One finding from the 2016 data is that “there is a decreasing level of personal support for principals from within the schools they lead and from their employers”. Term 1 has seen a number of principals contacting the Union to express similar concerns about lack of employer support in relation to stressful situations such as dealing with some complex family matters, violent incidents and various compliance/governance issues.
Headlines, the IEU’s enews for school leaders, is produced once per term and input is warmly invited. In particular, we look forward to hearing from principals or assistant principals who would like to share their story in the profile section. (Appreciation is expressed to principal Lorrae Sampson from Nowra Anglican College for featuring in the Term 1 issue.)
As determined by the Term 1 IEU Principals Sub Branch AGM, meeting dates for 2017 were set for 6 May, 5 August and 4 November at the Union’s Parramatta office. Opportunities are welcome for other gatherings at diocesan, regional and local levels and a teleconference will be arranged as usual later in the year for independent school principals.